I’ve taken a couple of days leave to explore Bleaker Island. It’s one of many Islands off the coast of Lafonia, East Falkland - and a noted haven for wildlife. Like most of Lafonia it is largely flat.
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| Flat - with no tussac evident - likely grazed away |
The Island was bought from the Falkland Islands Company some 20 years ago by its current owners. They’ve done much since the purchase to improve the land. Like most of the Falklands the land shows evidence of being over-grazed by sheep - with little evidence of tussac grass. However efforts are being made to replant it.
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| Tussac very evident! |
Bleaker Island is home, all year round to colonies of Gentoo penguins. The Magellanic and Rockhopper Penguins migrate - and when I was there they’d headed off to warmer waters. Penguins are destructive of their local environments. The burrows of the Magellanic penguins can be tripping hazards too as they resemble large rabbit holes! The Gentoo colonies leave large bare patches of soil and rock - and an overpowering smell of fish! The Rockhopper’s burrow beneath the tussac grass - and can devastate anything that grows on the poor soils above the cliffs.
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| A lone King penguin with two Gentoo |
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| March of the Gentoo |
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| Gentoo and Snowy Sheathbill |
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| Gentoo leaping and cleaning |
A visit to Bleaker will make anyone a naturalist. The wildlife is just there to be seen. It is, more often then not, curious to see you, rather than being scared of you. This can give rise to some unexpected ‘close encounters.’
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| ‘Johnny Rooks’ - Striated Caracara |
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| Turkey Vulture |
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| Johnny Rook - eyeing me as prey - he was at my feet! |
I’ve been close to ‘Johnny Rooks’ (aka Striated Caracara) turkey vultures, rock shags, cormorants, teals, and geese and ducks of various kinds as well as gentoo penguins - and a lone King penguin.
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| Rock Shags - on rocks |
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| Rock Shags - next to the settlement |
The light conditions in the Falklands are stunning (when it isn’t cloudy) - and Bleaker leaves up to expectations. I’ve enjoyed picking mushrooms whilst here to supplement my self-catering food!
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| Cobb’s Cottage |
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| Sunset |
We’re heading from Autumn into Winter in the Southern Hemisphere - and the sun is notably lower in the sky. I’ve started wearing my ski-jacket and my ski gloves so as to stay warm whilst wandering.
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