Falkland Islands – New Island
Petrels – Albatross – Lichens – Rockhopper Penguins – Upland/Magellan Geese – Cormorant – Sunsets

As we navigated via the MV Ushuaia from Ushuaia in Argentina we saw Albatross and Giant Petrels following the ship. Why do birds follow ships this way? The propellers on the ship stir up the water, which brings up small fish, which in turn attracts birds to feed.

Southern Giant Petrel

             Brown Browed Albatross

Petrel

Petrel

Albatross

 

Here are some first sights after arriving at New Island in the Falklands.
I kept taking photos of our ship – maybe to be sure it was always close by.


 

OK… the MV Ushuaia was still there. You can see two zodiacs at the back of the ship. We were escorted in zodiacs from the ship whenever we went ashore.

 

Lichens – There is not much growing in the Falkland Islands – but we did see lichens, the yellow colored growth. We were encouraged to not step on lichens to not interfere with nature. Here you can see a Rockhopper penguin stepping on some lichens though.

 

Upland/Magellan Geese

 

 

Rockhopper Penguin

               

                   
     

 

Albatross


Cormorant

 

Sharing space!!!

And finally a courtship (?) between the Cormorant and the Rockhopper Penguin

 

Sunsets as seen from the ship (the MV Ushuaia) in the Falkland Islands were not as impressive as I expected.