In the company of Kings...............

A royal occasion!
The second largest of all penguins, the King penguin is a striking bird, with bright orange flashes around its head and beak, it truly deserves its regal name. 

These pics were all taken on the Salisbury Plain morning shore excursion. Thousands and thousands of adults and juveniles stretched across the plain behind the beach. Click on pics to enlarge.

.....One......

......two.......

..........and yes, they are! We thought breeding season 

was over. Guess not!

.....three.....

........and thousands more!
It's King penguin time - a wildlife bonanza!

They are an abundant species with an estimated 2 million breeding pairs, and thought to be increasing. 25% of the world population of King penguins make their home on South Georgia Island.

 M/V Expedition at anchor in the Bay of Isles

Here at Salisbury Plain the Kings have their second largest colony of 60,000 breeding pairs..........and the numbers were even larger due to the addition of what appeared to be thousands of new chicks 2-3 months of age.

Have to tell you that this many penguins creates a lot of mucky mud and, mixed with tons of guano, walking requires those great Wellington boots to squelch about in and protect one's feet. As for the strong odor, nothing much prevents that (although in hindsight a little Vicks Vaporub under the nose might have helped), but one gets used to it and wouldn't pass up the opportunity to stand among thousands of penguins, seals, seabirds etc. just because it's smelly!

When a King penguin has a 'pancake' such as these above, they are 

incubating an egg.........

..............and later, when hatched and a couple of months old, there will be one of these brown and fluffy chicks looking for attention. 

Penguins as far as the eye could see.............on the 

hillsides of Salisbury Plain........

........gathering for a meeting in the

pools formed from snow and ice melt below the mountains.

Chicks hanging out with already moulting juveniles.

This is Summertime in Antarctica and the temperature reached 

41F that morning which was cool but not cold.

Time for checking the mirror......... 

.....grooming those beautiful waterproof feathers......

.....perhaps contemplating a pedicure.....

.......because "my feet are killing me".

"Perhaps I should stay in the grassy areas".

A magical morning on South Georgia....penguins, elephant seals, fur seals, icebergs and more.......

....then back to the ship and heading for a warm and sunny afternoon at our next anchorage at Prion Island.