Macca has seen quite a change in wildlife over the last month. Over a million royal penguins have made their nests around the island and are laying eggs, causing a feeding frenzy with the brown skuas and giant petrels. Our favourite fluffy king penguin chicks, that we have been watching since first arriving on the island, are starting to shed their down and show their beautiful adult coats (although their transitions can be quite comical). The gentoo chicks are now big enough to do a bit of exploring by themselves. It’s now quite a common sight to see a chick chasing an adult down the beach screaming for food!
Our young elephant seal weaners are starting to make their way into the water, with sunrise and sunset being their favourite time for a bit of a flap around in the shallows. This in turn, is attracting large groups of orcas close in to the shore, which can be spotted a few times a day.
Our sea birds have started nesting with the light-mantled albatross nesting all around station at North Head and down near Gadgets, with the eagle-eyed expeditioner spotting the occasional egg or two. The northern giant petrels are starting to hatch young white fluffballs all over the island.
