Bertha's Beach - 28 December 2020 - No17

Today four of us were meant to go to Whale Point - however the weather was so dreadful at 6am - and with rain forecast we decided to go to Bertha's Beach instead - as off road driving would not be required there.  No-one wants to get 'bogged.'  As it turned out the forecast poor weather did not materialise.

Bertha's beach is close both to the Mount Pleasant airbase complex and the MoD deep water port at Mare Harbour.  It is about an hours drive from Stanley.  

Bertha's beach has gleaming white sand that seems to extend for ever.  Our 10 mile walk allowed us to explore less than half of it.  However in that short distance there was abundant wildlife.  We saw black necked swans, turkey vultures, petrels, dolphins playing in the surf, teal ducks, geese and three types of penguin including the Gentoo penguin's nesting sites.

One of the first sights we saw on the beach was a King penguin walking towards us.  The penguin came very close to us and was entirely comfortable around us.  A little later a Rockhopper penguin emerged from the sea and stayed close to the King penguin - perhaps seeking its protection?  It made for some wonderful photography.

King penguin and Rockhopper

The Gentoo penguins have a couple of breeding colonies close to each other.  They are at the top of a rise behind the sand dunes that fringe the beach.  Watching them walk to and from the sea on what appears to be a 'penguin highway' is fascinating.

They Gentoo penguins are largely unmoved by inquisitive photographers - however get stressed by sea gulls.  Pingu, by the way appears to be a Gentoo penguin!



Stressed by seagulls

Whilst the weather was overcast, and I wore a hat and two layers I managed to get sunburnt around my head and neck!  

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