Bird of the Week – Gentoo Penguin

We’re heading still further south the next few weeks, first to South Georgia Island, in the far South Atlantic Ocean. WC’s buddy Hugh Rose had told WC about an isolated, less well-known Gentoo Penguin colony about a mile from the old Stromness Whaling Station. The full story is at the end of this post. But it was at that remote colony that WC was able to capture a moment between the adult and the chick.

Gentoo Penguin and Chick

WC’s thanks to Hugh Rose for the tip.

Technical stuff: f8, 1/320, ISO100, hand held, laying on ground.

For more bird images, visit Frozen Feather Images.

The back story to this photo: Stromness was one of eleven landings the M/V Polar Star made on easterly side of South Georgia Island. There’s a small, clearwater creek that runs down the valley. The colony was up near the head of that valley. WC walked the mile or so up there, partly on Hugh Rose’s recommendation and partly to get way from the other 104 passengers for a while. There were a fair number of Gentoos headed each direction. It’s a colony of 25-30 pairs. At the sight of the big stranger in the bright red parka, all of the females hunkered down on their nest, protecting their chicks. Over the course of an hour, the kids started to stick their heads out and gradually the females decided WC wasn’t a threat and sat up. And gave WC this shot.

Don’t be too anthropomorphic. The chick is begging for food. Mom is about to provide it. Penguins don’t have hands. Ewww.

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