Fresh Faces and Old Friends

The RRS Ernest Shackleton dropped us off at Signy on the 9^th November and left on the 14^th November. During this time the base was refueled and all the incoming cargo sent ashore, plus the all important food of course! During this time all hands are required to prepare the base for the season, especially at Signy which is a summer only site and so the base has to be started from cold! All systems: generators, water collection, communications etc. have to be restarted and tested before the base is declared ready and the ship can leave.

A view down to base from the top of the stone-chute (the main path to the rest of the island)

Of course, during this time we are itching to start the regular long-term monitoring work and so it was great to start catching up to the season on the 12^th and 13^th November before starting in earnest on the 15^th November. This is particularly important for the Adelie Penguins! This new study species for me arrived at Signy in late September and started laying eggs in early November so the start of the season for us is to establish our study colony as quickly as possible.

Adelie colony

The Adelies were already on eggs by the time we arrived at Signy

With the Adelie’s caught up on we could turn our attention to the Chinstraps. Although a few of these did pass by Bird Island they were in very low numbers and don’t breed there. So for me this is another new species to study and enjoy.

Chinstrap penguins hanging out with an Adelie colony behind

Signy is larger than Bird Island and has a glacier in the middle of it! So getting to and from the various study sites can take quite a bit longer – unless the island Skidoo is available that is! Not only does it cut down on travel time quite a bit but it is a lot of fun as well.

Ali, our field guide, showing that you have to wrap up very warm on a skidoo

Despite the extra time gained by using the Skidoo, Signy is large enough, with plenty of work at the distant colonies that overnight stays in field huts will be a regular occurrence here.

Foca Hut in the shadow on the Signy landscape

Of course, by staying in different places around the island it allows more chances to see some different wildlife.

Weddell Seal

It is fantastic to have new species to study and see like the Adelies, Chinstraps, Weddell Seals and the Snow Petrels; these latter flying around in greater numbers and breeding on Signy meaning that I am lucky enough to regularly watch them rather than having just the odd individual I managed to see during my Bird Island winter. But it is also brilliant to catch up with some familiar faces.

Southern giant petrels

Signy is home to Southern Giant Petrels, Brown Skuas, Blue-Eyed Shags, Snowy Sheathbills, Gentoo Penguins and Elephant Seals. All of which bred at Bird Island in varying numbers but are here as well.

Blue-eyed shag colony

There are also plenty of Fur Seals at Signy later in the season but a few have popped up already (although the Fur Seals don’t breed at Signy, it is a hangout for adolescent males!); and to complete a game of seal bingo we also have occasional sightings of Leopard Seals.

A fur seal and a couple of elephant seals hang out next to a very old whale bone

Leopard seal

The highlight for the seals at the start of the season has to be the Elephant Seal pups. Although they don’t breed at Signy every year – and when they do it is in very low numbers, <5! – we have been fortunate enough to have 3 pups nearby to base and one of them in particular is still very much reliant on mum.

Elephant seal and her pup

Suffice it to say, with so much fantastic wildlife – both familiar and new – it is set-up to be a brilliant summer at Signy, snowstorms included!

A short blizzard quickly covers the penguin colonies

Frosty looking penguins!