Part I: Seals teeth and whales ears - Scott Polar Research Institute ...

A week later, penguins were still arriving at Gourlay although the penguin
rookeries looked pretty full. On 22 October I observed two giant petrels copulating
on a nest at the Knife Point colony. That afternoon I went out to ring snowies, and
found two of my ringed birds had returned to the same nests as last year; this was
gratifying. I watched three cases of attempted copulation at nest sites. There was a
good section of crag with snowy, Cape pigeon and giant petrel nests well-placed for
regular observations. I ringed more giant petrels and snowies a week later. Large
numbers of prions were around at dusk, easily identified by their fast, bat-like flight.
They came in large numbers on succeeding days. One evening they flew in early
while it was still light - perhaps due to the weather - and one alighted in the crevices
on the crags. There were very few snowies and the Cape pigeons flew in bands of 20-
30, close to the ice surface; terns, skuas and giant petrels were present.
Early in November the skuas were displaying, producing their harsh cries; terns
were in pairs and one immature was present; snowies, Cape pigeons on the water;
and three immature Dominicans. There were two bands of 50-60 Cape pigeons on the
water all day and they moved to Drying Point at low tide, apparently feeding on the
shore fauna. Sheathbills were feeding on the limpets. On the way back from the seals
I saw a Wilson's petrel at the top of the Stone Chute and later it flew out around
Berntsen Point.
Next day was the day Ralph found two giant petrel eggs, the first of the season.
And the following day I went round the snowy, Cape pigeon and giant petrel nests
on the crags but found no eggs. There were many giant petrel eggs next day, which I
weighed and measured, for Hugh Cott's egg palatability project in Cambridge. On 7
November there were skuas on the slope and one bird sat and called harshly, like a
jay, with wings raised. Another bird flew around or postured in front of it. The giants
gathered in a flock outside Small Rock and after a seal round I weighed and
measured the new giant petrel eggs. There were no snowy or Cape pigeon eggs yet.
On 5 December I weighed and measured more giant petrel eggs. It was fine at
times with intermittent blizzards and the following afternoon I went to other petrel
colonies to examine snowy and Cape pigeon nests - still no eggs. The prions came in
at dusk and we saw Wilson’s petrels and terns swooping and clacking; the skuas
were displaying. A flock of 100 shags was fishing in the bay, evidently following a
shoal of fish. There was only one giant petrel nest and egg on Berntsen Point. I saw
Wilson's petrels at dusk and more in pairs afterwards.
About a week later we went to Gourlay by boat, landing on the beach among
many elephant seals. We found a suitable chinstrap penguin colony and collected
about 300 eggs for our larder. Jim and I took the dory around to the third peninsula.
After lunch with the others we went on to Shagnasty where we counted 142 shag
nests, mostly with young ones; where there were still eggs, three was the usual
clutch. In feeding the young they were bringing up fish and cephalopods. I saw a
silver-grey fulmar, Fulmarus glacialoides, my first seen at Signy. We went back in thick
fog, steering by compass across Paal Harbour; and had fried eggs for supper, but
some turned out to be in a late embryo stage!
A week later the birds were noisy and abundant; the Wilson's petrels sounded
like crickets. Pack was blocking the bay and the water was calm. In Orwell Sound
there were a few bergs and a little brash. Giants were present in abundance and terns
were fishing, their heads down and tails up; Cape pigeons were restlessly moving
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