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From our scientist, Hiltrun Ratz, PhD
scientist@penguins.org.nz 
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This is a double-blessed yellow-eyed penguin: he has many people who love him from afar as he is named after a loved one. He is back with his wife from last year, got a couple of eggs in his nest - and he has moved up the hill: into a box sponsored by the same people who have sponsored him. How good is life when you are a sponsored penguin!!  This box was sponsored quite some time ago and it was parked in the middle of the colony but so far no yellow-eyed penguin had taken a shine to it. But this year it looks like a pair has moved in. We have only identified the female but she has two eggs and is experienced so fingers crossed for some fluffy chicks here in November! Thank you Brett, for your support and patience!  Yes, he is back! This is a doubly-blessed sponsored box and male penguin and he is back. Unfortunately it looks like his mate is (so far) missing and Stewie Junior has landed himself a sweet young thing: a 2-year old female breeding for the first time. She is a local and grew up just across the bay from Stewie Junior. We still hope to find that Stewie and his mate from last year divorced and that we will find her with another mate somewhere else in the colony. Her neighbour was widowed through Avian Malaria, maybe she ran off with him?? We hope so! For now, it looks like Uncle Chang's box will be seeing little penguin pitterpatter yet again this season!  We were delighted to find Stitches on two new eggs this week. This very special yellow-eyed penguin lady first came to us with horrific injuries that were expertly stitched up (hence the name) by our wonderful vet at St Kilda (Dunedin). She had another stint in rehab later but came back as a 3 year old to breed. She was hatched in 2013 and this year she is 5 years old and breeding for the third time. She is extra special also because as far as we know she is the ONLY survivor of her cohort. Her hatch year was not a good one, but she made it - and now has got the next generation on the way again! How exciting - and thank you again St Kilda vets!  At this time of year we search for eggs and identify our yellow-eyed penguin adults living in the colonies. We only do a census like this once a year when they are at or on nests - otherwise we would have to chase them down to identify them - and no one enjoys that! So we find out who has survived and it is both nerve wrecking and exciting. It is wonderful to find special penguins like Bequette, happy and well, contentedly sitting on her eggs - and blessed to have a sponsor out there who thinks of her at times no doubt. She is back and about to be a mum again! Our total number of nests stands at 34 and we have about one week to go! Not bad, they are early, but we don't know if we will have the same number of nests as last year, which was 45 - we did loose a number of birds to Avian Malaria. But for all we have lost, we rejoice for every one of them that has made it and making more penguins this summer!  This lucky yellow-eyed penguin lady has a dedicated sponsor and she has returned and was one of the first ones to lay eggs - she always is. Here she is with her mate at their nest site. We now have 22 pairs with a total of 30 eggs - and about half way through egg laying. So far so good, fingers crossed that we get many more! It will all be over by the end of the month!  After our egg count in the weekend we are excited to report we have a total of 15 eggs in our yellow-eyed penguins colonies, including 2 two-year olds that have laid their first eggs ever. More details about who is mated with whom, which ones of the sponsored penguins and boxes are around and will feature here on FB - all coming up in the next weeks. For now, we have found a pair in Pennys box 1 - yes she has sponsored four boxes! - and they have their first egg. Thank you Penny for your wonderful support!  oopsy daisy - this post got deleted accidentally....it was about a single male gathering nesting material in the hope of finding a wife.... Very sorry to have lost your lovely comments but here the photo again!  The early pairs have laid their first egg - so far three - but most yellow-eyed penguins are still busy building nest sites in anticipation of the arrival of their eggs. Pairs can build several nest bowls but ultimately it is up to the female to decide which one suits her best: after all she lays the eggs, and once laid they can't be moved again. So, lady's choice - and the boys work hard making the nest so that it pleases her ladyship!  Summer has arrived: our yellow-eyed penguins have started to lay eggs. We have found the first two pairs with one egg each today - and that is very early and a very good sign. We weren't going to start looking seriously until the 15th and yet, here they were today! We are thrilled the season is under way!  |
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