On Petermann Island we got to experience our first adelie penguin colony. What a treat!
Adelie penguins are the model for the iconic comical penguins. Adelies are the most southern of the three brush-tail penguin species and, with the Emperor penguins, are the only species that spends its entire life in the Antarctic, not traveling further north to warmer climates.
Happiness to an adelie penguin is a pebble. Pebbles are what penguins use to build their nests in order to provide the best drainage, and because they're in high demand, they're also symbols of affection toward a mate.
Our naturalist was fond of saying "Who could believe in penguins unless they had actually seen one?" And its true. Sure we know they exist, but we never would have guessed just how much personality they have, how human they can act. Or maybe I should say how penguin we humans can be sometimes.
Penguin Watching - Peng, Ingrid and Paulyn sit with a great view of nesting penguins as well as the ice and mountains. What a day! - Photo by Kevin Fox
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Fuzzy Slippers - Rob likes to say that when the two babies lay down with their heads under their parent, it looks like the adult is wearing fuzzy slippers. CUTE! - Photo by Kevin Fox
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I Can Haz Pebble - This happy little Adelie penguin has a pebble which to him is a symbol of happiness and love. - Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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Gentoo Family - A small gentoo family nesting on a hill near - Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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Helloooo! - Great view of a penguin giving an ecstatic display of greeting to its mate. - Photo by Kevin Fox
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Penguino Pelea - If I remember correctly there was another penguin stealing pebbles from these guys nests. He ducked in and stole a pebble and while these two leaned over to be mad at him he ducked out and they just ended up suspecting each other. - Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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Massive Pebble - This Adelie penguin has found quite a pebble to gift its mate. - Photo by Kevin Fox
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Pebble Theif - There are only so many available pebbles on Petermann island so to get pebble gifts for a mate the resorceful penguin steals from someone elses nest. - Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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You Lookin' At Me? - You lookin' at me? I think he's looking at you boss! - Photo by Kevin Fox
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Hey Little Guy - Adelie peguin parent and chick. - Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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Pebble Hunt - This adelie has found a pebble that likely rolled away from the nearby nest, whose occupant is trying to decide if that pebble really belongs to him and if he should complain. - Photo by Kevin Fox
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Full of Fish - This full fat penguin is recently back from fishing in the ocean and is full of krill (not really fish, but it sounded better in the name). He is just waiting for his chicks to wake up so he can feed them. - Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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Spit - This Adelie penguin has just finished feeding its chick. - Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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This Is My Family - A proud adelie parent to these two beautiful chicks!
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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Got the Loot! - Its an uphill climb but this adelie has his pebble prize and so is happy as a clam! - Photo by Kevin Fox
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Plucky Little Guy - If I were to caption these for the story line I think it would go something like this: 1. Hey bro, guess what? 2. I CAN FLY! 3. What? Really I can't? 4. -humph- 5. No bro, if I can't then you can't! 6. Yeah, I wish we could fly too.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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Welcome Home - The dirty adelie has been sitting on the nest and now its mate has returned from fishing, fat and clean. They great each other before switching spots. - Photo by Kevin Fox
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Fame - I'm gonna live forever, I'm gonna learn how to fly, HIGH!
Adelie penguin chick
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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Lunch Time - Adelie penguin feeding her chicks. - Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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Open Up - Adelie penguin feeding her chicks. - Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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Shape of a Penguin - An adelie penguin giving an exctatic display. - Photo by Kevin Fox
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Disgrunteled Fat Father's Club - Several fat clean adult penguins sit on their nests with a rather annoyed look on. Guys, your chicks are asleep, this is the time when you should be more relaxed. - Photo by Kevin Fox
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Pile Up - This adelie penguin looks like he is thinking "These darn chicks are getting too big to sit on!" - Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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Don't get too attached to the penguins though. In the wild, you never know what will happen next...
Read the next chapter: Day 4: Leopard Seal Attack
Table of Contents:
Introduction: Telling the Story posted Jan 10, 2009
Day 0: Positioning posted Jan 12, 2009
Leaving, on a jet plane posted Jan 12, 2009
Day 1: The Herc posted Jan 15, 2009
Day 1: Penguino posted Jan 16, 2009
Day 2: Chicken posted Jan 17, 2009
Day 2: Leopard posted Jan 19, 2009
Day 2: Snow Day posted Jan 22, 2009
Day 2: Shipwreck posted Jan 26, 2009
Day 2: Totally Tabular posted Jan 27, 2009
Day 3: Gentoo Cute posted Jan 29, 2009
Day 3: Lichen Shag Glacier posted Feb 3, 2009
Day 3: Palmer Station Visit posted Feb 9, 2009
Day 4: Icy Penguins posted Feb 11, 2009
» Day 4: Adelie Awesome posted Feb 15, 2009
Day 4: Leopard Seal Attack posted Feb 17, 2009
Day 4: Kayak posted Feb 19, 2009
Day 4: Vernadsky Station Visit posted Feb 23, 2009
Day 4: Vernadsky Sunset posted Feb 25, 2009
Day 5: Antarctic Circle posted Feb 27, 2009
Day 5: Polar Plunge posted Mar 5, 2009
Day 5: Mouth of The Gullet posted Mar 13, 2009
Day 5: Ice Camping posted Mar 18, 2009
Day 6: Flamingos on Ice posted Mar 20, 2009
Day 6: Mountain Climbing posted Mar 24, 2009
Day 6: Ice Textures posted Mar 26, 2009
Day 6: Antarctic New Years posted Apr 2, 2009
Day 7: Crystal Sound Icebreaker posted Apr 9, 2009
Day 7: Abandoned Antarctica: Base W - Part 1 posted Apr 17, 2009
Day 7: Abandoned Antarctica: Base W - Part 2 posted Apr 21, 2009
Day 8: Bird Watching in the Fish Islands posted Apr 23, 2009
Day 8: Icee Day - Part 1 posted May 5, 2009
Day 8: Icee Day - Part 2 posted May 11, 2009
Day 9: Port Lockroy - Base A posted May 20, 2009
Bonus Chapter: Baby Penguins! posted May 21, 2009
Day 9: Antarctic Humpback Whales posted June 3, 2009
Day 9: Dallmann Butt Sliding posted June 11, 2009
Day 10: Birthday Whales posted June 23, 2009
Day 10: Hannah Point Part 1: The Birds posted July 15, 2009
Day 10: Hannah Point Part 2: Elephant Seals posted July 22, 2009
Day 10: Deception Island - Part 1: Walking on the Moon posted Dec 11, 2009
Day 10: Deception Island - Part 2: The Martian Chronicles of Oz posted Dec 15, 2009
Day 1: Emperor Penguins posted Jan 8, 2010
More chapters posted every few days...
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