Falkland Islands day two

October 28: Carcass and West Point Islands, West Falklands

Who would have predicted that the one thing we didn’t pack and would need would be — sunscreen! We had another mild and sunny day today in the Falkland Islands. 

This morning we went on a several mile hike across meadows on Carcass Island (a private island named for a ship that ran aground there, rather than for dead animals, as there’s not a lot of non-bird wildlife). After being greeted by gentoo penguins on their way back to the ocean, we walked across a portion of the island. We saw a number of new birds, some of which are endemics, and some of them quite sneaky in that they hide within the tussock grass. We also learned that Magellanic penguins have very dense feathers and nest in burrows in the ground so as to cool off in the (relative) heat of the day. Much of the natural habitat of the island was destroyed with years of grazing by sheep.  The owners of the island replanted the native tussock grass on portions of the island to try to re-establish more of the natural environment. It was fascinating to see how barren the parts of the island open to the sheep (in particular) were, compared to the grasslands and bird life of the areas fenced off from them.  We particularly liked seeing the two kinds (each) of wrens and finches today, and the flocks of baby geese toddling after their parents. 

This afternoon we moved to West Point Island, and again saw a large mixed rookery of black-browed albatross and rock hopper penguins, this time in a very mucky and muddy (and smelly and noisy) environment. Yesterday’s rookery was stony and exposed, today’s was quite a switch. It was in the midst of tall tussock grass, and as you tried to slog your way towards the birds you could see, you often stumbled onto a nesting pair, or two or sometimes three pairs, of either penguins or albatross hidden in the grass. This sent you to an alternate path, often into deeper muck, in order to avoid them.  It was fascinating to find them in these little muddy hollows, when most chose to be out in the massive rookery.  We spent quite a while just watching the behaviors of the birds, including watching a penguin “bathe” in a trickle of water from a small stream in the rookery, or hopping down the steep rocks amidst the crowds, or the albatross just gliding around the rookery.

Tonight we begin two days at sea, moving towards South Georgia, 870 nautical miles away, which will give our sun-and-windburned faces a chance to recover. Pictures tonight include rock hoppers in the tussock grass, a grass wren and a white-bridled Finch (the latter two endemic species).