The penguins are deep in thought incubating their eggs. The fast ice that we can see out our front door is beginning to break apart. Pieces the size of football fields are breaking off and the edge of the ice is retreating southward. Whereas 50% of McMurdo Sound, as viewed out our door, was covered by ice a few days ago, today only about 20% is covered. So, it is changing rapidly. In a few days, I imagine, the penguins will have to walk only 100 m or so to reach water, compared to 1 km a week ago.

A pair of skuas wait for a penguin to desert its nest so they can eat the eggs.

In the meantime, just about all the eggs that are going to be laid have been laid. Skuas have been taking a bit more than usual, because there is little in the way of young birds setting up territories peripheral to the breeders. This is because during 2001-2005, no chicks were produced at Royds owing to the extensive sea ice in McMurdo Sound and the long walks that parents had to make (70 km). So, mates deserted when their partners remained too long away from the nest. No chicks produced then, means no young subadults roaming around now. If there is a ring of young breeders, doing trial pairing and surrounding the birds with eggs, then skuas have little chance to steal eggs.

Skua pulling a partially developed penguin embryo from an egg.