Times of Change

November has marked some noticeable changes on BI. Whilst the signs of the new breeding season were certainly here last month things have progressed even further now. Of course this month hasn’t just seen changes in the wildlife, but has also seen changes in personnel! More on that shortly, but first the wildlife.

The northern geeps have finished laying their eggs but have now been joined by the southerns. These birds actually start their season about a month later than the northerns, but they have now completed their laying period and are incubating nicely.

Laying an egg is never easy!

A 'spirit' geep - a white morph seen only in southerns - incubates overlooking the island ad South Georgia

Meanwhile the northerns have progressed themselves with the first hatchings occurring. After about a month and a half the geep chicks have started cracking through the eggs. They can stay in this ‘pipping’ stage for a couple of days but it isn’t long until they fully emerge and see the world – from under their parents’ feathers!

The adult watches over its hatching chick

It may take a couple of days, but the chicks are making their way in to the world

The chicks are nothing but big beaks on small bundles of fluff at this stage

It is not just the northerns that have been hatching either, the gentoo penguins have been hatching in large numbers this month and the squeaks of the chicks can be heard across the colonies. Last year was a bad year for the gentoos, but hopefully we have a much healthier season this year and the chicks survive through to fledging.

The adults stand guard over their chicks

Being a chick is tiring work!

The northerns and gentoos may have gotten to hatching stage but the southerns weren’t the only species to be laying in November. Shags, skuas and macs are all now laying and incubating their eggs! Chicks won’t be along until next month, but it is amazing to see all our study species now in full swing.

Macs will lay a smaller 'A' egg before laying its fertile and larger 'B' egg; this is an 'A' egg

Shag nests can have up to 3 eggs, this one is just getting started

Skuas are starting to nest as well

Whilst many of our species are all about laying eggs and hatching at the moment, there are a couple that are actually more advanced than that! The pipits have such a short incubation and chick rearing process in comparison to all other species down here that they have actually already managed to get the first fledglings away.

Pipits are quick nesters, going from eggs.....

.....to fledgling in very quick time

But it is when watching the wanals that we truly realise just how different seasons can be. These birds take almost a year to get a chick fledged from when the egg is laid, so whilst all other birds are laying, incubating and hatching the wanal chicks are just getting ready to make their first flights!

The wanal chicks are ready to fly!

The chicks may be about to leave, but this also means the return of the adults for the new breeding season. Wanals only breed once every two years due to the time it takes, so we are now getting an influx of adults that haven’t been to BI since they fledged their last chick a year ago! Hearing the wanal courtship about the island again is an extraordinary noise and we are very much enjoying having them back.

Despite this progress of the season it is hard to say that summer is here. Despite having some genuinely nice days (which for us is still only 3°C but that is tropical down here!), we have also had a lot of wind and rain and also one very big dump of snow! This snow actually buried large areas of the island but showed us just how incredible wildlife could be. Adults continued incubation despite barely having a beak above the surface and most nests survived the conditions and the subsequent melt!

Lots of snow isn't fun for geeps when they are trying to incubate!

A few were completely buried, but they kept the eggs safe nonetheless!

Of course all the impressive wildlife isn’t the only thing to change this month. We have now been joined by the new BI team! Tegan (pingu ZFA), Carrie (alby ZFA), John (seal ZFA), Jaume (senior seal scientist) and Sam (station leader) have all begun their stints on BI and have got straight in to the full swing of things, getting to know their study species’, the island and all about life in the sub-Antarctic.

Tegan starts marking her new study species

Lucy, Carrie and Tegan search for sooty nests

For the three ZFA’s in particular they are just beginning a 16 month journey that Lucy, James and I are now in the last legs of. It is great to have the new team along and impart the training required to keep the good work going. Tegan, Carrie and John are loving their roles already and will be gradually taking on the work as their own; but James, Lucy and I aren’t quite finished yet, so here is to our final 4 months of BI wonderment!

The new team, enjoying a rare sunny evening for a BBQ! (Photo courtesy of John)