Volunteers

Yesterday we went to Volunteers Beach again to see the king penguins. There were 16 people in a convoy of 5 vehicles. The ground was quite soft and we had a total of 8 "boggings" on the way there and back so the journeys were quite slow by the time the bogged vehicle had been towed out each time and we got under way again.
Once again it was cold and breezy and we were glad of plenty of layers of clothing. Most of the young and adult penguins have now finished moulting so were looking very smart. There are over 700 breeding pairs of king penguins there as well as juveniles and a large number of magellanic and gentoo penguins.

The king penguins incubate their egg on their feet with a big flap of skin and feathers keeping it warm. There was a small group a short distance from the main colony which we were watching. Some of the eggs have just started hatching and the young chicks stay on the parent's feet and you see the occasional little bottom or head poked out.
John thought the chicks looked like baby pteradactyls. We saw one being fed by its parent who regurgitates food and then the chick puts its head right inside the parent's beak to feed. The adults were very protective of their chicks, often pecking the neighbouring birds or whacking them over the head with a flipper.
Some of the juvenile penguins are particularly inquisitive and if you sit down will come up close to look at you.We also walked along the lovely sandy beach where penguins were coming in and out of the water and generally marching around and preening themselves.