One dead penguin - Stickybeak’s son under Bier table? - One chick for Silverwings, called Goldenwing - Two juveniles from the ‘Land of the Secret Agents’ - Pavilion Court Hearing
One dead penguin was found on the Oyama Beach and the next day a sick looking penguin was sitting under the rock at the bottom of the East Esplanade steps. After not moving for 24 hours, we took it to Taronga Wildlife Hospital. However, we could released it the next day again.
Was it Stickybeak grieving over his dead partner? All we know is that we haven’t seen Stickybeak nor his mate since Bob Tagg observed the jet boat speeding through the group of penguins near Oyama Beach; the same beach where Jake found the dead one with head injuries.
WHARF Habitat: Fortunately, we think that there must have had enough time to rear a chick: little Eira we rescued from the Bavarian Bier Café one sunny afternoon. Only a penguin with Stickybeak’s genes could have been found in this compromising position.
We think that the reason we didn’t see them rear their chick was that they had moved under the jetty, into one of the hidden breeding boxes.
We have also seen two, almost green-looking chicks peeping out from under the bottom ramp. That must have been just before they fledged. We call their parents the Secret Agents, as they are hardly ever visible, but we do hear their musical conversations.
Mr. and Mrs. Silverwing, who have their burrow under the beach shower at the busy promenade, have one chick only, again. But he is magnificent! We have christened him Goldenwing.He is almost ready to fledge, only has a bit of fluff left on its back and both cheeks. He likes staying out long hours, which makes us glad, as we have established double shifts for the Penguin Wardens.
FEDERATION POINT: On the 20th October an on-site hearing by the state government’s Land and Environment Court took place at Federation Point. The developers of the Manly Pavilion Venue had filed an appeal against the MIAP’s refusal of the level-one Function Centre. The centre would have an endangering impact on the penguin habitat. Several of the Fairlight residents and three penguin protectors gave evidence. We have not heard the outcome yet.
In the meantime, Romeo and Juliet also have only one chick, the first time in 6 years. They have always had 2 chicks, a girl and a boy. We named this lonely clutch Little Will in honour of Shakespeare, whose fame promptly called for some intensive ‘helicopter parenting’.
Little Will left 3 mornings ago. He’ll be away for 2-3 years until he is ready to start his own family near his birthplace. In the meantime his parents’ Balcony domain is now vacant, free for the water rats to do their clean-up. We are hoping that there will be another clutch before the March-Moult.
The Clochards are still taking turns on the nest; we don’t know whether the eggs have hatched already. It is worrying that the cable ties holding the fence keep getting cut and pushed away. I have given up on asking for CCTV proofs.
Our new couple, Pirate and Pearl, is still heard in the secret rocky burrow. Last night, however, I did see one of them retching for regurgitation on its way up; that’s a clear sign that their eggs have hatched. There is hope!