B irds are one of those creatures that many of us take for granted. Not nearly as popular in the world of pets as cats and dogs or even freshwater fish. We go about our daily lives without paying special attention to them. Whether I’m relaxing in my home in Los Angeles or on some adventure on another continent, I end up taking time to appreciate just how remarkable birds are. There are almost 10,000 species in the world, so if you’re a dedicated birdwatcher you have a limitless number of subjects to try to see and check off your list. I’m more of a photographer, but certainly have my list of birds I want to photograph in their natural environment on my own list of “must see” species. One of these trips took me a bit farther out of my way than I’d ever been... all the way to the Antarctic Peninsula. I’ll share that adventure soon, but along the way there is one amazing stop, especially if you want to see mind boggling quantities of birds (particularly King Penguins), is South Georgia Island. A couple of the sheltered harbors on the eastern coast house near a half million King Penguins and their chicks at the height of the breeding season. The adults make frequent trips into the icy waters to feed on krill and bring food back to their chicks. This King Penguin feels the rush of the strong surf which washes on the pebbly beaches of the island. It’s a place of spectacular scenery and home to other penguin species and seabirds. In the Falkland Islands, which are between South America and South Georgia, there are many colonies of Black-browed Albatross, with thousands of nesting pairs, who show a particularly affectionate bond.
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