[Leica] South Georgia

[Jayanand Govindaraj]

The last of my South Georgia critter photographs, tying up the loose knots
and including some odds and ends. I have inserted them subject wise, so
please follow the links to see them all.

Elephant Seals are everywhere on the beaches early in the season, with
beach masters settled, and the single males forever trying to sneak up and
impregnate a female on the outer fringes of the harem. It is tiring work
for the beach master, and it shows in their demeanor and quite a few look
hassled and tired out - after all, they do not eat a morsel for the
breeding period! The females look altogether more relaxed, though.

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/SGF/South+Georgia/South+Georgia-20191021-3771.jpg.html

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/SGF/South+Georgia/South+Georgia-20191021-4473.jpg.html

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/SGF/South+Georgia/South+Georgia-20191021-4491.jpg.html

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/SGF/South+Georgia/South+Georgia-20191021-4095.jpg.html

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/SGF/South+Georgia/South+Georgia-20191021-4386.jpg.html

A trio of King Penguin photographs:

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/SGF/South+Georgia/South+Georgia-20191016-1961.jpg.html

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/SGF/South+Georgia/South+Georgia-20191024-9944.jpg.html

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/SGF/South+Georgia/South+Georgia-20191024-10158.jpg.html

Next, we come to the King Penguin's greatest predator, the reptilian
looking Leopard Seal which patrols the shoreline while concealing itself in
the Kelp forests:

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/SGF/South+Georgia/South+Georgia-20191018-2624.jpg.html

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/SGF/South+Georgia/South+Georgia-20191023-9642.jpg.html

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/SGF/South+Georgia/South+Georgia-20191023-9583.jpg.html

Some other mammals and birds.

Fur Seal:
http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/SGF/South+Georgia/South+Georgia-20191016-2007.jpg.html

Gentoo Penguins in the Tussock Grass at Prion Island, lurking, yodeling and
mating (a precarious, balancing affair). Prion Island is a major nesting
site for the Wandering Albatross, so tourist access is limited to one
demarcated pathway. Luckily this Gentoo Colony was next to the pathway,
but, unfortunately no Wandering Albatross nest was anywhere near:

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/SGF/South+Georgia/South+Georgia-20191021-3629.jpg.html

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/SGF/South+Georgia/South+Georgia-20191021-3489.jpg.html

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/SGF/South+Georgia/South+Georgia-20191021-3610.jpg.html

Antarctic Tern:
http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/SGF/South+Georgia/South+Georgia-20191019-3138.jpg.html

A Snowy Sheathbill hovering so close above my head that I could not fit the
whole bird into the frame:

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/SGF/South+Georgia/South+Georgia-20191023-6754.jpg.html

Finally, a couple of studies of one of the two endemic species in South
Georgia, the South Georgia Pintail, also taken on Prion Island. I could
not, unfortunately, get good shots of the other one, the South Georgia
Pippit:

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/SGF/South+Georgia/South+Georgia-20191021-3514.jpg.html

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/SGF/South+Georgia/South+Georgia-20191021-3520.jpg.html

Please see LARGE

Comments and criticism, as ever, welcome

Cheers
Jayanand