Another update from Cape Shirreff... All's well here. We've had a busy week & tomorrow the boat arrives so things will get even busier; unloading supplies, squeezing in new people, & continuing our field work. A photographer from National Geographic is coming down to shoot us in action. Maybe we'll make the magazine. Sadly all of my field clothes are covered with penguin guano, so I'm not particularly photogenic. We started our penguin diet sampling last week & so far it has gone very smoothly. It's kind of a stressful process (for both the birds & us), because if it's done wrong, it can kill the bird. We've done 20 birds so far. Our last batch was a true batch of fighters & they all left the process strong, which is what we like to see. I learned how to pump their stomachs, as well as sort & measure krill. It's all very interesting, although if you had asked me years ago if I pictured myself sorting through penguin vomit in my future, I certainly would have said no. Our weather has been stellar & calm recently. We have a couple of icebergs offshore (finally!) It seems like penguins enjoy hanging out there - a good place to rest while foraging. Lots of leopard seals are showing up - puppies beware! We also have a slew of humpback whales who feed out in front of camp. Time has been flying by. We did another hike to Punta Ouesta yesterday to check our most remote skuas. Their 2 chicks are doing fine. Penguin chicks creche soon - that's when their parents leave them unattended. They're starting to exercise - flapping their floppy little spaghetti wings to strengthen them. I love watching how things change from day to day. Pups are learning to swim & have become the holy terrors of the island - chasing penguins, chasing us, gangs coming onto our front porch. Two more months of life here, then everyone starts departing - us, penguins, seals. Very sad, but my post-Antarctic travel plans are starting to formulate - either traveling in Patagonia or going to Brazil for a few weeks. Hope all is well up north. Take care.

Love, Iris