The King Penguin colony at Sandy Bay is about a 3 hour walk from Station over the plateau, or about 5 hours around the coast. The coast route is slower on account of moving across rougher terrain, rocks and through the Poa wallows. By the time I arrived at the colony I was already a little chilly, and discovered I had left my spare batteries behind, so just got a few quick pics in.
The King Penguin chicks are huge compared to the size of their parents. Their big brown fluffy feather coats give them an adorable appearance, and they waddle around the colony seemingly quite oblivious to dangers all around. They are especially vulnerable to being taken by the Giant Petrels and Skuas who lurk in and around the colony awaiting an opportunity to pluck a chick from the group. When a chick gets dragged off it creates quite a kerfuffle, but none of the adults really comes to the chicks aid.
The old hut pictured was used by the penguin researchers in times past. These days the island is slowly reclaiming it.
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Penguin chicks at old Sandy Bay hut. Photo: Jacque Comery
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Southern Giant Petrel making a meal of a chick. Photo: Jacque Comery
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Sandy Bay. Photo: Jacque Comery
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Picked clean. Photo: Jacque Comery
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King penguins and chicks. Photo: Jacque Comery
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