LeviJan 26
Bob LeFridge  

The erect-crested penguin (Tawaki nana hī) is rare and only breeds on the Antipodes and Bounty Islands, 750km south east of New Zealand.

Scientists studying the birds have set up a 24/7 live penguin cam via Starlink, powered by solar panels and it launched to the public today.

https://tawaki.cam/

Background story:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/360924966/livecam-penguins-and-incredible-journey-subantarctic-island

#Penguin #ErectCrestedPenguin

Jan 17 at 2:46amWeb
Show threadBob LeFridge  Jan 17

According to NZ Birds Online they have a bizarre breeding habit.

"It has the most extreme egg size dimorphism of any bird, with the second egg of the clutch averaging 81% larger than the first egg. The purpose (if any) of the first egg remains unclear, with nearly all pairs losing the smaller first egg around the time the second egg is laid."

https://www.nzbirdsonline.org.nz/species/erect-crested-penguin-tawaki-nana-hi

Erect-crested penguin | Tawaki nana hī | New Zealand Birds Online

A medium-large crested penguin with a black back, face and throat, sharply demarcated from white underparts. Yellow eyebrow stripes start between the nostril and gape, rising obliquely over the red-brown eyes, and the large orange-brown bill has prominent pale blue-white skin around the base.

Show threadbananabob  🇺🇦 🇵🇸Jan 17
@BobLefridge Looks like my eyebrows after a month of growth
Show threadJeremyJupiterJones Jan 17

@BobLefridge

Thanks for posting Bob, I just checked out tamaki.cam/

Brilliant! I found myself getting distracted by something going on in the ocean below the penguins.
I could not make out whether they were surfers, seals or dolphins enjoying the afternoon sunshine.

Show threadPatrick Lam Jan 17
@jeremy_pm @BobLefridge that's quite a commute to go surfing! They do catch the eye but I think they're waves.
Show threadJeremyJupiterJones Jan 17

@va2lam @BobLefridge

Looked again, the tide’s in retreat, it appears to be the kelp beds being exposed.

Show threadJeremyJupiterJones Jan 17

@BobLefridge

I just returned for a second look and the tide is going out. The kelp beds are rising from the sea so what I think I couldn’t figure out what I was seeing was kelp. 🔎

Show threadVenetiaJan 17
@BobLefridge that's so cool! I remembered the wonderful Giselle Clarkson made an excellent comic for them a few years back, just found it on their website:
https://www.tawaki-project.org/2018/08/29/marathon-penguins-published/
Marathon penguins published ‹ The Tawaki Project

Show threadBob LeFridge  Jan 17

That's beautiful. 💚

@v_for_verbosity

Show threadColin JacksonJan 17
@BobLefridge here’s one I shot myself
Show threadBob LeFridge  Jan 17

Aren't they cute. Antipodes or West Coast?

@ThisCJ

Show threadColin JacksonJan 17
@BobLefridge West Coast. An undisclosed location in South Westland :)
Show threadBob LeFridge  Jan 23

Update: an erect-crested penguin has appeared on a Dunedin beach where it's hanging out with sea lions and changing its feathers.

https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/rare-visitor-spotted

@ThisCJ @v_for_verbosity @CatherineBabault @va2lam @zebratale @jeremy_pm

Rare visitor spotted

Erect-crested penguins are normally found on New Zealand’s subantarctic Bounty and Antipodes island groups, but this juvenile was among sea lions...

Otago Daily Times Online News
Show threadPatrick Lam Jan 23
@BobLefridge Whoa... @ThisCJ @v_for_verbosity @CatherineBabault @zebratale @jeremy_pm
Show threadCatherine BabaultJan 24

@BobLefridge I was just watching them on the live cam. Hopefully this one will moult in peace and people will leave it alone and keep a respectful distance during this sensitive time. Maybe the sea lions could act as some sort of bodyguards.

@ThisCJ @v_for_verbosity @va2lam @zebratale @jeremy_pm

Show threadBob LeFridge  Jan 24

While locals probably know the location, the paper didn't name the beach.

While I've never seen a penguin on my sea lion beach, I guess seals eat penguins and sea lions eat seals, so there may be method in the little guy's madness.

@CatherineBabault @ThisCJ @v_for_verbosity @va2lam @zebratale @jeremy_pm

Show threaddavec Jan 17
@BobLefridge wow too good. Probably for the best they don't do smell via Starlink.
Show threadCatherine BabaultJan 21
@BobLefridge Wow! that's a nice colony of cute penguins in a beautiful surrounding. Too bad there is no sound.
Show threadPatrick Lam Jan 21
@CatherineBabault @BobLefridge there is! I was listening to penguins the other day. When I looked it was default muted.
Show threadPatrick Lam Jan 21
@CatherineBabault @BobLefridge yeah especially on mobile it is hard to unmute. The control is default hidden in the upper right corner. Easier on desktop.
Show threadCatherine BabaultJan 21
@va2lam @BobLefridge Got it! Thanks Patrick! Oh, I wish I was there. :)
Show threadPatrick Lam Jan 21
@CatherineBabault @BobLefridge more remote than Whitehorse by a long shot. Even more remote than Pangnirtung! Sometimes there are cruises to the subantarctic islands and those are the only cruises that I would even consider.
Show threadCatherine BabaultJan 21
@va2lam @BobLefridge I am not the cruise type but tonight I'll be dreaming of New Zealand and penguins when I go to bed in a few minutes.
Show threadBob LeFridge  Jan 21

On desktop the mute button is bottom left. It's quite a cacophony at times when one of the little people gets excited and runs about shouting at the world.

Isn't technology wonderful.

My only criticism is the tilted horizon.

@CatherineBabault @va2lam