King Penguins- Finding the Expected

My recent two weeks in the beautiful Falkland Islands revealed both the expected and the unexpected.  There were plenty of penguins that I longed to see coming and going from the sea. Their daily habits were fascinating and are the subject of my first posts.  There were also unexpected  discoveries, the most delightful were pairs of Silver Grebes feeding the chicks riding a parent's back. I'll save those for my finale. In between, I'll also share flight photos for a range of birds and include images of the new life being created in the rookeries.  With all that, I will conclude in a much later blog with insights into the places and people of the Falklands.  It's a bit of Britain far away in the South Atlantic.

The King Penguin is immediately recognized by its bright gold-to-orange auricular patches on the side of the head. The color extends down the neck and across the throat. The gold color is carried over to a matching mandibular plate on the beak.  Their head is deep black with a dark eye that is nearly impossible to see.  Adding to the striking appearance is a coat that is best described as steel gray.

The King is the second largest penguin, standing about 37 inches tall.  Its carriage is erect, and its walk is deliberate and graceful. It reminds of the gait expected of the wedding party entering the church. The penguin comes ashore in groups without much fanfare. (You will see that the Gentoo Penguin often erupts through the waves as though a Sea Lion is on its tail.)

 Along the shore, I often found small groups of Kings in seemingly aimless wandering.  I am guessing that the one on the left just returned from the sea with a full stomach.