Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2014/02/01
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Great images, especially the first, and very interesting details. Thanks for taking us along on your visit. Jim Nichols Tullahoma, TN USA On 2/1/2014 8:51 PM, Jayanand Govindaraj wrote: > South Georgia is one of the most amazing places I have ever visited > for sheer profusion of wildlife - the only comparable place I can > think of is the Serengeti ecosystem. Our first landing was on > Salisbury Plain, unfortunately on a dreary, foggy day - one can only > imagine how wonderful this place must be in sunlight! During the 5 > minutes of sunshine we had the entire day, I got this from my balcony > on the ship: > > http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Panoramas/antarcticpanos_001/Antarctica_20140111_2409.jpg.html > > When you get on shore, you see this - this is around 75% of the colony: > > http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Panoramas/antarcticpanos_001/Salisbury-Plain-Pano.jpg.html > > There are an estimated 100,000 breeding pairs of King Penguins in this > colony. Of course, with so much life around, you get various behaviour > - the difficulty is always in isolating it in the din and stench of > the milling hordes! You have exultant ones, announcing their presence > in no uncertain terms: > > http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/antarctica/Antarctica_20140111_2458.jpg.html > > Pairs going about late season romance - King Penguins have one of the > most complicated breeding cycles amongst birds - it takes around 14 > months, so at any time of the year, breeding goes on - it is not > restricted to any particular season: > > http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/antarctica/Antarctica_20140111_2834.jpg.html > > There are moulting birds everywhere. King Penguins moult at once - > they lose and grow all their feathers at the same time, so cannot go > into water or feed for the six weeks it takes: > > http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/antarctica/Antarctica_20140111_2451.jpg.html > > There are fledglings at every stage of the process: > > http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/antarctica/Antarctica_20140111_2709.jpg.html > > You have moulting Elephant Seals peeking with their limpid eyes from > clumps of Tussock Grass: > > http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/antarctica/Antarctica_20140111_2920.jpg.html > > Fur Seal bulls, on the beach, guard their harems with a wary eye: > > http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/antarctica/Antarctica_20140111_2442.jpg.html > > Other Fur Seal youngsters sharpen up their skills with mock fights: > > http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/antarctica/Antarctica_20140111_2786.jpg.html > > Finally, there are those who need to disconnect once in a while: > > http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/antarctica/Antarctica_20140111_2526.jpg.html > > Please see LARGE > > Comments and criticism, as ever, welcome > > Cheers > Jayanand > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > >