29/11 - 01/12/11 North to the Falklands

Coming North The Convergence was relatively smooth  but once again the Drake Passage was blowing force 7 but thankfully no sea sickness this time.
We encountered most the species we saw going south but the Sooty Albatross was a trip tick at least to most of us and unusual find in this area. A Humpback Whale and several Fin Whales were seen but all were distant.

Northern Giant Petrel (Red tip to Bill)

Southern Giant Petrel

Southern Fulmar

Humpback Whale

Fin Whales

Black Bellied Petrel

Black Browed Albatross

These Blck Brows were just a taster to what we were going to see in the Falklands 

Sooty Albatross

Juv. Southern Royal Albatross

Blue Petrel

Juv. Grey Headed Albatross

Adult Grey Headed Albatross

Sooty Shearwater

White Chinned Petrels

Light Mantled Sooty Albatross

Common Diving Petrel



Slender Billed Prion

Hythe and Littlestone

This morning no sign of the Great White Egrets at Hamstreet also no sign of the Great Northern Diver on the canal at Hythe. At Nickolls Quarry West Hythe the Rough Legged Buzzard put in several appearances but kept away from the camera, also 2 Common Snipe, 2 Chiffchaff and a Stonechat.

 At Littlestone Golf Course no sign of any Snow Buntings. On the shore 100+ Knot,150+ Dunlin, 40+ Sanderling and 1 Grey Plover. A superb adult male Merlin sat on the beach but was flushed by dogs before i could close enough. From 2.30 P.M. onwards 3 Short Eared Owls hunted the centre of the Golf Course to far away for anything but heavily cropped record pictures.

Esperanza and Elephant Island 27-28/11/11

On our way back north we stopped at Esperanza Station in Hope Bay the permanent Argentinian Antarctic base manned all year.

 The stone structure above was home to 17 men from a wrecked ship for 7 months until there rescue.

this toilet is now disused

Part of a Gentoo colony on Esperanza

White Nellie (Southern Giant Petrel) flying round the station

 Next morning we arrived at Elephant Island where we were very lucky to be able to make a Zodiac landing. Normally it is far to rough to land on this rocky island.
Ashore we were greeted by Elephant Seals and a few Weddell seals.

 A few Chinstraps and Gentoo's were on the beach.

 On the way back to the ship the Zodiac went to a small cove where there was a small colony of Macaroni Penguins.

Dunge and Walland

 On the way to Dungeness 2 Great White Egrets  in the Royal Military Canal at Hamstreet by the Wyevale garden centre.
At The Point this morning just a few Gannets, Kittiwakes and Guillemots off shore. By the fishing boats the 2w Glaucous Gull and an adult Yellow Leged Gull.
On the ARC from Hanson 2 Great White Egrets, Bittern feeding on the edge of the reeds, Long Tailed Duck, Black necked Grebe, 3 red head Smew at the south end, 14 Goldeneye, 1 Black Tailed Godwit and the usual wild fowl. At Boulderwall Farm 12 Tree Sparrows on the feeders and 2 Marsh harriers over. Nearby 3 Bewick Swans from Cockles Bridge.
On Walland 8 ads and 2 Juv Bewick Swans near Midley Cottages and the usual Tree Sparrows on the feeders. 

Terror Gulf and Paulet Island 26/11/11

We sailed towards Devil Island to make a landing but due to the thickness of the ice we were unable to get there, so and alternative landing on Paulet Island was decided. As we sailed through Terror Gulf  some amazing ice bergs were seen. 

Among the bergs and ice flows we came across another pod of Killer Whales and then realised that there was at least 3 different pods around us.

Cow with her calf

Another cow with a much smaller calf note the notched fin on the cow

A lucky Crabeater Seal whose flesh has been torn off by a Killer Whale



A few more Snow Petrels ghosted past the ship.  I just could not resist photographing every one i saw they are so stunning.

 As we neared Paulet Island Adelie Penguins were resting on the ice bergs.

Part of the huge Antarctic Shag colony on Paulet Island

A few of the 100,000+ Adelie Penguins an Paulet Island.

Antarctic Shag

Snowy Sheathbills

Adelie Penguins coming ashore

A hopeless battle

Kelp Gull about to claim its spoils

Wilson's Storm Petrels

 I spent a lot of time trying to photograph these Wilson's Petrels over there burrows.