Fairy Penguins...

We meet at a hut on the beach and by the time the tour is ready to go there are about 50 people. Its very windy and quite cool, the sensible ones have turned up in fleece jackets and fur hats – we were not so sensible. We are taken down to a viewing stand on the edge of the sand and as we wait for the sun to set, Courtney, our tour leader gives us lots of information about the penguins. The ones we will see are known as any of the following names – Blue, Little or Fairy. Some interesting facts – at about 8 weeks old the parents stop feeding them to encourage them to leave the nest and head for sea. Once at sea they do not have to return for two years (that is when they are ready to mate). They only return to land to breed or to moult. They mate for life. They have about two sets of young each year usually two young in each set. We are fortunate that it is breeding season so we hope to see adults and chicks.

We split into smaller groups and Ryan leads our group down to the water’s edge where we can hear the penguins chattering down by the rocks. As a small group forms they start the procession up the beach; the tour guides have specially filtered lights, enabling them to highlight the groups for us to watch and photograph. When the penguins set off across the sand in line it is difficult not to laugh out loud, they are as adorable as they are hilarious. After watching several groups make their way to the nesting sites in the thorn bushes, we then go further up the beach to see the chicks and are privileged to watch the adults feeding them – although this is a form of chucking up into their youngsters throats,

Although the perfect end to the evening would to have been offered a steaming mug of hot chocolate this wasn’t to be so with the car heater on full blast we headed back to the cabin – a delightful evening.

love & little penguin hugs...

Jeff & Janet