For parts of several winters I had the perfect job for a nature enthusiast. A cruise ship naturalist in the Antarctic region. As such, I stood near bird and seal colonies for hours answering questions from tourists.
Elephant Seal colonies:
Shag (Cormorant) colonies:
Gentoo Penguin colonies:
Chinstrap Penguin colonies:
Adelie Penguin colonies:
King Penguin colonies:
Skua colonies:
and Giant Petrel colonies:
MYSTERY BIRD
I will identify it at the end of the post.
I headed out early this morning to have a look at a Bank Swallow colony dug into the Scarborough Bluffs:
Up until today, here was my best Bank Swallow photo:
I had better luck today!
MYSTERY BIRD
The dull yellow-olive and conspicuous wing bars make this a female American Goldfinch.
NATURE POETRY
Upon the Swallow by John Bunyan
This pretty bird, O! how she flies and sings,
But could she do so if she had not wings?
Her wings bespeak my faith, her songs my peace;
When I believe and sing my doubtings cease.Miles Hearn
Those Bank Swallows posed very nicely for you, Miles. They seemed very busy with their home renovations!
Thank you very much for this virtual trip to Antarctica. No doubt you must have loved your job as a cruise ship naturalist! It is so nice to see these bank swallows going about their business in their natural, undisturbed environment. Wonderful pictures as always:-)
What an interesting life you lead. Penguins are so beautiful and the bank swallows so endearing.
Thanks for sharing your experiences. Would love to be on one of those journeys.
The banks swallows are also amazing. Thanks for showing these beautiful inventive little birds.
Wow! What incredible pictures! Thank you so much for sharing Antarctica with us, Miles. It’s a place I would love to experience, but that is unlikely to happen, given the price (I found out what it is because of a group trip outfit I always check out). I am far more likely to get to The Bluffs again, someday, and I love them! The pictures you give us here of the Barn Swallows are absolutely fantastic. In once instance, I wondered: Were they mating or fighting? (Eighth one down of today’s pictures.) Was one of them dead? I would have thought they were mating, if I didn’t see another one peering out of the “hole”.
Thank you so much, Miles!