Entrance to the Weddell Sea 24/11/11 P.M.

Antarctic Shag

 As we left Brown Bluff Antarctic Shags were flying to and from their cliff face colonies. We also came across a huge ice berg when looked at with some imagination took the form of a Scotty Dog lying down. For the rest of the day this berg seemed to be insight.


Scotty Dog

As we entered the ice flows Wilson's Petrels were flying quite close to the bow of the ship enabling me to get some pleasing shots.

Wilson's Petrel

Wilson's Petrel

 Crabeater Seals and the odd Weddell Seal were sun bathing on the ice flows.

Crabeater Seal

Ice flows in the Weddell Sea

Several Snow Petrels ghosted up to the ship and past just as quickly. Most the time there was only 8 passengers at most including our group of 4 out of 107 watching out for birds and cetaceans.  

Candidate for one the most beautiful birds in the world 

We were sea (Ice) watching from the front of deck 3 when Mike called Orca! As the bridge relayed the news over the PA we were joined by all the other passengers. The captain then very carefully manoeuvred the ship as close as he could to the pod and superb views were had by all as we watched them for the best part of an hour.

Looking out for seals

Spy Hopping

This young Orca swam down the side of the ship eyeing us  up

A while after the excitement of the Orca's as most the passengers had drifted back to the lounge Mike quietly said Duck or something like that as both he and David shouted Emperor Penguin. It was about a mile in front of us on an ice flow. Once again the bridge relayed the news and we joined by the rest of the passengers. As we got nearer to the bird we could see that it was spanking full adult, which is  unheard of as only 1 juvenile has ever been seen on these cruises before. Adults are usually only seen on the breeding grounds in the heart of the continent. The captain once again did a fantastic job of steering the ship through the ice to slowly sidle up beside the Penguin even making sure the light was perfect for photography. Shortly after we spotted 2 more further away on ice flows.

Emperor Penguin

What a stunning way to end our first day in the Weddell Sea.

Brown Bluff 24/11/11A.M.



Brown Bluff

 We woke to another stunning Antarctic day with Cape Petrels and Southern Giant Petrels still around the ship as we headed towards the 750mt high brown cliffs that gives this part of the continental peninsular its name. As we neared our anchorage Adelie and Gentoo Penguins could be seen swimming to and from their colonies also Wilson's and Black Bellied Petrels flew out to the ocean and my first Snow Petrel ghosted by. 

Adelie Penguins

 Our Zodiacs found a way through the pack ice to the beach for us to make our first landing on continental Antarctica. Huge colonies numbering tens of thousands of Adelie and some Gentoo Penguins packed the hillside down to the beach in the bright sunshine.

 Most the time I was there I just looked and took in the fantastic sights and sounds of these beautiful creatures rather than through the view finder.

Gentoo

 Brown Skua's, Kelp Gulls and Sheathbills patrolled the colonies waiting to pounce on unattended eggs. At the edge of the ice along the shore a Leopard Seal patrolled looking for unwary Penguins. While we were there some lucky people saw it catch a Penguin. Wilson's Petrels, Cape Petrels and a couple Snow Petrels flew high along the ridge of the Bluff.

Leopard Seal

 Inexperienced birds left some of there eggs on show making life easy for the Gulls and Skua's

  All to soon we called to go back to the ship for our onward journey into the Weddell Sea. While making my way back to the Zodiacs a Snow Petrel flew straight towards me low through the mashed up ice bergs on the shore allowing me to take a couple of pictures of it.

Snow Petrel a stunning bird

Back at Dunge

A quick look at the military canal at Hamstreet on my way to Dungeness this morning found 3 Little Egrets and 1 Great White Egret. At The Point a steady trickle of Guillemots and Kittiwakes moving SW offshore and little else moving but the Glaucous Gull was by the fishing boats.
At the ARC from Hanson Hide the Penduline Tit was putting on a fine show in the sunshine, just when my camera and lens are both in for servicing. Also there 3 distant red head Smew could be seen at the south end, a Bittern flew into the reeds by hide and could be seen for a while before flying back towards the Water Tower, 11+ Goldeneye and 2 Black tailed Godwits were the highlights there.
Stopping on the causeway going back to the beach 1 Great White Egret was in sheltered spot as was the Long Tailed Duck. Back at the beach no change.
At Scotney 800+ Golden Plover and just about anything else that was there were being constantly disturbed by the council working on the cycle way. 2 Marsh Harriers could be seen by the windmills.
On Walland no sign of any wild Geese or Swans yet but 40+ Tree Sparrows in the bushes round the feeders.
Hopefully i will have my camera back by the end of the week.

Deception Island 23/11/2011 P.M.



Approach to Deception Island

 Arriving at Deception Island in the early evening of 23rd in brilliant sunshine we still had Cape Petrels, Southern Giant Petrels,Wilson's Petrels and Skuas. Deception is a collapsed volcano which flooded thousands of years ago. To enter the caldera and the safety of calmer waters we had to sail through  a narrow channel called Neptune's Bellows which was quite spectacular.

Entrance to Neptune's Bellows

Gentoo Penguin

 Although this landing was primarily to learn more of the history of Deception there were still birds to be seen. With Gentoo Penguins and Chinstrap Penguins, Kelp Gulls, Antarctic Terns and Skuas. On the outside slopes of Deception there is a vast colony of Chinstraps.

South Polar Skua

 The amazingly close views of the Skuas gave us the chance to separate South Polar and Brown Skuas. Which at close quarters was relatively easy, as the Brown Skuas are huge with very heavy bills and very dark faces compared to the South Polars. Unfortunately we did not come across any really blonde South Polars.

Brown Skua

South Polar Skua

3 South Polar and a Brown skua bottom right. (note bill size and dark face)

Gentoo and Chinstraps

Gentoo

Old whaling station

You cant help some people

 The sea inside the caldera is allegedly warmer due to volcanic activity but only by 1C. 2 passengers decided to have a swim. 1 week ago the whole of the caldera was frozen solid. The photograph below  shows the opposite end of the caldera the same day.  

Fragmenting ice pack in the caldera.

Half Moon Island, South Shetlands. 23/11/11 A.M.

White Chinned Petrel

Approach to Half Moon Island

On the morning of 23rd we were approaching Half Moon Island which holds a colony tens of 1000s of Chinstrap Penguins. Round the ship we still had Cape Petrels, Southern Giant Petrels and White Chinned Petrels keeping us company until we anchored in the lee of the island.

A Superb Chinstrap Welcome

This was kind of welcome we received stepping out of our Zodiacs in glorious sunshine a balmy 7C for our first island landing.  Absolutely Magical!!

The Chinstraps were totally oblivious to our presence walking right up to us and so endearing. Making my 400mm lense almost superfluous.

Brown Skua

Brown Skuas and Kelp Gulls  patrolled the colonies looking for unattended eggs. While Sheathbills revelled in eating Penguin poo and anything else they could find.

Chinstrap with egg in nest of stones.

Our floating home M/V Plancius

Macaroni Penguin

In one of the Chinstrap colonies a lone Macaroni Penguin. We made special efforts to see this bird as we would be unlikely to see any more as there main breeding site is in South Georgia along way off our proposed route.

Macaroni Penguin

Ice Crystal Halo

While walking through some times waist high snow to the other end of the island to see some Weddell Seals an Ice Halo appeared above the island. Apparently these are caused by the sun shining through ice crystals in the atmosphere.

Weddell Seal

Collecting stones for its nest

Unfortunately our time ashore was very limited as we had a 4 hour sail to our next island visit on Deception Island.

BT Super slow broadband

Thanks to BT super fast broadband (Not) I am now getting only 8-13KBPs so I unable to upload any pictures. Hopefully after the engineer comes tomorrow normal service will be resumed.