September 28: Furries in Garden Cove

After a Sunday afternoon counting elephant seals with Justin, on the east coast and in Garden Cove, the light brightened up presenting the perfect opportunity to capture all of the cheeky character of the local furries. Justin had the camera (I left mine at home).  I did however contribute with what I consider to be the helpful incessant begging and pleading to shoot more and cries of "Check out the light, shoot that way, look at that guy...etc etc....".

Thanks Justin for the pics. They are great!

Fur seal surfacing. Photo: Justin Chambers

Fur seal guarding its rock stack. Photo: Justin Chambers

Furries doing their best Meerkat impression. Photo: Justin Chambers

July 16: More fur seals on station

Another cold and windy day has brought another of these fellas in for shelter.....



Sleepy fur seal outside Hass House. Photo: Jacque Comery



All snuggled into the tussock. Photo: Jacque Comery



June 8: Fur Seals in Garden Cove

Garden Cove is a lovely sheltered east facing cove immediately behind my house.  In fact I am lucky enough to view it from both my office and bedroom windows (when they are not encrusted with salt!). It is also home to many of the fur seals of the Island.
We have Sub-Antarctic and Antarctic Fur Seals here, also the NZ Fur Seals are alleged to be interbreeding with the population so resultant hybridisation is making it difficult to clearly identify many individuals.
Macca hosts the only breeding population of sub-Antarctic Fur Seals in Australian waters. Prior to the arrival of seals in 1810 there was estimated to be around 200,000 fur seals on and around the Isthmus.
Otariid, or eared seals, are far more dextrous than their earless cousins the phocid seals, which include the elephant seals. Fur seals can move around rocky terrain with ease unlike the elephant selas that hump their way about using the momentum of the undulations in their large blubbery bodies!  They move fast move fast and they have sharp teeth so one must always be on the lookout, and be light on your feet ready to evade their charges.  The older seals are more relaxed as it is not yet breeding season, but the young seals, being less assured about what represents a threat seem to always mount a cheeky charge. I always run away which only seems to encourage them to keep charging. So cute and yet so scary!
Many of the seals are tagged from earlier research programs so whenever I sight a tag with a legible number I let the Rangers know, and they record the sighting in their database.  I will post an update about our friend #711 featured in these photos once I hear back with more information about him.


Introducing #711. Photo: Jacque Comery

It is easy to see why early seafarers called these guys Sea Bears. Photo: Jacque Comery

Such fine whiskers you have.  Photo: Jacque Comery

Young fur seal getting ready to chase me away. Photo: Jacque Comery



Perfect vantage point. Photo: Jacque Comery

Sleepy fur seal. Photo: Jacque Comery

Young fur seal. Photo Jacque Comery

May 30: What a way to spend a birthday!

Today is my birthday!
I am spending it in a most isolated place geographically, but have received well wishes from all over the world.  Spending your birthday in a unique place, obviously comes with an interesting and unexpected set of activities.
My day went a little like this....
 
First I raised the Australian and Aboriginal flags, in challenging conditions I might add,  to celebrate National Reconciliation Week 2015.


Australian Flag. Photo: Jacque Comery

Aboriginal Flag. Photo: Jacque Comery

Then I went and took the Daily ARPANSA observations, to do my part for the International Nuclear Test Ban Treaty...as you do...


Getting ready for a filter change over. Photo: Jacque Comery

Then I headed out on a photo quest in the rain to Garden Cove and spotted these cute furry guys - two Antarctic Fur Seals....


Antarctic fur seals in Garden Cove. Photo: Jacque Comery

The rest of the afternoon was spent putting my feet up and having a read, snuggled up in my new scarf (thanks Mum and Dad), and opening birthday cards from home (thanks Mary, Tarn and Peanut).

Time to put my feet up. Photo: Jacque Comery

Enjoying a relaxing read in my new scarf. Photo: Jacque Comery

...and finally my day was topped off with a delicious meal with the crew of Spanish Tapas, kindly prepared by one of the expeditioners.


Tapas feast. Photo: Jacque Comery


A wonderful day spent in an amazing place....






May 20: Cheekly fur seal strikes again...

This guy is clearly going to be a weekly highlight.
Station was offering endless appealing options for shelter during strong cold winds this week. Aside from an attempted break in to the brewery, this morning cheeky fur seal tried to bust into our front door!


Let me in! Photo: Jacque Comery





Photo: Jacque Comery



May 14: The front gate

Our station is surrounded by a wooden fence, complete with farm gate on the track to the Isthmus, designed to keep out the four tonne Beachmasters, the male elephant seals, which will arrive in spring.  For now it hangs open, as most of the seals on station are small enough to squeeze through the gaps anyway.
It is not that we don't want visitors, it is just that they lean up against the warm buildings......and four tonne is a lot of seal!

The Macquarie Island front gate. Photo: Jacque Comery

The map on the front gate. Photo: Jacque Comery

Elephant seal detail on the front gate. Photo: Jacque Comery

Fur seal detail on the front gate. Photo: Jacque Comery

May 12: Cheeky visitor returns

With brisk winds blasting station today, this cheeky fur seal decided to take shelter amongst our buildings.

Fur seal sleeping on the doormat of the Sparky's workshop. Photo: Jacque Comery

Fur seal in the tussock. Photo: Jacque Comery

Guarding the entrance to the Hass House accommodation block. Photo: Jacque Comery

Back to sleep. Photo: Jacque Comery

April 19: An unexpected guest arrives....

I was busy trying to reconnect my conference phone, and had my head in the corner and heard a noise over the usual roaring wind ruckus.  When I heard footsteps on the deck this was NOT who I was expecting.  This guy hung out for a while then eventually tried biting the glass for a bit, then gave up and hopped back down the stairs.  He lurks in the tall grass near station and  chases any body passing.... and yes, despite those melt your heart big brown eyes... these critters bite!

Fur Seal visitor on the deck of my office.  Photo Jacque Comery

Are you going to let me in? Photo: Jacque Comery