Comments on: Home again

By: Adam R. Paul

Adam R. Paul — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 05:41:44 +0000

Of course, Lori! The penguins see tons of people no doubt – our boat, which runs only 3 times a week in the off season, was fairly full (perhaps 80 people), and in the high season they run multiple boats every day. Thankfully, however, they have never suffered mass casualties at man’s hand (well, not directly – oil spill and the like don’t do them any favors), and so aren’t too concerned about us. I would imagine they’d be more aggressive when their young are around, but they’d already put to sea by the time we visited.

By: aullori

aullori — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 17:17:36 +0000

Hey thank you Adam so much for answering my questions. I had a gut feeling the penguins would be rather indifferent to photographers… I’m betting they see them only a couple of times in a lifetime and thus, aren’t as afraid as birds that know the nature of mankind. (Like eagles for instance.) I think it would be wicked cool to experience something like that! You certainly went on an enviable trip… I’m looking so forward to your other shots!

By: Adam R. Paul

Adam R. Paul — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 03:56:01 +0000

Jennifer: Thanks – it’ll be at least a few more days before I start the travelogues. So much to organize! A good problem to have, to be sure

Bernie: Thank you! The sunrise was amazing – I ran out of our room in sweats & a t-shirt when I saw it.

By: Bernie Kasper

Bernie Kasper — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 02:22:10 +0000

Welcome home Adam glad you had a safe and fruitful trip, I don’t even know where to start on these, they are all beautiful the bird shots are so unique but the sunrise is definitely my favorite.

I bet this was the trip of a lifetime glad you got to experience it

By: winterwoman

winterwoman — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 20:49:17 +0000

Wow. Great pictures. It looks like you had a wonderful trip – both cultural and natural… Can’t wait to see more pix and read more commentary!

By: Adam R. Paul

Adam R. Paul — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 03:38:00 +0000

Mary: Thanks – we had a blast, of course! Just sorting the photos to begin weeding them is proving to take some time….

Aullori: Well, we saw several thousand Magellanic Penguins. They are pretty friendly on the island we were on – many were just a few feet away from us tourists. We were admonished to not try to pet them or anything dumb like that, as they apparently bite, and it apparently can cause some real damage to us humans. The Caracaras (there are several species there, of which the Southern Crested is by far the largest and most striking) fill the same ecological niche as vultures do here – they’re highway scavengers and are quite common. Birds there are almost 100% different from the ones here – I have 3 different field guides for the area. Out of perhaps 75 bird species that we saw, at most 10 were species that I’ve seen in the US, and most were ones that would never occur here (although we do get one or two Crested Caracaras reported here on the California coast each year – they must be very lost!). It was awesome seeing several (3 I think) species of wild parakeet for sure – they’re gregarious flock birds, and make quite a racket and visual spectacle when they’re flying around!

Montucky: Thanks! Trust me, there are many more photos to come

Sandpiper: I couldn’t recommend it highly enough. Although I haven’t travelled too extensively, Patagonia & BsAs are at the top of the places I’ve been.

Monarch: Thank you! I have, ummmmm 200-odd more photos of that glacier Much editing is in order, but it’s a spectacular sight that words and photos only begin to capture

By: mon@rch

mon@rch — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 00:44:45 +0000

Welcome home! Wow, so many amazing photos! I can’t believe some of those shots! WOW The glacier’s were absolutely stunning!

By: Sandpiper

Sandpiper — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 23:35:12 +0000

Outstanding! This is a place I’ve wanted to visit for a long time! Your pictures are absolutely stunning!

By: montucky

montucky — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 22:06:58 +0000

Wow! Some sampler you put together! Beautiful! I’m glad to see you’re back safely and will look forward to many more of those photos!

By: aullori

aullori — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 16:48:44 +0000

Wow and wow and holy geesh wow!…. I am completely in love with both your landscape shots and your gorgeous foreign birds!!! A penguin? I can barely open my mind long enough to imagine such a moment … not just catching sight of a penguin but getting a shot too? I wonder a million things; like are they friendly or shy? How cool is it to experience them etc…etc… Brilliant shot of that little guy. (I hope someday to follow in your footsteps there…) And your Southern Crested Caracara? Is he like a vulture or a predator or both? Gorgeous bird simply gorgeous! Your Red-crested Cardinal shot is perfect! He is a beauty. I wonder how similar are the birds in that are to yours? You live in such a bird rich environment anyway but did you have to get a whole new bird book for that experience? I have always wanted to go to an area where common caged birds are wild – like your parakeet. Again brilliant shots Adam… It’s a real toss up between both your sunrise shot and your glacial ice shot both are simply gorgeous! p.s. as a side note it’s good to see both you and Sara so happy. I’m so glad you had such a wonderful time. And thank both of you for so willingly sharing your experince with us! I can see you brought back all your talent!