The Eggs Hatch

18 Dec 08 dawned as a beautiful day. It was warm and sunny day with slight wind. It was after 18 days that we were seeing the sun. Till now, it was overcast and very windy with intermittent snowfall and snow drift. We were not able to venture out for any length of time. But today I decided to make use of this opportunity and went out for a long walk. Uttam Chand also joined me. He also enjoys long walks. Initially, we had planned to go to the skua’s nesting site across Priyadarshani Lake. When we did not find any breeding skuas there, we decided to go to the penguin rookery.

The snow had still not melted. So we slid down most of the way. I was soon drenched with sweat. Sweating is very uncomfortable in Antarctica because of the woollen clothing that we wear. It makes one feel cold. When we reached the site where we had seen a penguin incubating its egg a few weeks back, we heard a chirping site quite unlike that of a penguin. The egg shell was still there. But between the legs of the penguin, we noticed a greyish mass wriggling around. The penguin egg had hatched and what we were seeing was the chick of an Adelie penguin. It was tiny. The egg had probably hatched a few days back. The parent penguin was still in the same place as we had seen it a few weeks back, but there was a lot more guano around. It was just moving its head all over. Feet were stationary. This was a thrilling moment for me and I clicked my camera away merrily. But then the stark reality struck me. This chick will not survive for more than a few days. There was no food to keep it going. By the time the other parent returns with food from the sea, it would be too little too late.

Strange are the ways of nature. I will follow up the chick’s progress till it reaches its destined fate.

In the pics below, concentrate on the greyish mass between the penguin’s leg’s to the right of the egg shell. That is the penguin chick.