Today I was lucky enough to travel the 40kms to Windy Bay where there is an Emperor Penguin colony. There was about 8-10 thousand penguins on the sea ice, and although we couldn’t get down to mingle with them they were still an impressive sight. The chicks are at present almost as big as the parents who both have to go off to feed, and then wander back from the sea, find their chick and feed it. Consequently there is a lot of noise, and smell, with the chicks constantly demanding food from the adults. One adult might look after a number of chicks in a crèche while the others are making their way back the kilometer or so from the edge of the sea ice.

The Emperor Penguin colony on the sea ice, sheltered by the cliffs of the ice shelf

Emperor Penguins treks back from the sea

How do I find my Mum?

A chick demanding food

An adult Emperor Penguin with a crèche of chicks

The colony waits until the sea ice breaks up, and this commits the chicks to the sea for the first time. Hopefully that will be in January when they have developed proper feathers: last year it was very early and most of the chicks drowned.
I’ll keep up to date with their progress… but if the worst happens, I’ll lie and tell you they all safely swam northwards!

Series - Halley VI

1. The Halley Build… continues
2. The Halley season begins
3. It nearly gets Dark…
4. A day in the life…
5. Windy Bay Penguin Colony
6. Happy Christmas from Antarctica!!
7. Christmas and New Year on the Ice
8. Friday 13th is 2 Weeks Late
9. Halley, the Final Chapter