Day 9 - On Salisbury Plain...there were penguins
After lunch, or rather two lunches (buffets, the enemy of all waistlines), we headed towards a place made famous by one of my all-time heroes, Sir David Attenborough. A place that I had seen on television programs before and looked on in awe. Salisbury Plain. Home to 60,000 breeding pairs of King Penguins. Home to mounds of Southern Elephant seals and packs of Antarctic Fur seals. The buffet table for many Northern and Southern Giant Petrels, Brown Skuas, Snowy Sheathbills and Kelp Gulls. A wildlife haven.
A glacier on the northern South Georgian coast. The scale of this glacier (which is retreating) is difficult to illustrate without something familiar in the foreground.
White-chinned Petrel skimming the water's surface.
As we steamed along the coast of South Georgia, we had Southern and Northern Royal Albatrosses, mixed in with Black-browed and Grey-headed Albatrosses, with Wilson's Storm and White-chinned Petrels circling the ship. Although these had become the usual fare, they were never taken for granted. With a backdrop of glaciers of unfathomable size, and the icy wind providing a bracing slap to the face and numbing the extremities, I really began to feel that we were heading towards the ice and snow. To add further proof of this, a couple of Blue Petrels were mixed in with the Antarctic Petrels, and a Black-bellied Petrel dipped and scooped over the surface of the water off our bow. Both ticks for me and delighted to catch up with them so well, getting quality views.
As a few Brown Skuas and Kelp Gulls flew overhead, as Antarctic Terns ghosting by, a Snowy Sheathbill circling and landing on the ship, and seabirds beginning to peter out, I knew we must be coming closer to land than we what we had been earlier. A check from the bow revealed a massive glacier rolling down to the sea from the mountains, and what appeared to be wildlife along the shore and slopes. Tons of wildlife. A shout from my fellow birdwatchers caused my head to swivel and there were King Penguins porpoising close to the ship! It was such a calm day, and they were coming so close, it was almost possible to hear the gasp and intake of breath of the Kings as they broke the surface of the water. Returning my gaze to land, I lifted my binoculars to look at the shoreline properly... I think I uttered the words "wow" (or more than likely "holy f*&king sh*t") as I found myself staring at thousands upon thousands of King Penguins, which had Fur and Elephant Seals interspersed amongst them. This was incredible. I couldn't stop smiling and my heart started pounding. This was the fabled Salisbury Plain.
Salisbury Plain, South Georgia.
Porpoising King Penguins!
On closer inspection, the grandeur of a massive King Penguin colony revealed itself. What a sight!!
The call for the Zodiacs went up and I legged it down to the gangway. I was already in my wet-weather gear and was itching to get on to this legendary place. It is not often that one can land here. We found out subsequently that a ship, which was a day or so behind us, could not land here because of a bad storm. These landings were not to be taken lightly and were to be enjoyed to the max! Landing on the shore and looking back along, all that we could see were King Penguins, Fur Seals and Southern Elephant Seals. No humans. It was bliss. The smell was something else, though. More pungent and musky than any seabird colony I had experienced, anywhere. This was what it was all about. This is what Attenborough had brought to the attention of the world in a big way. It was the theatre of dreams, really and I was completely overwhelmed.
The shoreline of Salisbury Plain, littered with King Penguins, Fur Seals, Elephant Seals, Kelp Gulls, Brown Skua and Snowy Sheathbills.
A male Antarctic Fur Seal looks on.
A young Elephant Seal (aka Weaner).
A yelping Weaner (Elephant Seal) cries, snorts, bellows and squeaks.
The Elephant Seals were great value, especially the Weaners, with their squeaks, cries, snorts, bellowing and apparent farting noises providing the backing chorus to the chirrups and squeaks of the mass of King Penguins. 60,000+ pairs of King Penguin nest on this Plain. Not to mention the thousands of young King Penguins, which are also known as Oakum Boys or Hairy Penguins. The Kings were what we were here for and it was mind-blowing. This is what South Georgia is all about now. Masses of wildlife. Little human presence. Perfect.
To get a better elevation to view of the colony, I asked if it was okay to clamber up the slope a bit. I got the nod and proceeded to make my way up. The view was spectacular being that bit higher. However, no sooner had I gone a couple of dozen yards through the tussock grass, when a nice big male Antarctic Fur Seal reared up on its hind flippers out of nowhere and snorted loudly. I froze and just thought that there was no point going further. These seals can run faster than a human over 20 yards. And their bite is very, very nasty. So, I just kept an eye on him and vice versa, and took photographs from the vantage point I had. I also made sure I took the time to just watch and observe what was going on around me. It was important to take it in.
The King Penguins in all their glory. Moulting individuals in the bottom left corner, the young Kings or Oakum Boys in their brown down, and the adults paired up or incubating eggs.
A male Antarctic Fur Seal keeping an eye on me keeping on it him in the tussock grass.
A handful of Oakum Boys giving the yellow penguins grief. My fellow passengers loving it.
Jim (left) and Peter (right) keeping any eye on the passengers and wildlife. A route had to be kept clear for the penguins going to and fro from the Plain and the sea. Jim and Peter were policing this.
Oakum Boys!
A nice surprise was a few South Georgia Pintail in a small fresh(ish)water pond near where I was standing. The only meat-eating duck in the world(!) and one of the rarest birds on the planet. Pretty cool to see. They were non-plussed by our presence and were quite tame. We saw 6 birds in all in this area. Nice new species in the bag. I spent some time here, just watching and trying to find some nice patterns in amongst the throngs of penguins. It was fun watching the Oakum Boys waddling around and annoying adult birds. Brown Skuas were constantly patrolling the skies, looking for an easy meal. Kelp Gulls were also doing the same. Giant Petrels were just sitting around as well, waiting for an unsuspecting bird to get too close. Survival of the fittest...indeed.
South Georgia Pintail - meat-eating duck!
A creche of King Penguins amongst the adults.
The colony stretched right up the hill.
Lovely patterns.
The colony stretched on for miles.
King Penguin close-up. Did you notice the square pupil?!
With the colony well and truly observed after a couple of hours, I started to make my way across the beach to see some male (Southern) Elephant Seals that were, unusually, still here. This was a great and unexpected opportunity to see these guys. They are the biggest seals in the world, weighing in at 2,200 to 4,000 kg (4,900 to 8,800lb) and measure from 4.2 to 5.8 m (14 to 19 ft) long. True behemoths of the seal world, and the biggest beasts on the beach. As I made my way along the beach, it was fun (mostly) dodging the aggressive, hormone-fuelled Fur seals. Some of the young males were practicing defending their territory by charging the yellow penguins, that is, myself and fellow passengers! Once one made oneself big and roared, with arms waving up and down, the seals generally looked on confused and turned around. It was generally the youngsters and really pumped adult males that were persistent.
A sleeping male Antarctic Fur seal.
A male Antarctic Fur seal marks its territory, while a recently weaned Elephant Seal snoozes next to its companion.
A young male Antarctic Fur seal was full of hormones and charged most people that walked past him.
Head-on; a male Antarctic Fur seal.
The bull Southern Elephant Seal was sleeping further along the beach. And it was HUGE! The bull was battered, bruised and bloodied from its battles on the beach. The bull Elephant just lay there, with the odd snort and shifting of its enormous mass from time-to-time. It was a treat to see such a specimen, as the males are generally long gone at this stage of the breeding season. The Weaners were also very entertaining and so approachable. However, the rules when visiting these lands is that he wildlife has to come to you and you are not approach the wildlife! These rules must be obeyed to keep the lands wild and allow others to see the beauty of the place. The scattering of many Fur seal skulls around the Elephant seal probably signified that the area was once used as a seal blubber boiling spot during the days of seal hunting.
A bloodied, bruised and battered-looking bull Southern Elephant Seal...a true giant of the beach. King Penguins and Antarctic Fur seals are in the background.
A close-up of the snout of the Elephant Seal that gave it its name. Note the bloody scars of battle.
Weaner Sleeping, oh-so peacefully.
As I mentioned earlier, it's all about survival of the fittest here. Examples of this were apparent all over the beach. Between carcasses of young King Penguins to bloodied and sliced open adult King Penguins, to the bones of whales signifying times past, it could be easily seen how it could become a bloodbath. Skulls and bones of Fur Seals were also littered along the beach. *WARNING: Graphic images* Birds such as Brown Skuas and Giant Petrels were never far away from the death and destruction. In fact, some were (un)fortunate to witness a King Penguin getting attached by a Fur Seal on the beach, which just bit right through the abdomen of the penguin and left if for dead. The Giant Petrels then swooped and ate the penguin alive. Gruesome but true story. If I'm honest, I was disgusted to have missed it. This place takes no prisoners and to see all aspects of this wilderness would have been great.
A decomposing juvenile King Penguin.
An adult King Penguin with a recently sliced open abdomen. It looks like it is healing but it is unclear whether the individual will survive. Fur seals have started attacking King Penguins as they make their way up the beaches, which may be the cause behind the injured penguins we saw.
A very badly injured King Penguin just out of the water. Jim and I raced up to take images, which I'm sure some onlookers may have thought was weird.
Brown 'Antarctic' Skuas loafing around and having a snooze. These were very easy to approach. Cool birds.
Brown 'Antarctic' Skua
Remnants of times past; a weathered whale bone.
It was not all a gore-fest, of course. There were penguins everywhere and they were beautiful!!
Swimming King Penguin in the glacial blue waters off Salisbuy Plain.
Once we were herded back to the Zodiacs and back to the Sea Spirit, I hung back as long as I could so that I could get back on the last Zodiac. I didn't want to leave (a recurring theme...) and would love to have stayed for longer. I was on the second to last or last Zodiac with Jim and some of the team. As I was getting off the Zodiac and onto the launch deck of Sea Spirit, I heard "SNOW PETREL!!' being shouted in a Cork accent..."f*ck me" I thought. I raced through the "off limits" section and saw two birds circle the ship!! Unbelievable!! I quickly, but thoroughly, went through the bio-check and bio-wash procedure before racing up to Deck 4. The birds circled two more times before heading back across the bay to the cliffs flanking Salisbury Plain...what a day....
A Snow Petrel circling the ship after Salisbury Plain.
Salisbury Plain Glacier
And so ended one of the most incredible wildlife experiences I had encountered thus far, anywhere on the planet. I'll never forget the smell, sound, sights, survival and hardiness of the wildlife I experienced on Salisbury Plain. It was truly humbling to have stood there.
Day 9 - Elsehul Bay, South Georgia
I slept fitfully the night before the dawn of the first day on South Georgia. The island evokes a land of wonder and awe in my minds eye and it did not disappoint. The dawn was once again covered in a cloud and an almost-invisible fog, which lingered about the air. It was quite eerie. However, it did permit us the first glimpse of the fabled island. The first encounter with Antarctica per se.
South Georgia - the first glimpses at dawn
While we were steaming along to our first port of call, a glimpse of a South Georgian Diving Petrel exploding off the water ahead of the ship, and Grey-headed, Light-mantled Sooty and Black-browed Albatrosses clearly visible along the coast, signalled that the wildlife was waking up. Southern Fulmar and Cape Petrels made themselves known by circling the ship, keeping low over the water but distant enough to make photography difficult. The early morning gloom did not favour photographing birds in flight all that well. Antarctic Prions, Wilson's Storm Petrel and White-chinned Petrels made various passes of the ship as we sailed along. From the bow of the ship, the sound of a blow caused me to shift my focus from left to right, and there was a single Humpback Whale making a quick dive away from us. A nice start to the day. I hadn't even finished my first coffee yet (but I did have a couple of biscuits while all this was going on).
South Georgian Diving Petrel moves away from the bow.
A Cape Petrel gently flaps over a calm ocean and around the ship.
A distant Humpback Whale about to dive after taking a breath. The remnants of the blow can be seen over and behind the whale. Antarctic Prions and a Black-browed Albatross keep the whale company.
The first port of call on South Georgia was Elsehul Bay, which can be a difficult place to visit and tour by Zodiac due to the likelihood of ill-favourable weather and sea ice. Elsehul is a bay 0.5 miles (0.8 km) wide, entered close west of Cape Pride along the north coast of South Georgia. It is separated from another harbour (the Undine Harbour) by a narrow isthmus called the Survey Isthmus. The name "Elsehul" dates back to the period 1905–12 and was probably applied by Norwegian sealers and whalers working in the area. The bay is home to nice collection of wildlife, which we were lucky to encounter. The weather was calm, windless and dry. It was a perfect way to see this beautiful bay and experience a glimpse into the wildlife of Antarctica and its islands.
The northern coastline of South Georgia at dawn. Low cloud and little light.
Entering Elsehul bay on a calm and steady day, with lingering fog but with some break in the clouds.
The first thing I noticed was the sound of calling albatross and seals. The eerie cry of the Light-mantled Sooty Albatrosses wafted over the calm morning air. It is a sound I will never forget. My nerves were tingling and I (once again) had to pinch myself. I was still in disbelief that I was here. A casual scan with the binoculars around the edges of the bay revealed Antarctic Fur Seals, Elephant Seals, Northern and Southern Giant Petrels and Brown Skuas. King Penguins were also noted along one particular inlet. Looking out across one section of cliff, I noticed a large gathering of black and white birds on nests. I immediately thought they were South Georgia (Imperial) Shags, as I had seen quite a few flying around on our way in. On closer inspection as we steered towards them, my jaw dropped...the black and white birds were Macaroni Penguins!! Hundreds of them nesting in amongst the tussock grass, with some Grey-headed Albatross next door. Magic.
Black and white nesting birds and albatross amongst the tussock grass. I first thought they were South Georgia Shags, but...
...it was hundreds of Macaroni Penguins!!
Grey-headed Albatross on their nests in the tussock grass.
After a quick breakfast was had (all-in omelette! as one does), we were called to our boarding groups and were ushered to climb aboard the Zodiacs for a 3-4 hour cruise around the bay. It is very hard to put scale on anything in South Georgia (or Antarctica). The sheer size of this bay can only be seen by comparing it to the size of the ship (91 metres or 300 feet long) and the Zodiacs (~5m or 17 feet). The place is massive. This was my first time on a Zodiac cruise. In essence, a Zodiac tour involves driving around to various sites at the landing area, and investigating the wildlife, geology, historical sites etc. Where we go, how slow/fast we go, how long we stop for, is determined by both the driver and passengers. Taking photographs from a Zodiac, even in calm conditions, is very difficult. With 7-9 other passengers looking for good positions etc., and the movement of the platform one was sitting/kneeling/standing on, one had to be quick off the mark. As we toured around the bay, we came across a lot of Antarctic Fur Seals, both male and females. The majority of the Fur seals were male, whose intention was to set up territory on the beach for the arriving females. A few females were there, and one or two had tiny pups, probably only born that morning or the day before. A pup being born was witnessed by another Zodiac as we toured around, but we missed it. All we saw was a bloody-headed Northern Giant Petrel which happened upon the birth and ate the placenta in less than a minute. Survival of the fittest. Gotta love it down here.
M.V. Sea Spirit at anchor in Elsehul Bay. A few Zodiacs can also be seen, to give one a sense of scale.
South Georgia Shag (note the white cheeks).
Antarctic Fur Seal (male)
Antarctic Fur Seal (female)
male Antarctic Fur Seals setting up territories on the beach. Some female Fur seals are there with recently bon pups (centre of image). Others are just lounging on the scree.
Northern Giant Petrel blood-stained from consuming the placenta of the female Fur Seal with the newborn pup (centre). The pup is no more than 10 minutes old! A Brown Skua is running off in the top right corner.
Territorial disputes amongst the Fur Seals can result in some nasty injuries.
As we were puttering around the bay, a call came in over the walkie-talkies that not one but two(!) South Georgia Pipits were found along the rocky coastline!! This was totally unexpected as the team had never recorded the Pipits from this site previously. Jim was obviously very excited with this news and was trying to ensure that all the Zodiac passengers were able to see the birds. Success was had by all and there were smiling faces in all the boats. This is the only passerine in the Antarctic islands, including South Georgia, and the most southerly found passerine in the world. A rat eradication program (http://www.sgisland.gs/index.php/%28e%29Eradication_Of_Rodents) has been ongoing for a couple of years, and it appears to be having great success. We saw at least 4 South Georgia Pipits in this little bay alone, where none had been recorded in recent times. Fingers crossed the island can be rat-free after 2016.
Jim Wilson (red jacket) points out the South Georgia Pipit to the passengers, while Paul Nicklen (Canadian, National Geographic photographer, Zodiac driver and all round super nice guy) looks on and gets the Zodiac in a little closer. Having Paul on the trip made it even more special.
This is what all the fuss was about - South Georgia Pipit! Tough little songbirds.
After the excitement of the pipit, we continued on touring the bay, coming across huddles of recently weaned Elephant Seals, who are affectionately known as Weaners. They are called this as they are weaned by the female Elephant Seals after only 30 days, and are left to fend for themselves. The females leave and head out to sea to feed and get on with their lives. Some young adult males were also present, practicing their fighting, while disinterested Antarctic Fur seals ignored them. Antarctic Terns and Brown Skuas were flying overhead, the terns busily hunting in the shallows, while the Brown Skuas looked for an easy meal.
A young male Elephant Seal lounges on the beach, with some Antarctic Fur seals for company. A forlorn-looking Gentoo Penguin hangs out under some overhanging tussock grass.
Weaners!!
A pair of young bull Elephant Seals practice their duelling skills. A pair of Antarctic Fur seals on the shoreline are not one bit interested.
Antarctic Tern hunting in the shallows.
Brown Skua flying overhead looking for an easy meal.
We also saw two penguin species in amongst the Elephant and Fur seals, namely the King Penguins and Gentoo Penguin. The Kings were in active moult and so are not able to go into the water. So, they just huddle in a group and wait for their new feathers to push the old feathers out. It all seems quite boring really but I am sure they are enjoying lazing around doing nothing (don't you just love anthropomorphising).
A group of moulting King Penguins in amongst some sleeping Elephant and Antarctic Fur Seals. A single Gentoo is also there.
Evidence of sealers from the past were evident in the bay. A trio of seal blubber boiling pots were left behind to rust and decay in the salty air and harsh conditions. Now, thankfully, the seals and penguins merely laze around these pots where once they would have fed the pot's hungry innards.
Seal Blubber Boiling Pots surrounded by Antarctic Fur Seals, a Gentoo Penguin, Northern and Southern Giant Petrels.
Peter Wilson brings his passengers on a mini-lap of the ship while he waits to drop them off. The colours here are "as shot" and have not been altered in any way. Beautiful colours, particularly the water, with the fog lingering over the tops of the cliffs.
With the tour of bay completed, we headed back to the ship for lunch and began steaming out towards open water again. What was interesting to note as we approached land was the decrease in bird numbers and species variety, when compared to the open ocean. However, all was not boring and too quiet, as the quartet of Light-mantled Sooty, Wandering, Black-browed and Grey-headed Albatross were visible from the ship as we sailed out. All of these species breed in the area. It was some some sight.
Grey-headed Albatross (adult)
An adult Grey-headed Albatross flying off the stern of the ship.
A sub-adult Wandering Albatross off the stern of the ship.
Black-browed Albatross taking off from the sea.
Pintados or Cape Petrels take off from the water with a Black-browed Albatross looking on.
White-chinned Petrel banking off the bow.
Even as we sailed along the northern the coastline, mammals continued to impress. Porpoising Antarctic Fur Seals and surfacing Humpback Whales kept us company as we ate lunch, drank coffee and ate more biscuits. It really couldn't get better than this. Could it?
A group of porpoising Antarctic Fur Seals head towards the coastline.
A group of Humpback Whales on their migration, with Antarctic Prions flying around them. We saw a dozen Humpbacks in this small area.
Cape Petrel (aka Pintado or Cape Pigeon)
What lay ahead, unbeknownst to myself, would just knock me for six. Salisbury Plain awaited.
Day 8 - Thar' she blows!!..and the Shag Rocks
Another dawn, another coffee, more biscuits and more seabirds, albeit a bit quieter than the day before. A full day steaming at sea lay ahead. A thick fog lingered for most of the day, only lifting for short periods. The fog had an interesting effect on the seabirds. It basically prevented them from being seen! It also prevented the birds from seeing the ship and so there were not so many species or volume of birds around the ship. The usual suspects were around the ship: Black-browed Albatross, Northern and Southern Giant Petrels, Cape Petrel, Antarctic Prions, White-chinned Petrels and Wilson's Storm-Petrels. The sea was very calm, very flat which meant little wind, ergo, few albatross.
Fog from the bow. Visibility only okay.
Northern Giant Petrel through the gloom. Visibility decreasing.
Wilson's Storm Petrel in a clear moment.
White-chinned Petrel
Antarctic Prion.
I popped in and out of the indoors, from Deck 4 Aft, Deck 3 for the Prion images, the dining room for breakfast, the bar area to grab coffee (and biscuits) and the lounge area for some talks on geology, birds and blubber. As the day progressed, there was a distinct aroma in the air. A thick, rich and slightly ammoniac air. It smelt familiar, in a seabird colony sort of way. But we were miles from land, at least 36 hours from Falklands/Las Malvinas and at least 18 hours from South Georgia. Then, an Imperial Shag flew past the stern. Then another. And another. The smell was indeed bird poo. It was Imperial Shag poo. We must be approaching the Shag Rocks! It was so foggy, however, that there was nothing to see. The race of Imperial Shag found in these waters is known as the South Georgia Shag. South Georgia Shags have white cheeks (the Falkland Island Shag has black cheeks) and a distinct demarcation line between the white cheek and black chin and hindneck. Exciting to think we were that we were closer to South Georgia than to the Las Malvinas/Falklands, and a long way from home.
South Georgia (Imperial) Shag flying very close to the ship through the fog. Note the white cheeks and distinct demarcation line between white cheek and dark face.
South Georgia Shag (Imperial Shag) - sub-adult.
South Georgia Shag (Imperial Shag )- adult.
Over the tannoy came an announcement in Cheli's best New Zealand drawl: "We are now approaching the Shag Rocks". The smell we were experiencing was a good indicator after all! The collection of six small islands appeared in the distance through the undulating movement of the fog as it lifted and dropped constantly. We were warned previously that we may have an opportunity to see the islands but it would all depend on weather and fog. Too stormy, and it would too dangerous to approach; too foggy, and it still might be too dangerous to approach. The Shag Rocks are about 250km west of South Georgia and about 1,000km off the Las Malvinas/Falklands. Luckily for us, the fog lifted and we were in a position to make an approach on the Shag Rocks...it was a very cool thing to see. They reminded me a lot of the Stag Rocks off the south-west coast of Ireland and I kept referring to the Shag Rocks as the Stag Rocks all day beacuse of that! I think I confused both myself and the passengers!
From the ship, we could clearly see the fronds of Giant Kelp fastened to the base of the rocks, just where the water washed over the rocks. Hundreds of Imperial Shags were dotted around the islands, with Black-browed Albatross and Wandering Albatross soaring around the peaks and bases. It was quite an impressive sight. The Shags were busy nesting and carrying nesting materials to and from the rocks. Where they were getting the organic matter to line the rock edges was a mystery.
Shag Rocks
As we headed in towards the Rocks, the captain brought in the stabilisers from the ship. It was incredible how much of a difference the make to the stability of the ship. While it was not rough, there was probably a 2m swell with a lot of time in between the waves. However, the ship really rolled. It was quite something. As we changed course and started moving onwards again, we spotted a large, bushy blow from a whale not too far away and in towards the Shag Rocks. Once we were locked on to its position, it dived and a large stocky tail lifted straight up in the air and down. Some thought it was a Humpback whale but Peter Wilson and I didn't agree. The tailstock was nothing like a Humpback and the general shape of the tail was not that of a Humpback. The stock was thick and the tail flukes were too broad and deep. I wondered if it was a Sperm Whale. With the difference of opinion on its ID, it was decided to turn the ship around and head back in to see if we could find the whale again.
As we were slowly approaching the area where we saw the whale initially another blow materialised and the head was clearly seen..."look at the [insert expletive here] callosities on that!!!" was shouted and all our initial theories on the ID were thrown overboard! This was a SOUTHERN RIGHT WHALE!!!!! A new species of whale for many on board, including some of the experienced expedition crew. The whale logged on the surface for a while, arching its back resulting in the head and tail both at the surface. After 5-6 minutes, the whale continued to dive and finally disappeared from our view. What a moment. High-fives everywhere. Smiles all around. Two major whale sightings in two days. This trip was exceeding expectations already.
A blow from the Southern Right Whale.
Southern Right Whale clearly showing the callosities on its head, with a South Georgia Shag in the background
Finally leaving the Southern Right Whale to themselves, we pushed on towards South Georgia and the fog lifted. As it did so, we could see more and more out towards the horizon. Some Southern Fulmars and Southern Royal Albatrosses found the ship, as did a couple of Grey-headed Albatross. Northern Giant Petrels were flying close to the ship, as were Black-browed Albtrasses and Cape Petrels. Antarctic Prions began to show in bigger numbers. A couple of Northern Royal Albatross were picked out amongst the large albatross following in the ship's wake. It was turning into a nice relaxing afternoon of seawatching after the excitement of the Shag Rocks and our Southern Right Whale encounter.
Northern Giant Petrel
Black-browed Albatross flies very close to the stern of the ship. Just stunning.
Then, as if out of nowhere, there were blubber blows all around the ship. Up to a dozen whales were actively coming to the surface and they were all Humpback Whales. Of that we were certain. I was up on the gangway around the bridge to get a better all-round view of the horizon. News of the sightings went out over the tannoy and the vast majority of the passengers were out on deck. The most I'd seen out on deck at any one time (and was to be for the rest of the trip), clearly demonstrating the lure of Humpback Whales. A particular group of Humpback became very curious and came right up to the ship. Great views were had by all and the photographs obtained by some passengers were excellent. The water is so clear here that it is quite easy to see whales coming up to surface from a few metres down. The air was punctuated with lots of "oohs" and "aahs" as the whales performed for the ship, spy-hopping and tail fluking.
Humpback Whale surfaces right by the ship.
Three of the Humpback Whales that came close to the ship, with the smallest of the three (on the left) spy-hopping.
Two of the Humpback Whales that came close to the ship
I was unfortunate not to be in the right position on the ship when the Humpbacks came right alongside. The expedition leader said that it was the first time they had ever had Humpback Whales come up to the ship like that. It couldn't have gone any better. While I missed getting decent images of the Humpback Whales alongside the ship, I did manage to capture images of the two adult Humpbacks as they tail-fluked before diving. The underside of a Humpback's tail is like a fingerprint and is unique to each individual. I must determine where I can send these images to to catalogue the whales and see whether these whales have already been recorded in the Southern Ocean before.
The flukes of two of the Humpbacks we saw.
All in all, a fantastic day out on the sea. Plenty of whale action but a slower day on the seabird front. However, it was great witnessing the passenger's enjoyment of the scene of the friendly and playful Humpback whales. These are the stories that they will bring back home with them and hopefully inspire others (and themselves) to help secure our planet's future.
Day 7 - on the Southern Ocean heading to South Georgia
Dawn broke under a low cloud, with some fog and drizzle surrounding the ship. Not ideal weather conditions for photography. Nevertheless, I donned the waterproofs, thermals, neck warmer, hat, gloves and cameras, and headed straight to the bar! Not for a pint but for a mug of strong coffee and some shortbread biscuits to get the brain going at 6am. As soon as I stepped outside to my spot at Deck 4 Aft, the wind chill was very noticeable. We were heading south, towards South Georgia and the ice of Antarctica, and is was much colder than we had experienced as of yet. Throw the drizzle and fog in, and it made for an uncomfortable first hour. However, despite the cold, once I cast my watering eyes out to the sea, all I could see was clouds of Prions. They were everywhere! Antarctic Prions to boot, with a handful of Thin-billed (or Slender-billed) Prions as well. They were circling the ship and it was difficult to concentrate on individuals as they were wheeling around so quickly. Northern Giant Petrels and Cape Petrels were in evidence, with a single Brown Skua causing a bit of havoc.
A quick look around the corner into the biting wind, I could see a nice group of Wilson's Storm Petrel off the bow albeit a bit distant. I walked quickly to the bow and quickly picked up a Grey-backed Storm Petrel in amongst the group. If the brain hadn't been quite awake yet, it certainly was now with my heart galloping and the adrenaline flowed. Again, the bird was distant so no photographs. I was hoping to pick up some Common Diving Petrels but none materialised despite my best efforts in the polar wind. After the rush of seeing another Grey-backed Storm Petrel, I headed back to the shelter of the Deck 4 Aft and the cloud of Antarctic Prions. I was no sooner back and settled into my nook when I picked up some big albatrosses coming along the wash of the ship...more Wandering Albatross, with Southern Royal Albatross thrown in for good measure. We had four Wanderers in amongst the Prions and Giant Petrels that morning. Black-browed Albatross were also evident and continued to be around the ship for the entire day.
Wandering Albatross (sub-adult) shortly after dawn
Wandering Albatross (juvenile) in amongst Antarctic Prion
Wandering Albatross (sub-adult) with Antarctic Prion
Southern Giant Petrel with Antarctic Petrel
In amongst the Prions were also some White-chinned Petrels, Grey-headed Albatross and the ever-present Black-browed Albatross. Southern Royal Albatross began to make an appearance as we headed further south. A couple of Great Shearwater and Sooty Shearwater brought a familiar feel to proceedings, as they are the typical large shearwaters we see of the coast of Ireland during Autumn, but the blizzard of Antarctic Prion they were flying amongst reorientated the geography in my head.
Southern Royal Albatross in amongst the Antarctic Prion with a Black-browed Albatross in the background
Southern Royal Albatross in amongst the Antarctic Prion with a Black-browed Albatross in the background
White-chinned Petrel with Antarctic Prion
Great Shearwater
Late morning, Jim was giving a talk on the albatrosses and seabirds we should expect on the route down to South Georgia. I grabbed a coffee and some more biscuits (thank goodness for elasticated pants), and headed down to the lounge. Like a typical male mass-goer of old, I sat down the back of the room to ensure I could sneak away should I see anything through the window. With one eye on the screen and my full aural attention, I kept one eye on the window. From where I was sitting, I could see Southern Royal Albatross, Giant and Cape Petrels and Prions glide by. Then, a large all dark shearwater or albatross, glided past the window. Then it glided past again...sweet baby jesus it was a Light-mantled Sooty Albatross!! I quietly legged it out of the room and up on deck. There, flying around the ship and in amongst the melee of Antarctic Prions and Black-browed Albatross were a handful of Light-mantled Sooty Albatrosses. And such incredible beasts!! All grace and beauty in a streamlined form. They just glided effortlessly around the ship, sometimes at head height, and at times flying in parallel in a courtship dance. A dream bird to see and I was like a kid in a sweetshop. I think some of the passengers thought I was bonkers, jumping up and down, running around like a headless chicken, screaming obscenities in the excitement when an albatross flew by or a Cape Petrel flew within a foot of my head. This is what it was all about. This is what the utterance of Southern Oceans conjures up for me in my mind. Clouds of seabirds and majestic albatrosses. This day did not disappoint.
Light-mantled Sooty Albatross
Light-mantled Sooty Albatross with a Black-browed Albatross
After the excitement of the Light-mantled Sooties, I scanned the area for what else could be out there. I came upon a small feeding flock of Giant Petrels and then noticed a small shearwater skirt by. I couldn't believe it. I followed it but it kept quite a ways out and never came in too close. I rattled off a few images and kept watching it. I managed to get one of the passengers standing next to me on to it with their camera (few passengers had binoculars) and he managed to get a few more images. It is possible to get Manx Shearwater down this far south, but it would be rare. The only other species I could think of off the top of my head was Little Shearwater. The bird flew onwards and was lost to sight. I had resigned that encounter as one that got away.
After lunch, I was hanging out with Jim on Deck 5 aft for the "wildlife hour", where Jim and Colin Baird point out to the passengers any birds and any whales encountered. We were scanning the area when Jim picked up an Atlantic Petrel coming in towards the ship. I got on to the bird and was delighted to connect with this species. While they do occur in this region, it is not always guaranteed to see one. A full fledged tick!! In the end, we had at least 5 individuals in the space of an hour or so, indicating that this particular spot was good for them.
Atlantic Petrel
Incredibly, I also managed to either relocate the same or find a different small shearwater at the same distance out I had seen the one an hour or two earlier. I eventually got Jim on the bird and we spent at least 5 minutes tracking it, calling out features as we observed. The "common sandpiper"-like flight behaviour, the open face and short wings led us to conclude that it was a Little Shearwater!!! This was a new species for Jim in these waters. An excellent species to add to the trip list.
A pair of Black-browed Albatross and Light-mantled Sooty Albatross sweep through a flock of Antarctic Prion
After about 90 minutes of standing in the biting wind and cold conditions, it was time to head to the warmth and comfort of the bridge to keep an eye on what was coming down the line! The captain and the officers of the Sea Spirit were very tolerant of passengers being on the bridge, provided that the ship was not coming into shore or during rough conditions. From the bridge, and from the walkway around the bridge outside, a great 180 degree view was provided. As I was watching Giant Petrels, Cape Petrels and Black-browed Albatrosses wheel around in front of us, I picked up a blow from the port side and about halfway out to the horizon. It was a big blow. A very big and tall blow. The first officer spotted it as well and got excited. I threw up the bins and all I could see was a pale grey and mottled back that went on and on and on until a tiny dorsal fin finally appeared...Blue Whale?! BLUE FRICKIN' WHALE!!!! My heart started going like the clappers and the adrenaline was pumping. I didn't know what to do. I started to leg it out the door to tell the others. So as I opened the door to leg it out, and then realised that the bridge could talk to all the expedition staff, but then I saw Jim running downing the corridor towards the bridge shouting "did you see that?!?!" and so I just turned around and went back outside. I didn't get any photographs because I simply forgot to. However, we all got great views of the whale and high-fives were being thrown everywhere. What a moment! I'll never forget the rush I felt when I realised what I was looking at. Unbelievable.
After a calming cup of coffee (and some homemade chocolate chip cookies - can you see a pattern forming here?), it was back out on deck to check what else was going by. I soon picked up some Grey-headed Albatrosses coming along the wash of the ship, in amongst the usual suspects. A very attractive and graceful albatross, which are about the same size of the Black-browed Albatross. Southern Fulmars also started to make an appearance now as well, indicating that we were heading south towards the polar convergence. We didn't need the appearance of Southern Fulmar to tell us we were heading towards the polar convergence; the air temperature and wind chill was a reminder of that! A very pale Light-mantled Sooty Albatross stood out from some distance and thankfully, came into investigate the ship providing some fantastic views.
Light-mantled Sooty Albatross (a very pale individual)
Grey-headed Albatross (juvenile)
Northern Giant Petrel (note dark tip to bill)
As the Prions were still wheeling about the ship, I ventured down to Deck 2 where they were flying very, very close and approaching eye level. I spent an hour trying to get some decent flight shots of the Antarctic Prions and the odd Thin (Slender)-billed Prions. It was great watching them skim and glide over the waves in an effortless fashion while into a strong headwind. Magic birds.
Antarctic Prion
Antarctic Prion and Thin (Slender)-billed Prion
Thin (Slender)-billed Prion
As the day drew to a close, we toasted the Blue Whale and Little Shearwater in the bar that evening. The prospect of what the following full day at sea would bring, made for a very fitful and anxious sleep.
Day 6 - Port Stanley, Las Malvinas/Falkland Islands
Dawn broke as we approached the Eastern Falkland Islands and our destination for the day: Port Stanley. Stanely is the capital of these Islands, with a population of just over 2,000 people. The main attractions of the capital are the museum, the government buildings and the church. My interest lay in the birds, and in particular, the Rufous-chested Dotterel and Correndera/Falkland Pipit. Having only a certain amount of time in the area, I had to decide what to do. I could go for the Dotterel and Pipit in the bogs at the top of the town, or else get a taxi out to Gypsy Point (4 miles/6km away) for some Magellanic Penguins and the possibility of 2-Banded Plover. While I was think about what I was going to do, I watched Northern and Southern Giant Petrels, Northern and Southern Royal Albatross, Grey-headed Albatross, Black-browed Albatross, Wandering Albatross, Southern Fulmar, Cape Petrel and Wilson's Storm Petrel fly around the ship as we steamed through the channel towards the Stanley. Thin-billed Prions were also making an appearance in small numbers and Common Diving Petrels were scampering away from the bow of the oncoming ship.
Wilson's Storm-Petrel (ventral view; note the feet sticking out beyond the tail)
Black-browed Albatross (sub-adult)
After a health-hearty breakfast, an "omelette with everything" as one does, everyone donned their wet gear and headed for the Zodiacs. The plan had been to moor alongside the dock in Stanley and have a "dry" landing. However, as with all expedition landings, the weather had other plans for us. A very strong and inconsiderate wind blowing from a unfavourable direction prevented the Captain from bringing the ship alongside. So, it was a rough, bumpy and wet Zodiac trip across the channel to town. While we were waiting to tie alongside, a pair of Commerson's Dolphins swam around the Zodiacs. With my camera gear in my dry bag, I was not able to get any photographs. To be honest, I was just so thrilled to get such good views of the dolphins that getting a photograph didn't really bother me. It was my first time seeing this species and they are a stunning mammal.
Once we disembarked from the Zodiacs and took of the wet gear, Jim gave me directions of where to go for the Dotterel. My mind was set on spending the time looking for this species and hopefully some close, open views of Magellanic Snipe. There was a chance for 2-Banded Plover and Silvery Grebe along the town front later on, so I decided on the gamble of heading upwards. It took Jim three or four visits to the area he was sending me that he finally found the Dotterels. With so little time to properly stake out an area for photographs, making a decision and sticking to it was key. With that, I set off on my own and headed for the open moorland. Jim was working and guiding a group of passengers from the ship in a bird walk around the town and eventually up the moorland where I would be.
While walking up the hills, it was strange concoction of elements hitting the senses: hearing the calls of House Sparrows, seeing the flags of English Premier League football clubs in the windows of people's homes, watching the Falkland race of Austral Thrush looking for worms in the gardens, where some of the oldest and functioning Land Rover makes and models reside in driveways and looking at Turkey Vultures prowling the skies at roof height; a very surreal picture begins to unfold right in front of one's eyes.
Turkey Vulture at just over head height along the gardens of the Stanley properties. The crows of the region!
I had to stop to take it in, to remind myself of where I was. The island had an uncanny resemblance to the islands of West Cork that I know and have been going to for years. The soaring Turkey Vultures sort of brought it all back home that I was not on Cape Clear now.
So onwards I went, nodding to the Land Rover drivers who were giving the ol' West Cork "one finger off the steering wheel" wave of acknowledgement. Reaching the top of the hilly "street", I ventured over the wire fences and started walking slowly across the bogs and heather. There were remnants of the Falklands War from 1982 scattered about, with rusted gun turrets and a few old helmets apparent in an area that saw fighting. It was a tad surreal. While searching for the Dotterel, some Black-faced Siskins flew by but not much else. A couple of distant pipits flying east could only have been Correndera Pipit but better views would be required to tick that species. The beautiful melodious song of the Long-tailed Meadowlark was audible but I couldn't find them either! After nearly an hour, I finally tracked down a couple of Dotterel in a distant fenced off section of the bog. I was thrilled!! This was a real bonus to find them so quickly given Jim's previous searches. Without his knowledge, I may not have been able to find them. After climbing over a couple of fences, I managed to sneak up on the Dotterel by lying down on my ever expanding belly (thanks to the copious amounts of food on the ship and my ability to eat it all), and crawling along with the camera at the ready. Once I found a suitable position to lay down and ensuring my background was clean(ish), I spent an hour with the birds allowing them to fly around and walk towards me. Quite stunning and a great experience. It was the wind coming in off the sea and the general quietness of the area that appealed to me most.
Rufous-chested Dotterel (simply stunning)
While lying on the heather and bog, I was fortunate that a male Long-tailed Meadowlark came into investigate. The male bird, such a stunning creature, fed amongst the heather and chased off the Dotterel at one point, threw out a few snatches of song, before flying off again.
Long-tailed Meadowlark (Military Starling) - a resplendent male.
Once I had had my fill of the Dotterel, I moved off and went in search of Magellanic Snipe and Correndera/Falkland Pipits. Just as I was traversing another fence, I saw Jim and his group, just like the Pied Piper and his followers, coming down towards me. With a few well-known hand signals exchanged between us while looking through our binoculars, I intimated that the Dotterels were close. I waited for Jim and my fellow passengers and showed them where the birds were. Everyone was happy to have seen them. With Jim's guided walk now complete, it was great that the two of us could wander around and go birding ourselves, just the two of us, like we used to do when I was a kid. It was a really nice moment for me, and I was delighted to have had the chance to do it. As we walked around the area, we stumbled upon some Magellanic Snipe, more Rufous-chested Dotterel and a few Correndera Pipits as well.
Correndera or Falkland Pipit (best images I could manage - tricky to get close to)
Magellanic Snipe out in the open! Such stunning and cryptic birds. Bigger and paler than their European cousins. We saw quite a few in this area of bog/moorland. With some patience and slow movements, it was possible to get close to this beautiful bird.
However, the highlight of our walk around the area was stumbling upon a quite tame Meadowlark. We slowly crept up to the bird, taking turns to go point and using the one-two inline technique we have used for years now when sneaking up on a bird to take some photographs. This was the closest that Jim had ever got to a Meadowlark so I let him lead for most of the stealthy stalking. We were both delighted to have got so close to a male Meadowlark and also to secure some shots. We then slowly retraced our steps and decided to head back into town for some lunch. On our way back to the road, we passed some small flocks of both Upland and Ruddy-headed Geese in the fields.
Long-tailed Meadowlark (Military Starling)
Once we had a bite to eat in one of the (strange) local pubs and had a pint of the local ale (excellent stuff, too!), we headed back out to look for the Falkland race of Austral Thrush and check the front of town for more waders, gulls and terns. Jim also wanted to pop into the local Sainsbury's(!) to pick up some supplies. Most of the crew do this here in Stanley, as it is generally not possible to get things like Cadbury's chocolate and other familiar items in Ushuaia. Turkey Vultures were gliding overhead as we exited Sainsbury's and Dolphin Gulls were chilling on the grass along the coastal path running along the front of town. Kelp Gulls and South American Terns flew past busy looking for food, while Falkland Steamer Ducks, or Loggers as they are known as locally, were busy chowing down on bivalves and mussels over the sea wall. Rock Shags were also busily feeding in the shallows.
Falkland Island Steamer Duck or Logger (a male)
Kelp Gull
Dolphin Gulls
As I had yet to photograph the Falkland race of Austral Thrush, Jim and I headed out towards the cemetery which is a little way out of town. No sooner had we reached the end of the road that Sainsbury's was on when we spied a couple of Thrush having a wash in a small pond in the garden of the Falklands Conservation building, an end-of-terrace house along Stanley front. They were very jittery and quite flighty but I managed to get a couple of images before we decided to push on. Time was against us as we had to get back to the collection point for the ship.
Austral/Falkland Island Thrush
On our way to the cemetery, and passing a few Land Rover garages, we stumbled upon a Blackish Oystercatcher feeding along the water's edge!! I had only seen the species in flight in Ushuaia so we stopped to take a few photographs. This is a big Oystercatcher with a real mallet-looking bill. Once I had some record shots in the bag, we walked quickly along the coastal path, passing a flock of sleeping Upland Geese and Black-chinned Siskins feeding on the grass seed heads. As we continued along towards the cemetery, Jim spotted a Steamer Duck sitting up on the grass in amongst some Crested Duck - we were confused as to how it got there (no obvious slipway and a high wall present) and were thinking that it might be a Flying Steamer Duck. Dave, one of the expedition crew, had seen a couple of Flying Steamer Duck flying along the town front as we were approaching Stanley that morning. We crept closer and closer but the bird just didn't fly. We took some photographs for analysis later and were about to head onwards when we realised we had run out of time. We had to head back to the dock and get the Zodiacs back to the ship. It was time to leave Stanley.
Blackish Oystercatcher
possible Flying Steamer Duck
Crested Duck
Stanley was a great little town, strange, surreal and a bit weird. I wish I could have spent some time walking around and gone to visit the garden full of gnomes and the garden full of whale bones made into sculptures. Next time. For now, it was goodbye to vegetation, trees, soil, the sound of passerines chirping and singing for at least two weeks.
We made our way out of Stanley harbour and the channel, and back into the open ocean, and then steamed south towards South Georgia! I stayed up on deck and spent the last remaining hours of light birding the day away. We were treated to fantastic views of Wandering Albatross and Black-browed Albatross, as well as White-chinned Petrel and Sooty Shearwater. However, the highlight was picking up 2 Grey-backed Storm-Petrels flying into the wind off the bow of the ship!! I had thought initially that they were Black-bellied Storm-Petrels, but the lack of white rump, overall grey back and wings pointed to Grey-backed. Thankfully, one of the other passengers, Roger, managed to grab a few record shots. We showed Jim later on, and he confirmed that they were Grey-backed Storm-Petrel, as species he has yet to see! A great bird for the trip list.
Black-browed Albatross
Northern Giant Petrel, Wandering Albatross and Black-browed Albatross in gloomy conditions.
Wandering Albatross being lit by the setting sun
With the prospect of two full days at sea ahead and the weather closing in, it was time for a few beers and to bed at a reasonable hour. An early start beckoned the following day as we began our journey south.