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| PENGUINS EVERYWHERE Gallery 9 |
PICTURE AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE: I took this on January 15, 2009 not too long after we entered the
Gerlache Strait area. Penguins may not have been quite everywhere, but there was certainly no shortage of
them. However, as explained below, some different penguin species that liked slightly warmer weather were
invading the place. They still liked to hang around on icebergs, though.
Gerlache Strait area. Penguins may not have been quite everywhere, but there was certainly no shortage of
them. However, as explained below, some different penguin species that liked slightly warmer weather were
invading the place. They still liked to hang around on icebergs, though.
| As always, click the picture to enlarge it. However, HERE IS a more strongly zoomed version of this picture. |
| As always, click the picture to enlarge it. However, HERE IS a more strongly zoomed version of this picture. |
For example, here are a bunch of them on an iceberg in the
Gerlache Strait area (specifically, as we entered Andvord Bay,
an inlet off of the strait) about 9:45 AM. I took the first 5
pictures on this page including the one at the very top, within
about a 20 minute period at about this time.
Gerlache Strait area (specifically, as we entered Andvord Bay,
an inlet off of the strait) about 9:45 AM. I took the first 5
pictures on this page including the one at the very top, within
about a 20 minute period at about this time.
The next one reminds me of a teacher teaching a class. Or it
might be that the leader just told them all to go left, but the
group wants to go right.
Well, OK. It was probably not either of those.
What I think is true is that these are a penguin species called
"Gentoo Penguins". HERE IS a web site, penguinworld.com, that
tells about different types of penguin. THIS IS its gentoo penguin
page. It recognizes 16 species, although I have seen other,
slightly different, classifications. HERE IS another such site,
antarcticconnection.com, that lists 17.
These can be recognized by the black heads and large, white spots
above the eyes.
The interesting thing is that this type of penguin has been moving
into the area we visited fairly recently, apparently in response to
the warming climate. The first gentoos were observed here in
1994, according to a survey of the area by personnel at the US
Palmer Research Station, which is nearby. It is described in a
paper published in American Scientist, July-August, 2008 and is
available on the Internet HERE. The penguin discussion is on Page
6. I have quoted other parts of this paper in Gallery 1 and in
Gallery 4.
The thing is that gentoo penguins prefer a slightly warmer climate
than the main species found in Antarctica proper, which is the
Adelie Penguin. It is on the penguinworld site HERE. According to
the Palmer paper, the gentoo penguins have increased from zero to
around 1000 breeding pairs since they appeared while the adelie
penguins have decreased from around 15,000 to around 3500
breeding pairs between 1975 and 2006 in the area of the study
around Palmer Station. This is probably in response to the
increasing temperatures in the Antarctic Peninsula. Although both
types of penguin prefer conditions much colder than I do, the
adelie likes it a little colder than the gentoo.
might be that the leader just told them all to go left, but the
group wants to go right.
Well, OK. It was probably not either of those.
What I think is true is that these are a penguin species called
"Gentoo Penguins". HERE IS a web site, penguinworld.com, that
tells about different types of penguin. THIS IS its gentoo penguin
page. It recognizes 16 species, although I have seen other,
slightly different, classifications. HERE IS another such site,
antarcticconnection.com, that lists 17.
These can be recognized by the black heads and large, white spots
above the eyes.
The interesting thing is that this type of penguin has been moving
into the area we visited fairly recently, apparently in response to
the warming climate. The first gentoos were observed here in
1994, according to a survey of the area by personnel at the US
Palmer Research Station, which is nearby. It is described in a
paper published in American Scientist, July-August, 2008 and is
available on the Internet HERE. The penguin discussion is on Page
6. I have quoted other parts of this paper in Gallery 1 and in
Gallery 4.
The thing is that gentoo penguins prefer a slightly warmer climate
than the main species found in Antarctica proper, which is the
Adelie Penguin. It is on the penguinworld site HERE. According to
the Palmer paper, the gentoo penguins have increased from zero to
around 1000 breeding pairs since they appeared while the adelie
penguins have decreased from around 15,000 to around 3500
breeding pairs between 1975 and 2006 in the area of the study
around Palmer Station. This is probably in response to the
increasing temperatures in the Antarctic Peninsula. Although both
types of penguin prefer conditions much colder than I do, the
adelie likes it a little colder than the gentoo.
The picture just to the left shows a couple more gentoo penguins,
identified by the large white spot above the eyes, from about an
hour and a half later than the above pictures. The Palmer paper
discusses many ecological changes, some observed and some
anticipated, due to climate change. But for a tourist, the penguins
are the most obvious.
identified by the large white spot above the eyes, from about an
hour and a half later than the above pictures. The Palmer paper
discusses many ecological changes, some observed and some
anticipated, due to climate change. But for a tourist, the penguins
are the most obvious.
| Here is a zoomed picture I took of the aforementioned Palmer Station from offshore. There are more such pictures iin Gallery 4. Personnel from the station visited us in those zodiac boats and told us many of the same things that I found in the paper. |
There is another type of penguin called the Chinstrap Penguin that
is also moving into the area, probably in response to climate
change. It also prefers a climate much colder than I do but
somewhat warmer than the adelie penguin. HERE is a description
of the chinstrap at the penguinworld site. According to the Palmer
paper, the number of breeding chinstrap pairs increased from zero
in 1975 to around 200 in 2006 in the area of the study.
I got a few pictures of chinstrap penguins, but not from such close
range as the gentoos and not as many pictures. Here, to the
right, are my two best.
A chinstrap penguin has a head that is white on the bottom and
black on top with the dividing line just above the eye. There is a
thin, black line under the chin, hence the name. My pictures are
at too long a range to make the actual "strap" visible, although I
can sort of make it out in the top picture when I magnify it into a
near total blurry state. But they can still be recognized by the
half-black half-white head color.
is also moving into the area, probably in response to climate
change. It also prefers a climate much colder than I do but
somewhat warmer than the adelie penguin. HERE is a description
of the chinstrap at the penguinworld site. According to the Palmer
paper, the number of breeding chinstrap pairs increased from zero
in 1975 to around 200 in 2006 in the area of the study.
I got a few pictures of chinstrap penguins, but not from such close
range as the gentoos and not as many pictures. Here, to the
right, are my two best.
A chinstrap penguin has a head that is white on the bottom and
black on top with the dividing line just above the eye. There is a
thin, black line under the chin, hence the name. My pictures are
at too long a range to make the actual "strap" visible, although I
can sort of make it out in the top picture when I magnify it into a
near total blurry state. But they can still be recognized by the
half-black half-white head color.
I did not get any pictures of adelie penguins at close range,
but I did get a number of possible such pictures from far
away. The highly-zoomed picture to the left shows a group of
penguins along the shore. I can tell that they have all-black
heads but cannot make out the large white spot. So they
might be adelie penguins, but it is also possible that the
picture is just too far away, and the gentoo white spot might
not be visible.
As the above suggests, the adelie penguin has a head that is
almost totally black, but there is a very small white circle
around the eye. That white circle is much too small to show
up in any of my long-range pictures. That is especially true
of this very long-range picture to the left. It shows a huge
number of penguins on Paulet Island, which is in the Antarctic
Sound. That island was our turn-around point on the first
day, Jan 14, when we circled around it. It was also the site
of the strongest winds we encountered, as shown in Gallery 10
(not yet built). This is only a small fraction of the total
number of penguins on that island, which I have heard are, in
fact, adelie penguins. But you certainly couldn't prove that
from these two pictures.
The one just to the left is a more magnified view of Paulet
Island, but still very distant.
but I did get a number of possible such pictures from far
away. The highly-zoomed picture to the left shows a group of
penguins along the shore. I can tell that they have all-black
heads but cannot make out the large white spot. So they
might be adelie penguins, but it is also possible that the
picture is just too far away, and the gentoo white spot might
not be visible.
As the above suggests, the adelie penguin has a head that is
almost totally black, but there is a very small white circle
around the eye. That white circle is much too small to show
up in any of my long-range pictures. That is especially true
of this very long-range picture to the left. It shows a huge
number of penguins on Paulet Island, which is in the Antarctic
Sound. That island was our turn-around point on the first
day, Jan 14, when we circled around it. It was also the site
of the strongest winds we encountered, as shown in Gallery 10
(not yet built). This is only a small fraction of the total
number of penguins on that island, which I have heard are, in
fact, adelie penguins. But you certainly couldn't prove that
from these two pictures.
The one just to the left is a more magnified view of Paulet
Island, but still very distant.
The buildings to the left are part of another research
station, owned by Argentina, in the Gerlache Strait area.
I don't think it was occupied by people when we passed by,
but all those little white spots are penguins. I have heard
that these are adelie penguins. You couldn't prove it from
this picture, but there is also nothing to disprove it.
station, owned by Argentina, in the Gerlache Strait area.
I don't think it was occupied by people when we passed by,
but all those little white spots are penguins. I have heard
that these are adelie penguins. You couldn't prove it from
this picture, but there is also nothing to disprove it.
Penguins are very messy critters, and they don't have indoor plumbing. So whenever you see some
discolored snow like you see above, it was probably done by penguins. Actually those rocks in the
left-hand picture are present again in the right-hand one, and they are covered with penguins. These
penguins are along the side of the Lemaire Channel, which we sailed through on day 3, Jan 16. What kind
of penguins are these? I don't know in the above pictures, but read on.
discolored snow like you see above, it was probably done by penguins. Actually those rocks in the
left-hand picture are present again in the right-hand one, and they are covered with penguins. These
penguins are along the side of the Lemaire Channel, which we sailed through on day 3, Jan 16. What kind
of penguins are these? I don't know in the above pictures, but read on.
Just a little farther on in the Lemaire Channel was another such discolored spot with a discolored trail
leading up the slope. It seems that the young penguins are located up high, but the parents have to go
down to the water to catch fish for the young-uns to eat. I don't know why the nursery is so far above
the kitchen, but that is how they do it. They can't carry the food up to the kids in their hands,
because they don't have hands. So they eat it and carry it in their stomachs. Then they cough it up
for the kids to eat. I am glad my parents didn't feed me that way, but then I am not a penguin.
In the center picture, there is the trail -- very messy -- with a bunch of penguins on it. I enhanced
that picture a lot in order to bring out detail at long range. I also tried the maximum zoom I had and
got the right-hand picture. And there right in front of us in that picture are the white spots indicating
gentoo penguins. I can't swear that these were the only kind in the Lemaire Channel, but there were
some in there anyway.
leading up the slope. It seems that the young penguins are located up high, but the parents have to go
down to the water to catch fish for the young-uns to eat. I don't know why the nursery is so far above
the kitchen, but that is how they do it. They can't carry the food up to the kids in their hands,
because they don't have hands. So they eat it and carry it in their stomachs. Then they cough it up
for the kids to eat. I am glad my parents didn't feed me that way, but then I am not a penguin.
In the center picture, there is the trail -- very messy -- with a bunch of penguins on it. I enhanced
that picture a lot in order to bring out detail at long range. I also tried the maximum zoom I had and
got the right-hand picture. And there right in front of us in that picture are the white spots indicating
gentoo penguins. I can't swear that these were the only kind in the Lemaire Channel, but there were
some in there anyway.
| Finally, penguins seem very awkward on land, and even though they have wings, they can't fly. But, wow, can they ever swim. People who study penguins like to say that they fly through the water. Several times we saw them do this: break the surface and quickly -- very quickly -- dive again. It was sort of like "porpoising". This happened so fast that taking pictures was almost impossible. I just tried snapping quickly when the first one broke the surface and hoped to get the tenth one. Out of many such tries, here are the only two to show anything. |
Gallery 1 -- Geography
Gallery 2 -- Snow and Ice Piles
Gallery 3 -- Glacier Fronts
Gallery 4 -- Glacier Retreat
Gallery 5 -- Beagle Channel
Gallery 6 -- Strange Icebergs
Gallery 7 -- (Big) Tabular Bergs
Gallery 8 -- Stranger Icebergs
Gallery 9 -- Penguins
Gallery 10 -- Wind and Waves
Gallery 11 -- Leaving a Wake
Gallery 12 -- The Southern Moon
Gallery 2 -- Snow and Ice Piles
Gallery 3 -- Glacier Fronts
Gallery 4 -- Glacier Retreat
Gallery 5 -- Beagle Channel
Gallery 6 -- Strange Icebergs
Gallery 7 -- (Big) Tabular Bergs
Gallery 8 -- Stranger Icebergs
Gallery 9 -- Penguins
Gallery 10 -- Wind and Waves
Gallery 11 -- Leaving a Wake
Gallery 12 -- The Southern Moon