Port Lockroy blog 4: A day in the life counting penguins at Port Lockroy

12/12/2024

In her first update of the season, wildlife monitor Maggie Coll reports on penguin highway robberies, feathered fights and other such colony capers.

I was thrilled to be selected as this year’s wildlife monitor at Port Lockroy, Antarctica – how many people can say their job description includes counting penguins?

A large part of this role involves gathering data on the gentoo colony for an annual survey. The survey has taken place every single season at Port Lockroy since 1995/96 (with the exception of 2020/21 due to the pandemic). It involves monitoring the annual breeding success of the gentoo colony on the island.

Around 1,000 gentoos call Port Lockroy home (UKAHT/Maggie Coll) 

From previous surveys we know year on year, there are approximately 1,000 gentoo penguins who like ourselves, are lucky enough to call Port Lockroy home!

We arrived at Goudier Island on 11 November to find a lovely note from last year’s wildlife monitor on the kitchen table in the Nissen – thanks Jérôme! We also found an island blanketed in snow.

Maggie in her new role (UKAHT/Maggie Coll) 

The gentoos had already arrived and quite a few had started to attempt building nests. Gentoo penguins usually mate with the same partner every year and rear two chicks on nests made of pebbles and feathers. The nests are constructed from pebbles, mud and moulted feathers to help keep the egg insulated and it has been great fun to watch penguins proudly waddle off to their nest with a new pebble. 

Not everyone wants to go far to search for pebbles though and will instead opt to steal a pebble from a neighbour followed by much indignation. Occasionally, they even attempt a raid on a penguin who’s en route back to their nest and carrying a pebble. I’ve witnessed several penguin highway robberies and fights among neighbours. Throughout, it has been great fun to watch all the soap opera-style shenanigans unfold.

A penguin highway at Port Lockroy (UKAHT/Maggie Coll)

On 18 November, exactly a week after arriving, and on my teammate Dale’s birthday, we spotted our first egg to much excitement from the team! It was on what is affectionally known as rainbow rock, a prominent rock that sticks out halfway between Bransfield House and the boat shed.

We have nine sub-colonies on Goudier Island. I only count one of the nine sub-colonies every two days to minimise footfall. That colony is called the ‘chronology colony’ because it determines when to trigger whole island counts.

One of the first eggs of the season (UKAHT/Maggie Coll)

Since arriving, I have visited the chronology colony every other day to count the nests and assess the number of eggs. It’s a lovely job to do either side of dinner after a busy day; enjoying a quiet moment and spending some time in nature watching our delightful neighbours! Penguins really all do have such personality and are highly entertaining – it’s easy to lose track of time just watching them go about their business.

So far, we have had a few eggs; once approximately 95% of the nests in the chronology colony have eggs, it will trigger the whole island count, where the whole team will head out to count all the nests and eggs on the island… stay tuned for more updates!

Our study began in 1996 (UKAHT/Maggie Coll)

Penguins are essential animals within Antarctica's precious ecosystem. We work with scientists from the British Antarctic Survey to study our neighbouring gentoos at Port Lockroy. Our study, which started in 1996 – the longest-running research of its kind – provides data on population size and breeding success, allowing us to better understand how the penguins are adapting to a changing environment. 

You can support our work by adopting a penguin today. Funds go directly to paying for a wildlife monitor like me to travel to Antarctica and study the penguin colony for the austral summer.

– Maggie Coll, Wildlife Monitor, Port Lockroy