Towheeblog

More photos from my friend Melvin Rueppel, now cruising the Antarctic coastline:

Adelie Penguin young on Devil’s Island; South Polar Skua*; Wedell seals; Chinstrap Penguins; day’s end mid-summer right now. Click on image to enlarge view.
From Mel: “Spent morning on Danco. Great views with many Gentoo penquin rookeries from the bay up to several hundred feet in elevation with penguin ‘highways’ connecting thru the snow to the water.”

Bottom image is pair of fur seals on Mahogany Bluff Island.

Here is map of Antarctic Peninsula showing Danco on its west side, due south of Chile and Argentina:

OREGONIANS, photographed by Owen Dell–

Further south, spotted and photographed by Peter Thiemann at Tule “Lake” in California–Eurasian Wigeon:

Peter’s report: “Had a great day in Klamath yesterday. Thousands of Snow Geese have arrived. Although Lower Klamath and Tule 1A are dry, there is food and open water n Upper Klamath Lake, Tule 1B and many fields flooded. No sign of crowding that could result in more botulism. Overall number of raptors down but quite a few Rough-legged.”

Red-shoulder in Virginia, from Mike Lund:

*Skua are one of the larger jaegers, predators/scavengers of the open ocean. I have read that they can remove flesh from a mammal carcass faster than people doing research. Click here for video of skua dining.