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From our scientist, Hiltrun Ratz, PhD
scientist@penguins.org.nz |
Holger was out fishing. Often in families with two chicks the parents leave them home alone a little bit younger than those that have only one chick - makes sense: two chicks need more food and these chicks are getting close to adult size which means they each need 800g to 1 kg of food every day. That's a lot of work for the parent and there is another 6 weeks to go!
A little while ago we posted the story of Ming who had entangled herself in vines during the moult and spent quite some time in rehab. She was doing ok, but we were getting a little bit concerned about her condition. Not wanting to guess, she was weighed and found to be under 4.5kg - so clearly she was not doing all that well. We took her into rehab and left the chick with Ping, the dad, but the chick lost half a kilo in just a few days, so clearly Ping was not stepping up. So their chick is also now in rehab. Ming was not well pleased and restless and it will take some time before she forgets that she has a chick - which is a good thing. She needs to concentrate on getting through the moult now.
Butterbell was out fishing and this dad made sure that his precious chick did not get too wet in the rain and parked it inside the neighbour box to Lacenest where it was hatched.
These two are both singletons but neighbours and found each other for company while their parents are at sea fishing. When a parent comes home and finds a strange chick in their nest, they will make it clear that it needs to go home! The age difference between these two chicks is clear to see at this age!
Janet's chick was clever and sat in the nest box while it was raining. Her sibling had moved into the neighbour's box for a sleep-over!!
These are Thor's chicks and her mate has now also got a sponsor and is called Eric. They were both out fishing but not after they had moved the chicks into their previously used nest box from last season.
This family has many kind sponsors: Their house is Class of 2020, and here are the parents Ewan and Shannon with their recently sponsored chicks Noodles and Squeak. We don't often see these guys all together in the middle of the day: we came upon them no doubt when there was a change of the guard: one parent just arrived and one will be leaving presently to get dinner!
Like most mothers, MamaPingu has moved her chick now and they have shifted next door where she was breeding last year and back to the sponsored box TeamKokoMelo. How grown up this chick is: it already has a white belly!
She and her mate have taken their chicks away and they are now hanging out where they were breeding last season. This is the last time we saw them at their nest site. It's probably a good thing: the nest sites can get a bit yucky with the parents having spent 6 weeks incubating the eggs and then the parent and the chicks in the box for weeks afterwards.
New sponsored and little ruffled. It was rather wet at Moeraki over the new year and the days after and while the chicks are shower-proof they do get that punk-look when they are a bit wet. Kraka decided to sit behind the nest box Lesley's Retreat while waiting for Meghan and her mate to come home with dinner.
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