October 4: Storm damage

We watched the southern ocean pound the Isthmus throughout Saturday afternoon, and heard it roaring into the night. As we all awoke on Sunday morning we feared the worst for the elephant seals of the Isthmus.
Lone figures roamed around the station, quietly processing the extend of the damage, both on infrastructure, but on the wildlife. Pups washed away from their mothers bleated out, and female elephant seals cried out to try and find their pups. Many of the pups were  stuck in holes or erosion gullies and unable to reach their mothers. The little pups most only a few days old were so small and still quiet helpless, hat they were unable to  work their way back to the harem after being washed away the day beofre.  Some were already falling victim to the Giant Petrels, and others lay alone on the beach, facing certain starvation over the coming days. Macquarie Island is a nature reserve and we are not permitted to interfere with the wildlife, regardless of the circumstances.  Most of us found this very confronting, and heartbreaking.
Whilst we'd held out little hope for the seal harems on the west coast, which bore the brunt of the 17 metre seas, we were thrilled to discover that may of them and their pups had managed to seek higher ground up in the tussock.

Erosion on the Isthmus from the storm surge overnight: Photo: Jacque Comery

Injured seal. Photo: Jacque Comery

Newborn elephant seal pup washed away from the harem. Photo: Jacque Comery

Erosion on the Isthmus. Photo: Jacque Comery

Abandoned pup. Photo: Jacque Comery

Giant petrels waste no time in feeding on abandoned pups. Photo: Jacque Comery

Expeditioners taking in the destruction. Photo: Jacque Comery

Seal pups huddle together. Photo: Jacque Comery

Makeshift breakwater wall of our cage pallets took the brunt of the waves to protect our buildings. Photo: Jacque Comery

September 30: Seal harems on the east coast

The elephant seal harems are growing on the beaches around the isthmus. Each harem has a Beachmaster, a big male, and a posse of female seals who chose the harem that they wish to join. The Beachmasters then battle it out to take control of each others harems, winning the rights to mate with  all of the females. First though the females need to finish having their pups. As the harems get bigger the  Beachmaster has a greater area to cover to ward off sneaky suitors. If a rival male sneaks up on the harem, the Beachmaster will often charge through the seals, crushing females and pups to ward off the challenger. These battles can be a fight to the death, and the sight of two 3 tonne seals smashing against each other with tremendous force is a sight to behold.
To perch up in the tussock and watch this unfold has been likened to watching a soap opera of sorts.

Elephant seal harem on east beach. Photo: Justin Chambers

Seal harem on east beach. Photo: Justin Chambers

Beachmaster and his harem. Photo: Justin Chambers

Thanks for the photos jj.

September 27: Milk face

Milk face. Photo: Lionel Whitehorn

September 25: Seal pup

Elephant seal pups are just gorgeous little bags of furry skin with big eyes and whiskers.

Elephant seal pup. Photo: Lionel Whitehorn

Elephant seal pup. Photo: Lionel Whitehorn

Elephant seal pup. Photo: Lionel Whitehorn

September 24: Skuas stealing milk

Skuas are a very intelligent and opportunistic scavenger. They recognise the rich elephant seal milk as a worthwhile food source. Bold and not easily spooked, they will sit beside the feeding pup ready to catch any milk wasted.

Skua ready to sneak in a drink. Photo: Lionel Whitehorn

Waiting reaps its reward for this Skua, who gets a free meal. Photo: Lionel Whitehorn

Looking for a sneaky feed. Photo: Lionel Whitehorn

September 21: GP and the seal pup

Such is life on a small island, that everyone has to eat, and nothing is wasted.

A dead seal pup makes a meal for a Giant Petrel. Photo: Lionel Whitehorn

NGP eating a seal pup. Photo: Lionel Whitehorn

Guarding the meal. Photo: Lional Whitehorn

September 20: Elephant seal pup

Sleeping elephant seal pup. Photo: Lionel Whitehorn

Sleeping seal pup. photo: Lionel Whitehorn

September 19: Ele seal pup feeding time

The rick milk that the elephant seals are fed allows them to grow rapidly. The female seals almost appear to 'deflate'  in a matter of a few weeks as a result of the body mass lost in feeding their pups. The pups on the other hand, quickly fill out their baggy little black fur skins!  Skuas are always close at hand to sneak in and take advantage of milk squirting from the nipple after feeding. They sometimes will even try and harass the pups off the nipple so that they can feed on the milk themselves, such is the value of such as high energy source.

Elephant seal pup having a feed. Photo: Lionel Whitehorn

Feeding elephant seal pup. Photo: Lionel Whitehorn

A Skua moves in to steal the milk. Photo: Lionel Whitehorn

Thanks again to Lionel for great pics.
** My foot is on the mend and I shouls be up and about with my camera again soon!**

September 10: First seal pup on the Isthmus!

There has been a competition running on Station to guess the date of the birth of the  first elephant seal pup of the season. Our Station Mechanic was the eagle eye who spotted this little fella on the morning of the 10th September. The Station Electrician took the prize!
The elephant seal pups have a black furry coat which is all skin rolls waiting to grow into.  This they achieve rapidly as soon as they start feeding.
They are quite feeble and stay close to the cow seal, making the most amusing barking sounds, to call out to their mother. Skuas lurk all around, at first to feed on the placenta after the birth and then to take advantage of any weak pups who stray too far from their mother.
The pups have imploring big wet eyes that are a most endearing sight.

Thanks to Lionel Whitehorn our Station Mechanic for the great pictures.

** I managed to fall off a tussock mound and hurt my foot, and can't walk around for a few weeks.  I hope you enjoy the guest photography!! Thanks to everyone who offered to contribute so I could keep the Blog going!**

First seal pup on the Isthmus for 2015. Photo: Lionel Whitehorn

Elephant seal cow and pup. Photo: Lionel Whitehorn

Skuas keeping a close watch on the prospect of a meal. Photo: Lionel Whitehorn

Elephant seal mother and pup. Photo: Lionel Whitehorn

September 5: First seal pup...and the skuas

After a long day of Petrel nest hunting we returned to Bauer Bay hut, to  witness the first seal pup that we saw for the year, cuddled up and bleating beside its mother. With little other food choices on the beach, an armada of skuas, also arrived, ready to pounce on the pup if it became weak, or to nibble of its umbilical cord, given the first opportunity. They also are on the ready to harass the pup off the nipple when it is feeding, and take advantage of the free flowing  rich seal milk.
The elephant seal pups are black furry little things, with a hoarse yelping bark, and big round eyes that seem to fill most of their faces.
There are still only two cows on the beach, something sure to change rapidly in the coming days as the  breeding season draws closer.
Spring has sprung.

Two cows , one pup and many Skuas lined up ready for a meal. Photo: Jacque Comery