Birds

» Judy Arbique - Penguin Webcams

Are these the same type of penguins we saw in "March of the Penguins"? You mentioned that the parents take turns tending the eggs and fishing for food, but in the film the females left the eggs with the father while they returned to the ocean...a journey that seemed to take weeks, if not months?

» Rosemary Drisdelle - Penguin Webcams

Hi Judy,
No - March of the Penguins (an awesome film) is about Emperor Penguins. Gentoos are smaller, more numerous, and they seem to take life a little easier. Have you visited the webcam? It snowed over the weekend, leaving quite a heavy layer of snow where a lot of melting had been going on. So far the Gentoos just seem to be "chilling."

» Rosemary Drisdelle - Penguin Webcams

Great news - three of the four webcams at O'Higgins are working now, and one of them gives a much closer view of the penguins. Visibility was not good when I checked today, so I'm looking forward to tomorrow.

» Rosemary Drisdelle - Penguin Webcams

The snow has receded again, leaving large patches of bare ground. Some days, the icebergs in the background are as interesting to look at as the penguins... but some of the birds are definitely sitting on nests now. It looks odd to see them resting on what looks like a hummock of little rocks - it makes you doubt that they are really nesting, but I've been watching for a few days and I'm sure they are. You can watch them too at http://www.martingrund.de/pinguine/

» Rosemary Drisdelle - Penguin Webcams

Yesterday, I saw an egg! The camera caught the penguin in the close-up shot adjusting the egg with his/her beak. It's quite a large egg, as you'd expect, pale but mottled-looking. It's amazing how the egg stays warm and intact on that bed of rocks.

» Rosemary Drisdelle - Penguin Webcams

Snow on the penguins. It's late spring in antarctica where the Gentoo penguins are sitting on thier nests. Last night they had a little snow - not too much but it stayed on the ground. They don't appear at all put out. Two of the the six cameras are off line this morning. Check out the penguins:http://www.martingrund.de/pinguine/

» Rosemary Drisdelle - Two eggs!

This morning I caught one of those rare moments when the penguin that webcam 2a is watching was standing up and tending his/her eggs. This time I clearly saw two eggs. (Two is normal but last time I could only see one.) They are coloured so similarly to the rocks that, without their curved edges, they would blend right in. They should be hatching very soon...

» Rosemary Drisdelle - Penguin chicks!

Today I caught the penguin in web cam 2a standing up. Beside, or between, its feet there was a little grey furry looking ball with a tiny wing. It was the wing that made me sure of what I was seeing. The next time I checked, the parent was sitting again and there was no sign of the chick. I hope it's comfortable on its warm bed of rocks...

» Rosemary Drisdelle - Growing penguins

These days the parent bird is always standing - the chicks are getting so big it's probably not possible to sit! The penguin in the web cam has two charming chicks, who both seem to be doing ok. It's fascinating to check in on them daily.

» Rosemary Drisdelle - Going to the creche

The penguin chicks at GARS O'Higgins are starting to wander about a bit. It's nearly a month since they hatched so I think they are about to move to the creche. The nest we have been watching still has two healthy looking chicks - it must be a good year for food so far.

To find out more about the creche, read my article on Gentoo Penguins at http://birds.suite101.com/article.cfm/a_...