Bleaker Island - The Falklands

Sailing sailing sailing and a good day it was too.

Lots of birdie num nums.

In the afternoon we sailed to Bleaker Island.  We were hosted by Phil and her son Nick who live on the island.  It was a low flat island where they grazed sheep and some cattle. 

Phil offered a lift in the Range Rover (this is the main type of vehicle in the Falklands with a further large population of the sub species, Land Rover) to the Rock hopper colony so John and I got there ahead of the rest of the passengers.  It was fabulous to have that extra time at the rock hopper colony.  They mostly had chicks of small to varying sizes.  They hopped like kangaroos and so you could see how they got the name rock hopper.

A skua took and killed and ate a chick, it was terrible to watch.  It must have been separated from it’s parents otherwise I can’t see how the skua would have got it.

It was interesting to watch the greeting which went on when one of the penguins came back from the sea.  Lots of bowing and raising the head and calling.

There were magellenic penuins as well sitting on their burrows.  They seemed a bit shier.  Then we were driven around to the seal lions.  They were very shy and we had to go in groups of five and hide behind tussocks so as not to disturb them.

 Phil said that it had been a poor lambing.  They had a bad storm in October and had lost about 60%.  Their houses were new looking made of wood.  They had an airfield on the island no doubt for the FI air service which runs like a taxi service.

What a wonderful place to visit.

The extras are:

Upland Goose and chicks on landing beach.
Arctic tern
Imperial Cormorant
Rockhopper colony and rockhopper enthusiasts
Chick (isn't it cute and what a belly)
Family doing greetings
Magellanic penguin
Sea Lions