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From our scientist, Hiltrun Ratz, PhD
scientist@penguins.org.nz |
This could be the same yellow-eyed penguin pair that has used this box in the past but who knows. We leave them to it and will find out where they end up in September!
The yellow-eyed penguins are exploring nest sites already, sometimes staying at home to guard a house. Not sure who is claiming this box but it's likely to be Ewan who was breeding with Shannon next door in Class of 2020.
These yellow-eyed penguins are enjoying themselves on the beach and the water's edge. They are having a wonderful social time!
These two are mature and experienced and have timed their moult perfectly! They just hang out with each other for four weeks and then go fishing again to reunite in the evening.
FB land always lags behind reality a little - the moulting season is over but some of these photos are still good to share..... soon most photos will be partying penguins on the beach as that is the winter activity! Everyone has to moult, but some pairs just don't time it quite right. Not sure who these two are but one has finished (right) and one is about 10 days into it and has another 20 days to go. The moulted penguin will probably go to sea some days and come back and keep the moulting mate company in the evening and sometimes during the day. That way the pair bond is maintained.
The moth-eaten look comes round once a year - but is soon forgotten. This is Bronn growing new feathers to impress her mate!
It has gone quiet through the day in the penguin colonies at Moeraki as the yellow-eyed penguins have almost all finished with their adult moult. In contrast, it seems the party is only just starting in mid afternoon when we found this group of penguins engaged in a lively discussion post-fishing! Boy are they impressed with how good they are looking - and so they should!
They have done it! These two successfully raised Noodles and Squeak and have returned to moult. All they need is a little bit of a top-up in rehab. Ewan had been our guest in the past and remembered how to eat nicely but it was a new experience for Shannon: she is one of very, very few penguins living at Moeraki that has never been in rehab. She usually gives up a little early on her chicks and then moults successfully on her own - while we get her chicks nice a fat. Not this year though: they did it by themselves but now need a little bit of a helping hand. No problem!!
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