This is the family that was breeding in the sponsored box called Drobne Kuka. They have now moved out and are visible - until now it was near impossible to get photos of these guys! The male in this house lost his mate in the middle of last season and his chicks were raised in rehab. He found a new mate - actually he persuaded his neighbour to come and live with him - and so far so good, the chicks are growing up beautifully!

This fortunate chick has a kind sponsor and does not have to share the parents! So he is a good weight and growing up fast!

We have some wonderful sponsors who donate in consecutive seasons to a penguin family making them part of theirs - you are so awesome!
Here is one example: Last year the chick growing up in this box was PinguPingu, the box was named TeamKokoMelo. Through the year mum got sponsored and called MamaPingu. She has a new mate and moved next door to the sponsored box but has recently taken her chick back to her previous residence. Now this year's chick is also sponsored and called PinguPingu2 - here MamaPingu is at home and the wee one is just poking its beak round the corner near her feet!

She is Stitches' chick and was slow to take off at the start but she got there in the end and now is doing very well.
Wishing you all penguin lovers a good new year - and a great 2021 - may it be a lot less challenging than 2020 has been!

They chicks are finding new and interesting places to hide now. Cooper's two chicks are still near their sponsored nest box My Fitness Bank, although one is successfully hiding behind it. Notice how this one has started to grow blue tail feathers and the tips of the flippers also have a hint of blue. They are now done most of their growing - now they have to grow out of their pyjamas and into their dive suit: another 6-8 weeks to go!

This newly sponsored yellow-eyed penguin chick is being raised by Danni and Holger and on this day it is home alone and in its house, still its favourite spot. Today it is 58 days old - half way mark to fledging.

These are our tiniest chicks and their sponsored box Class of 2020 is a particularly deep one. This means that it has been next to impossible to get photos of this family. One chick is peeking out from behind Ewan, the other chick is a hint of brown below his belly. These two worried us as they seemed so slow to grow and thrive, but they have come through and they are on their way growing up. Shannon was out that morning, getting dinner!

She is doing very well and has two gorgeous and fat chicks that are growing up fast.

This pair has chosen a box well shaded by a flax bush and they are raising a couple of chicks. So far, the chicks have not wandered yet but they will and then it will be a matter for us to find where they spend their days.

As last year, Ping and Ming are taking their chick into the bushes behind the nest box. This is Ming and she has a bold left flipper. She got herself entangled in some vines during the moult. We found her and disentangled her but her flipper was sore for a long time. Eventually we released her from rehab because there was nothing more we could do for her, and since she had finished her moult, those feathers were not going to grow back until next year. We have seen her through the winter - nice and fat and coming and going like the rest. Her extended stay in rehab did not break her pair bond since she is back with Ping this season and raising a chick. In a few months when she has completed her moult, she will be as good as new.