Last of the Geeps

With the wildlife leaving I've more free time to explore the island or carry out little projects of my own. One is my midwinter present - the old Antarctic secret-Santa-like tradition that has led to quiet evenings hiding in my room and the workshop.

Another project involved setting a timelapse camera up on the top of Tonk to catch what I hoped would be an impressive sunset. As it turned out it was only an average sunset, but there's plenty more time to try again.

Me on the top of Tonk, with colony J hut in the foreground (Steph's photo).

The view from the top of Tonk, looking north across Top and Bottom Meadows to the Willis Islands and impending snow-storm. On the right of the picture you can see the now empty Big Mac and on the left Johnson Beach.

Experimenting with cameras has been good fun. I left my little GoPro up in one of the Grey-headed Albatross colonies and got some good shots of their life at the moment.

Feeding time.

Stretching and practicing with those big wings.

Screaming for food as an adult, not necessarily on of its parents, lands nearby.

 Tuesday saw the departure of the final Giant Petrel chick from my study area. It's great to see them off successfully. I'll miss working with them as they're really charismatic, although it's only a couple of months until I'll be out every day recording the new nesting adults.

Riding out the snow, an adult Southern Giant Petrel.

Walking a regular route past the geeps and grey-heads means you get to know certain birds on the way. Some are more aggressive than others, some more timid and some just seem to have something about them. The Wandering Albatrosses are currently the main occupants of the island, with both chicks and adults livening up the Meadows.

My favourite Wanderer chick. It's got particularly chubby cheeks and always stands up as if to say 'hello' when I walk past, but doesn't shy away or snap at me.

A cosy Wanderer pair keeping warm and sheltering down in the tussoc.

The beaches are like the savannah with Leopards and Elephants jostling for space with the usual Fur (er... Seals).

Young Elephant Seal, foaming at the mouth. At least it makes a change from the others with big snotty noses.

Big Leopard Seal hauled out on the snow, fast asleep.

 As I was lying in the snow helping Hannah photograph this latest Leopard Seal a lonely Gentoo Penguin was wandering around us, honking and pecking at my rucksack. Happily he was joined by another two Gentoos who came ashore for a group preening session.

Gentoo Penguins, safe on the land, preening with a total lack of concern as to the giant predator behind them.

We were hoping for an opportunistic boat call this weekend bringing over vital generator bits as well as any mail and fresh veg. We're running dramatically low on potatoes and things are started to be rationed with midwinter approaching. The weather has been highly changeable and particularly windy recently though so it'll be a case of fingers crossed, wait and hope.

Big winds = big waves.

Changeable weather also means rainbows. 

 Jerry.

Quantum Lep!

It's been an exciting few days as we've had our first Leopard Seal. These huge (up to 4m long) predators breed on the pack ice but head off following their prey (cephalopods, krill, fish, penguins, and other seals) through the winter. A few are seen around Bird Island most winters and it is the job of the seal assistant to monitor their presence.

My first view of a Leopard Seal. Compare the sizes of him, Hannah and the huge Tussoc grass on the slopes.

A happily sleeping Leopard Seal. We waited at a distance for ages until he was snoring peacefully.

Hannah retrieving the GLS from Max's flipper tag while he sleeps.

Many follow the same routes year upon year and that is true of this individual, known as Max. Much work has gone into photographing visiting Leopard Seals and a large database exists with records of their distinctive coat patterns, so specific individuals can be identified. This one also carried a small tag and geolocator which Hannah was able to retrieve, so fingers crossed we will be able to download the data and see where this seal has travelled since it was last here. As always this information builds up our knowledge of these species which will allow us to better protect them and their environment.

This Leopard Seal had a big cut on his back, caused by what we don't know,  but it was causing him trouble. Mainly because the brave / stupid Sheathbills kept pecking at it, winding him up while he was trying to sleep. These photos of him growling are results of disturbed sleep.

This seal is dwarfing the resident Fur Seals, the largest of whom just about reach 2m but none of those big boys are around at the moment. There are often one or two Elephant Seals around too but again none of the massive males. There is a huge difference in appearance between the seal species; the Furries have quite fuzzy faces, a bit like dogs or bears. The Ellies have huge bowling-ball heads with gigantic dark eyes and the Lep looks more like a Tyrannosaurus Rex. While the Fur Seals can stand up and run around on their front flippers, like sea lions, the Elephants and Leps move by shuffling their whole bodies, like Grey and Harbour seals seen in the UK. The front flippers on the Ellies look so small in comparison it's difficult to imagine them being very effective, but then you see the size of their back flippers.

Fur Seal yawning aggressively. 

T-Rex head: Leopard Seal reacts poorly to shit-chicken disturbance.

The huge, wobbly Elephant Seal with it's spherical head and gigantic eyes.

There's been a few days of calmish, clearish weather and when we get conditions like that it's always worth looking out for whales. So the prior to Max arriving the Lep round delivered great views of a couple of Southern Right Whales circling and diving not far from the base.

Southern Right Whale diving.

A few other jobs have cropped up that have involved walking round the beaches. Through the winter I carry out a collection and record of marine debris on the Main Bay. Very little washes up but it gives me a good excuse to be out with the camera with time to take photos of some of Bird Island's less-appreciated avian life.

Pair of South Georgian Pintail; the cute, carnivorous ducks.

South Georgia Pipit; the world's most southerly songbird.

At spring high tides through the winter we will also be counting the number of Pintail and Sheathbills over a set transect. Very little work is done on these species but this is a simple way of recording population changes.

Wandering Albatrosses displaying behind a chick.

Albatross work continues, although almost all the Black-brows have now fledged and many of the Grey-heads are looking ready to depart. Wandering Albatross still dot the hills, valleys and meadows, whether fat chicks sitting in their nests waiting for food or adults courting they are always fascinating.

Grey-headed Albatross chick. Still a fluffy one but many are far more developed than this.

Wandering Albatrosses courting on Bottom Meadow.

Jerry.

'Do a force and that', like it says in your film.

Star Wars Day

The 'any reason to celebrate' theme continued on May 4th, being International Star Wars Day. After a day out setting up a camera at an albatross colony, taking in electronics from a penguin colony and checking on fledged geeps I returned with little time to work on my costume.

A Tusken Raider, Darth Vader, Darth Maul and Porkins celebrate Star Wars day. 

I never fail to be amazed at the creativity of people when properly getting into the swing of fancy dress. Unfortunately, Darth Vader, Porkins and I were all rather warm and facially challenged when it came to eating, so the costumes didn't stay on too long.

'Don't play with your food'.
'But it's pasta Jedi knights'.

Amazingly, Craig had cooked a Star Wars themed meal - pasta in the shape of Jedi knights, TIE fighters, Millenium Falcons and Death Stars (alright, that's an easy one).

Darth Maul playing detective in a respectable English country mansion.

Following a game of Cluedo we sat down to watch Star Wars Uncut - the brillian fan remake. 

Some actual work

As usual, the first of the month saw the Wandering Albatross nesting survey. Again I headed east to the end of the island and meandered back again checking on chicks. Happily almost all of them are still alive and looking fat and fluffy enough to give encouragement for their winter chances.

Wandering Albatross chicks appreciating the good weather.

Adult Wandering Albatrosses overlooking Bird Sound. 

Albatross not yet decided whether to creep past or take off.

While out and about I was also checking on rat-boxes. These are specially designed boxes with bait balls that I have to check for any signs of nibbling to ensure we keep the island rat-free. It's well documented how much chaos and devestation rats can cause to ground-nesting birds and Bird Island is lucky in its inaccessibility that it's never been home to rats. Well one of these rat boxes made a good nesting spot for a pair of Storm Petrels, whose fluffy chick is growing up nicely in there.

Fluffy Storm Petrel chick in a rat-box.

I also managed a bit of exploring - down to the coast by Mountain Cwm which is open now the seals have mainly departed.

Find of the day; a good quality volleyball. Made in China, shipped to Argentina, played with by beautiful South Americans on a beach (I assume), lost at sea, washed up on Bird Island.
Interestingly the O has been pecked out in each spot, geeps trying to peck out its eyes perhaps?

Natural Arch, still home to a few seals.

Gentoo Penguin playing with rocks. They've been engaging in a bit of nest-building. Not seriously, but just keeping their spots looking smart and owned.

Skua washing itself.

Jerry.