September 26: Gadgets Gully

The trades team had been replacing the ladders up Gadgets Gully over several weeks of work. On a beautiful but cold day the boys finished the job and needed extra hands to help carry the old ladders and tool caches back down the Station. I was happy to lend a hand, and take in the beautiful view to be had from up in the gully at the same time. I seem to have scored a lighter load than Justin who is in the distance with a pack and two generators!

Carrying gear down Gadgets Gully. Photo: Rich Youd

June 11: King Penguin Chick census

Again, keeping busy helping the Rangers for an hour or so today I walked down to Gadgets Gully with Ranger Anna to count the number of chicks in the King Penguin crèche near Station.
This involves staring at these little critters through binoculars, and trying to count them , whilst they simultaneously make it challenging by waddling all over the place, and just generally being hilarious.  I failed miserably trying to count whilst these guys were flapping their silly little fluffy wings about and falling all over the place, my giggling interfering with my counting concentration.  I got a regular 150ish, and Anna seemed to come up with between 170 and 190.  Checkout the photo, imagine them moving, then imagine counting them!
The Giant Petrels hang about this crèche waiting for a meal of a stray chick. The adult birds remain quite passive about the whole thing, and seem to rarely defend a chick.  One little fella became a meal that day, but the Giant Petrels were fed for another day.  Such is nature.

Chick crèche. Photo: Jacque Comery

Adult King Penguins. Photo: Jacque Comery



Giant Petrels surround the adult King Penguins. Photo: Jacque Comery

Adults look on as a chick is taken and made a meal. Photo: Jacque Comery



GPs feeding on a chick. Photo: Jacque Comery

Meal for the day. Photo: Jacque Comery

June 9: Sunrise at North Head

The sun is hanging so low in the sky now that we have sunrise, and then sunarrive!  Sun finally makes it to Station at around 10am ish.  The Station is tucked in behind North Head down on the Isthmus. So even after the sunrises, it takes a while to finally peek out from behind  the peninsula and cast it's rays upon us.
On this morning I stood up on the 'golf tee' on the Wireless Hill track with Chef Justin to capture the sun lighting up the plateau. Clear blue skies such are still a rarity.

First rays of sun light up the King Penguin rookery at Gadgets Gully. Photo: Jacque Comery

After the sun finally peeks around North Head it shines bright upon  the north-west edge of the plateau. Photo: Jacque Comery

The first Station buildings get the sun. Photo: Jacque Comery

Good morning Macca. Photo: Jacque Comery

Tern Rock to the east. Photo: Jacque Comery

April 29: King Penguins

King Penguins: Photo Jacque Comery

April 24: King Penguin colony at Gadgets Gully

Gadget Gully King Penguin colony. Photo:  Jacque Comery

When I first pictured seeing penguins down here I had no idea that they climbed so high onto the hill sides.  Such a hilarious sight ,shuffling along on their silly webbed feet, waggling their tails about.