Sunday 10th March 2019

Moulting can be a tedious process

​Hello friends and family
The big news is that we have no pre-fledge chicks left here – the last batch are in soft release soon to be on their way to sea. They are being replaced by underweight pre-moulters that are coming in too light to survive the moult safely. 

3 moutled penguins and a chick

​This has been a week where fish supply has dominated my concerns. A load due last Friday did not arrive until Wednesday – 5 days of anxiety that I don’t need. I have spare fish – I can rationalise that there will be no hungry penguins on my watch, but once it arrives, the overwhelming sense of relief is undeniable. And then I order more!

What do you mean - in the house?

​The fish is working its magic and the penguins are swelling up into the moult. They leave the munchies behind and may or may not eat – they choose!

Some penguins are looking magnificent without assistance from us.

​With 10 pre-fledge chicks into soft release on Thursday, of course – Friday lunchtime I pick up a “fail to fledge” chick that had come back. This is its second return. It will go eventually, in the meantime, we will feed it up again.

Otago Shags enjoying a beautiful day

We now have 28 YEPs here, plus 4 White flippered penguins and the Fiordland Crested penguin.
Things are calming down.
Have a great week!
Rosalie
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