p.1 #1 · Wildlife of the marvelous Falkland Islands
Congratulations to mitesh for winning Feature Thread of the Week with 3 votes - View Previous Winners
If you get a chance to visit this unbelievable place, do yourself a favor and make it happen! There are very few places in the entire world where you can be so close to the wildlife without disrupting their natural behavior. I hope these images help convey what a special place the Falkland Islands are.
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Every evening, hundreds of penguins return to the safety of the colony for the night. In this image, a Gentoo Penguin pauses on a sand berm on the way back to the colony at Volunteer Point.
1. Gentoo Penguin silhouette
Canon 1DX, 100-400 II
Gentoo Penguins stay constantly busy protecting their chicks from predators and fishing to provide food for the chicks. This chick is just a few days old.
2. Gentoo Penguin chick in nest.
Canon 1DX, 100-400 II
This Striated Caracara was perched on a rock just feet away from several Gentoo Penguin nests, ready to snatch an easy meal if a parent let its guard down for even a second.
3. Striated Caracara portrait
Canon 1DX, 100-400 II
A cadre of gentoo penguins keeps a watchful eye on those who come near the colony.
4. Gentoo Penguins
Canon 1DX, 16-35
Back at the King Penguin colony, courtship and mating displays can be seen.
5. King Penguins mating
Canon 1DX, 100-400 II
The Albatross colonies on Saunders Island are on the side of a small mountain, just above the crashing waves. A short hike past a Rockhopper Penguin colony leads to several Albatross colonies, where you can see these majestic birds nesting. I heard the first of the eggs began to hatch the day I left Saunders Island .
6. Black-browed Albatross on egg
Canon 1DX, 100-400 II
After a long day of fishing and caring for young chicks, this Magellenic Penguin was taking a well-deserved rest just before dusk at Volunteer Point.
7. Magellenic Penguin at rest
Canon 1DX, 100-400 II
A Rockhopper Penguin dries itself after emerging from the frigid waters of the South Atlantic.
8. Rockhopper Penguin
Canon 1DX, 100-400 II
With striking colors and patterns, the King Penguin is perhaps the most photogenic of the penguins found in the Falklands.
9. King Penguin abstract
Canon 1DX, 100-400 II
Death has come calling at dawn on Volunteer Beach, and for this King Penguin, there is no escape. The Gentoo Penguins and Magellenic Penguins are quicker and more agile than the King Penguins, so were able to escape to the safety of the beach.
10. Death at Volunteer Beach
Canon 1DX, 100-400 II
A Gentoo Penguin heads back to the colony at last light.
11. Gentoo Penguin at last light
Canon 1DX, 100-400 II
As the last rays of sunlight signal the end of another day at Volunteer Point, a Magellenic Penguin takes one last look around before retiring to its burrow for the night.
12. Magellenic Penguin retiring to burrow
Canon 1DX, 100-400 II
p.1 #2 · Wildlife of the marvelous Falkland Islands
Seriously....wow....blown away Mitesh! As they liked to say down south, vote early and vote often....this is a tour de force....special in every way. TML will be very proud of these I'm sure as you ought to be as well!
Bravo, bravo, bravo!
Eric
p.1 #7 · Wildlife of the marvelous Falkland Islands
Amazing Mitesh....I really should have cancelled all my patients and got on the plane with you. I don't know what you were complaining about at the beginning of the earlier thread because I think you did an amazing job capturing some dramatic and special images that aren't all just a bunch of portraits like I probably would have done
Next time I'll make the trip just to be inspired.....
TFS
Geoff
PS...got my vote...I feel we will have a back to back TOTW winner very soon
p.1 #8 · Wildlife of the marvelous Falkland Islands
Mitesh, these are spectacular, far better than I got when we were there. We travelled on Ponant's ship combining the Falklands, South Georgia and Antarctica, how did you go there? Congratulations on magnificent images!
p.1 #13 · Wildlife of the marvelous Falkland Islands
eyelaser wrote:
Seriously....wow....blown away Mitesh! As they liked to say down south, vote early and vote often....this is a tour de force....special in every way. TML will be very proud of these I'm sure as you ought to be as well!
Bravo, bravo, bravo!
Eric
Wow, I don't know what to say, Eric... thanks so much for the compliment! I am so glad you enjoyed viewing the photos. I guess it is easy to come home with images you're happy with when you go to a place like the Falklands!
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Fred Amico wrote:
What a marvelous series! Thank you for sharing.
p.1 #16 · Wildlife of the marvelous Falkland Islands
Oh my goodness Mitesh , another stunning set This set has certainly stirred my emotions.
I absolutely love the first . The composition with the sliver of foreground showing the penguin and the sky filling the image is outstanding . It conveys such a feeling of vastness of the environment and the heavens .
Your low angle wide angle close up on 4 is amazing. One really gets the feel of watchful guardians
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This set has certainly stirred my emotions.