Albino Penguin Chick

December 24, 2008

Christmas Eve brought us a treat: an albino penguin baby! Kirsten’s voice crackled over the radio this morning: “Noah, you’ve got to see this. It’s a pink penguin!” Pink? Well, yes, as it turns out, the albino chick has a pink beak, pink legs, a pink eye, and pink skin showing through wispy white down feathers. It looks like a tiny ball of cotton candy (or maybe I’m just having food fantasies). I look forward to seeing the chick grow over the next weeks, as long as its bright color doesn’t attract a hungry skua.

We are looking forward to a white Christmas tomorrow. As I write this, a mountaineer from a nearby field camp is broadcasting a static-filled version of “Santa Claus is Coming To Town” over the radio on the Mount Terror repeater, usually a formal channel. During the holidays, even the most rugged explorers can relax a bit.

Albino Penguin Chick (Left) With "Normal" Sibling (Right)

Wide Angle Penguins

Penguin Diving Into The Ocean

Wet After Coming Ashore