After 10days at King Edward Point I was well and truly ready to set sail for Bird Island on my transport mark II, the Pharos Fisheries Patrol Vessel. As we headed North past the almighty snow covered scenery we were accompanied by some of South Georgia’s smaller breeders Cape Petrels and White Chinned Petrels.
With the weather still and flat we were confident of getting ashore but as we approached Bird Island visibility came in and engulfed our new home making launching conditions unsafe.
It did eventually disappear and finally we made it ashore and it proved to be everything I had hoped for. In my first week as we frantically prepared for the arrival of a years worth of stock I managed to make it around the island in search of one of the islands most beautiful breeders, the light mantled albatross. I also got out to weigh and measure last years wandering albatross chicks as they made it to the 260 day year old mark and approached fledging age.
Here is a preview of my new amazing home and a taster of what is to come over the next few months
Leaving South Georgia 2 years ago there was a lot that I was worried about leaving behind but the thought of not seeing Antarctic fur seal pups was genuinely depressing so I am thrilled to be working with these charismatic mammals again!
This place seems to be heaven on Earth for you! I love all your pictures, but especially the Light Mantled Albatross ones!
How long are you going to be there? How many people are you on the Base?
Thank you! I am so happy here, working with a great team in a spectacular location! Hope you guys had a great Christmas!
Thinking of you Jamie, and so happy you’re in a place you love. Thank you for sharing the magnificence of this place and your birds and sealions.
Grace!!! So good to hear from you! This most definitely is a place I love! Hope youre well and having great holidays!
Great blog Jamie with wonderful images,you just love those cold climates I thought the cold damp Farne islands would of put you off but I suppose the Farnes would be almost tropical to your home now.
The weather on bird island was not what kept me there! I think over the 5 months we have had 2 still sunny days. And both of those we had ships in that we had to work with!
Dear Jamie
After hearing about you and your work from my (Great) Uncle Eamon who has lent me some of the postcards and information that you have sent to him. It has been really interesting to read your blog and see all of your amazing pictures. I like wildlife too and when I lived in Scotland would go and see the Redkites feeding. If you could ask everyone to do 3 things to stop our pollution what would they be?
Andrew Sarson
Dear Jamie
After hearing about you from my Great Uncle Eamon,I’d like to tell you that I’m also into wildlife.If you could choose 5 things to stop pollution what would they be?
From Andrew Sarson
Hi Andrew, Thats a great question
I think we need to get much better at using less plastics and recycling what we use.
Reduce the amount of energy we use – turn off lights, walk/cycle rather than drive.
Plant more trees and stop laying concrete everywhere.
Do beach cleans – millions of plastic floating around in the ocean that we need to collect and recycle
Use local food and products that are not transferred so far
Hope this is helpful!