Terre Adelie 2012: 2012

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Month One DDU

The first month at Dumont d'Urville Station has been full of preparation for
the coming winter. Emperor penguins have also been preparing, about 3500
birds have assembled in their winter home and are familiarising themselves
with partners they may have not seen for some time. This Emperor colony
consists of about 5500 individuals and over the next few weeks they will all
be here and making the sea ice their nest.
They have been arriving for the last 2 weeks in groups of between 50 and
300, marching across the newly formed sea ice in straight lines mimicking a
well ordered regiment. It would seem a built-in GPS guides them precisely
back to the same location each season and is followed with the task of
finding their partners so the mating ritual can begin.

We have been preparing a small cabin that is located close to the newly
formed huddle, this will be home for most of the next 7 or 8 months. Cabin
Orange as it is named, has seen a substantial make over with the
installation of some new heaters, a small kitchen and many shelves to pile
up all the camera equipment. Not a bad view from the windows, ice cliffs in
the background and several thousand Emperors in the front yard.

Many trials of the equipment and cameras has consumed the first few weeks,
ironing out some problems and a bit of tweaking here and there but all is
nearly ready to go. We must thank all here at Dumont d"Urville Station for
their support and help so far, it has made our lives much easier!!