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Our Blog ArchiveThis is our blog archive, read our newer Blogs. If you have traveled with us, we would enjoy posting your most memorable experience in our Blog, please your paragraph and photo to us. Kings of Salisbury PlainsPosted November 2, 2010
Excerpt from the trip log by Ali Liddle It was a very early start for most but as the sun rose and tinged the mountains surrounding Salisbury Plain a delicate shade of pink, the effort to rise was well worth it. It was a beautiful morning. Salisbury Plain is a vast glacial plain covering an area of over 2km square, the largest flat area of ground in South Georgia. It is also home to an estimated 90,000 breeding pairs of king penguins, which seemed to stretch as far as the eye could see. The surrounding mountain peaks and snow clad glaciers, the Lucas and Grace, provided a perfect backdrop for the scene and as the sun rose higher the true beauty of South Georgia was revealed. It was a truly stunning morning. The landing area provided easy access to the penguins on the beach and in the early morning light they looked fantastic as their glossy white plumage glistened and their distinctive orange head patches positively glowed. Many people didn't wander too far from the beach for the early part of the day as penguins continued to come ashore in waves and those leaving the beach headed out beyond the breakers to have a much needed scrub after a few days in the mud and dust. Further along the beach towards the "penguin highway", the main access point for the king penguins coming ashore to the colony on the hillsides above, there were a number of elephant seal harems that were to prove a real focus for everyone later in the day as a number of bulls fought for dominance on the beach. The superb South Georgia weather created a very relaxed feel to the day as everyone was able to sit comfortably enjoying the sunshine, the views and the wildlife. People just wandered quietly along the edges of the colony taking photographs, observing behavior and just taking in the sheer vast beauty of the wildlife-filled panoramic views.
Up towards the main colony, some of the "oakam boys" were providing fabulous entertainment as they ran around in circles flapping their wings as if in sheer delight at the fine day and life itself. Parents were observed coming back from sea to feed their chicks. After trumpeting calls they seemed to listen intently for the reply of their chick and, after identifying the unique call, providing a much needed feed made up mainly of lantern fish, a deep water fish species. As the full six-hour visit was coming to an end and most people were gathering at the landing point an iconic South Georgia scene was unfolding along the beach. Two bull elephant seals were embroiled in a battle for dominance of the harem. It proved to be a long bloody battle with both seals rearing up and battering each other with their heads and necks and tearing at each other's proboscis noses leaving the losing seal tattered and bleeding in the shallows. The victor promptly found a female seal and emphasized his dominance by mating with her in full view of the beaten interloper. What an end to a fantastic seven-hour extended morning on Salisbury Plain! Return to top Canopy Tower and Semaphor HillPosted October 26, 2010
Excerpt from the trip log by Jim Danzenbaker An early morning wake-up call was sounded so we could greet the dawn on the observation deck at the Canopy Tower lodge. Birds appeared as soon as we unstuck our eyes - a raucous group of Red-lored Parrots, Keel-billed Toucans (aptly named Flying Bananas) and Scaled Pigeons, which dotted far-off treetops. Soon, the tu-tu-tu of one of the hallmark birds of the tower was heard... but would we be able to find it? Cheeseman's karma was working for us and we had prolonged excellent views of a Green Shrike-Vireo, a bright green bird with yellow throat and hooked bill and a master at the art of avoiding binoculars. It was a fantastic start to the trip considering this Green Shrike-Vireo was the only one we saw although its piercing call was a virtual constant in the forest canopy. Further study of distant treetops yielded a female Blue Cotinga, Mealy Parrots, and more toucans. Plus Blue Dacnis, Chestnut-sided Warblers, and more searched for food in the nearby trees.
After a great early morning and a hearty breakfast, we walked Semaphor Hill and encountered avian denizens of the forest – like churning Western Slaty Antshrikes, displaying Red-capped Manakin, a Slate-colored Grosbeak that chipped like a Northern Cardinal, numerous Rufous and Broad-billed Motmots, a cooperative Black-throated Trogon, diminutive Black-headed Tody-Flycatcher and Long-billed Gnatwrens. Overhead, the first of many kettles of northbound raptors rode unseen thermals. Of course, we spent some time ogling at mammals too – Agoutis, Coatimundis, and both Three-toed and Two-toed Sloths. Stomachs growling again, lunch was spread out on our return to the Tower and we ate like we hadn't eaten all day. Afterwards, some of us decided to stay at the Tower while others bucked the tide of good reason and walked Semaphor Hill again searching for mid-afternoon bird flocks. We were gratefully rewarded with a flock that included our first Antwrens, Blue-black Grosbeaks, Eye-ringed Flatbill and many White-shouldered Tanagers. Back at the Tower, Violet-bellied Hummingbirds and White-necked Jacobins smartly entertained the rest of our group. They also watched Scarlet-rumped Caciques commuting to their nest overhanging the parking lot. We gathered our group together once again and ventured out later in the afternoon to the Ammunition Ponds, a quick 20-minute ride on our bird-mobile, "El Tinamou." On the way, we visited the Miraflores Locks to view the Panama Canal in operation and were all duly impressed. Around the canal we found our first water birds and soon we were watching a Rufescent Tiger-Heron and a Black-throated Mango both on nests. More evidence that spring is in the air! We continued on and found a multitude of birds, among them Yellow-tailed Orioles, Gray-breasted Martins, Buff-throated Saltators, stunning Crimson-backed Tanagers, and Golden-fronted Greenlets. Back at the Tower Canopy lodge, we all agreed that today was a great introduction to the world of Panama birds! Dinner, once again, was delicious and we all realized that our waistlines were in serious jeopardy of expanding if we didn't have more opportunities to walk hills such as Semaphor Hill as we did several times today. Return to top First Landing on the Last ContinentPosted October 12, 2010
Excerpt from the voyage log by David Shaw
An excited buzz could be felt passing through our ship as we neared our first landing on the Last Continent. During the past three weeks we visited wonderful places on the islands of Falklands, South Georgia and the Antarctic Peninsula. Now we were about to step on the "last" continent itself - a milestone that many of us dreamed about for a long time. At 3 PM, we arrived at the far northern end of the Antarctic Peninsula where our landing, Brown Bluff, was located. Our first zodiac was soon cruising toward the towering cliffs above the Adelie Penguin colony. Brown Bluff is rich in other wildlife as well as Adelie Penguins. Kelp Gulls nest on the lichen-clad boulders that dot the beach. Pintado and Snow Petrels nest in the crevices of the cliff a thousand feet up and several dozen Gentoo penguins can be found atop their own rocky nests along the beach. Adelie Penguins poured off the hillside and their antics on the beach kept everyone engrossed. The skies clouded over a bit and a gray bank of fog was visible to the east creating superb light for portraits of the birds. Calm seas were perfect for short zodiac cruises among the offshore icebergs where we admired and photographed the rich, almost unbelievable, blue of the ice in light that livened the color even more. The fog steadily rolled in and by 7 PM when the last zodiac departed the beach, it completely obscured our ship the Polar Star. Luckily, our trusty zodiac drivers had made the trip enough times by then to know the way, and we found the ship again without trouble. That evening, we contentedly celebrated our first steps on the last continent of Antarctica, the last unspoiled place left on earth. Return to top A Whale of a Summer in Monterey Bay, Part 1Posted September 22, 2010
by Ted Cheeseman
This year we had two day trips in Monterey Bay, our own back yard treasure trove of pelagic life. And what special days they were! This is the first of two posts, one for each boat trip. On September 5, sea conditions were a bit difficult, unseasonably choppy so a few were pleased to see the dock at the end of the day, but oh what whales and seabirds. From a Tufted Puffin to so many shearwaters (Pink-footed, Flesh-footed, Buller's, a possible Black-vented and of course thousands of Sootys), Black-footed Albatross, three species of Jaegers, it was a rich day for seabirders. But the Blue Whales stole the show; in the morning a high fog made perfect conditions for krill to stay near the surface, and one very large female Blue in particular gave us a show surface lunge feeding near our boat. Stunning! She was working hard on gathering her estimated 8000 pounds of daily krill. Blues are superlative in every way, the largest animals to have ever existed on this planet. Lucky us, in California we have the world's healthiest population of Blue Whales, an estimated 2000 to 3000 animals. In one gulp a Blue Whale can take in 90 metric tons (200,000 pounds!) of water... our boat, by contrast, weighed in at less than half that. That's about 25,000 gallons. What would you eat if you could fit a school bus in your mouth at once? Ironically, they eat krill almost exclusively, which are usually under 1 inch each. Return to top Chobe National Park Delights in BotswanaPosted September 13, 2010 by Debbie Thompson
This early morning we left our camp site and drove in the Mobabe Depression of Chobe National Park, Botswana, a giant ancient dry lake bed surrounded by acacia woodlands, scrubby shrubs, and lots of grasses. There were also many rocky hills, probably from some ancient volcanic activity. We drove around one of the rocky hills and almost immediately found our target species – Klipspringer – a small 1-1/2 foot antelope that lives on the rocks. It has specially designed hooves that grip rocks as it gracefully and effortlessly jumps between them. We scrambled up the rocks a bit, carting our cameras, to get a better look at the two Klipspringers. They seemed to be interested in something on the other side of the hill that we couldn't see – could it be a lion or leopard? While up on the rocks, we looked at old bushman rock drawings of antelope, giraffe, and elephant. These drawings were made by the San people, but nobody knew how old they were. They reminded me very much of the aboriginal rock drawings that we saw in Australia. We continued on in our vehicles to a waterhole rimmed by thirsty animals. Giraffes spread their front legs wide apart so their heads could reach the water. This precarious posture mades them vulnerable to predators, so they were very wary. A Sand Grouse waded in the pond to absorb water for its chicks in special breast feathers. A warthog drank and enjoyed a mud bath while an oxpecker searched its back for parasites. Driving further, we came across many White-headed and Hooded Vultures feeding on a carcass that was now picked clean. Brett, one of our guides, spotted a mother lion and two cubs barely visible in the grass under bushes – the carcass was probably their meal last night. We also saw three different species of Mongooses at different times – Slender, Yellow, and Dwarf. They are all very cute as they search and dig for insects as they travel across the ground. The morning done, we drove back to camp for lunch – lasagna, apple Waldorf and lettuce salads, and bread. It is amazing how our camp staff can whip up these delicious meals on a wood fire. Our bellies full, we took advantage of a bit of free time with showers. At 2 PM we ate a fast afternoon tea of coffee, tea, and cookies then drove back out. We stopped at another waterhole that was surrounded by three old bull elephants. Many old "tuskers" retire here from a stressful life of competing for females. Elephants do extensive engineering to modify a waterhole to their liking – digging deeper holes in spots and changing the bank. Other animals depend on these deeper holes that hold water while the rest of the pond dries up. Some of the old bulls napped on their feet, one with his trunk slung over his tusk. Another sprayed himself with muddy water with his trunk, the coating will protect against parasites and the harsh sun. We continued on and found a pair of consorting lions. The handsome male followed the female, marking territory and sniffing the air. She didn't seem ready to mate yet since she ignored his advances. The pair didn't pay us any attention as we snapped lots of photos. Finally they laid down for a nap along the road, and we left them to their amorous dreams and headed to camp for a late dinner. Return to top Chick ChasePosted August 19, 2010 (Video may take a few seconds to load) Gentoo Penguin Chick Chase ©Steve Thompson Video by Steve Thompson Gentoo Penguin chicks never give up their quest for food as they enthusiastically chase their parent to get a meal. See more Antarctica videos. Check-out our Cheesemans' Ecology Channel on YouTube. Please us if you posted a video on YouTube taken on one of our safaris so we can mark it as our favorite! Return to top Attack in the CraterPosted August 9, 2010
by Doug Cheeseman
Today we saw a big male lion in Ngorongoro Crater approach about sixteen spotted hyenas. All of a sudden it charged one of the hyenas; the hyena tried to run away but the 350 pound male lion grabbed the hyena by the back of the neck. About ten minutes later the lion got up and we saw it playing with the hyena. It had not killed the hyena. Another big lion (pride mate) came in and started to grab and play with the hyena for about six minutes. When the two male lions left the hyena did not appear to be able to get up. Later we saw the bloodied hyena get up and limp away. The hyena was accepted by its pack, but may be mortally wounded. Incredible - we all were buzzed! None of us, or our Tanzanian guides have ever seen this! Return to top Lemurs Galore at BerentyPosted July 29, 2010 by Debbie Thompson
We got up early and met the group to take a morning walk around Berenty Private Reserve in southern Madagascar. This large famous reserve contains charming cabins and dining facilities located conveniently on the grounds. It was established in 1936 by sisal planter Henri de Heaulme in order to preserve its gallery forest. Berenty's relative ease of access has attracted numerous researchers and in 1985 the WWF awarded Jean de Heaulme the Getty prize for nature conservation. However, Berenty isn't all sugary sweet; a bit of controversy surrounds it. Some of the reserve's early practices – feeding bananas to lemurs, sweeping leaf debris off forest tracks – led to environmental problems. But these early practices have been stopped, and teams have begun to remove non-endemic plant invaders from the forest. We still think it is a great place to see many kinds of lemurs up-close! It was another bright and sunny morning, and we knew it would be warm again later. As soon as Steve and I walked out our cottage door, we were greeted by Ring-tailed Lemurs sunning themselves in the cool morning. Our group, with Doug, Gail and our local leader, Girard, hiked one of the many trails leading from the cottage area and immediately found another White-footed Sportive Lemur lounging near its tree-trunk home, similar to the one we saw while night-spotting last night. Many photos later, we continued down the trail where we saw many Flying Foxes, a large fruit bat, roosting upside-down in a far-off tree. We also found some more great birds – the Sickle-Billed Vanga and the Gray-Headed Lovebird with a wonderful light green belly. After our early walk we hungrily went to eat breakfast. After breakfast, our group walked some different trails leading from the cottage area. While gathering, we watched Brown Lemurs and Verreaux's Sifakas around our cottages. We love those sifakas! While walking down a trail, we spied an endemic Madagascar Boa snake nearby. Doug described the interesting biology of the snake as we took photos before it slithered away. Continuing on our walk, we saw more lemurs and had time to watch behaviors. Our trail overlooked the Mandrare River gorge and it was very hard to believe that water fills the huge gorge during the wet season. On our way back for lunch, our guides found one object of our searches – a Scop's Owl, well hidden in some thick vines. We also saw a pair of mating Madagascar Kestrels high in a dead tree. Our guides are great at finding wildlife. It was hard to believe that we were all hungry again – but we are burning-off a lot of calories with our continuous activities. After lunch we headed back to our cottage for a well-earned short rest. At 3:30, Steve and I walked on our own and photographed some Verreaux's Sifakas, a type of lemur, bounding along the ground doing the "sifaka dance". The skeleton of the sifaka is well adapted to climbing and jumping in trees but not for walking on the ground. So when they take to the ground they must leap sideways, often switching sides, to get around – this is what has been nick-named the "sifaka dance". The dance is very comical to watch and it seemed liked these animals enjoyed performing for us! Comical on the ground, the sifakas are truly amazing to watch as they easily jump through the treetops with such speed and grace. Return to top Incredible Paulet IslandPosted July 22, 2010
Excerpt from the voyage log by David Shaw We could see from the deck of the Polar Star that the icebergs and sea ice crowded the passages between the mainland of Antarctica and Paulet Islands. The ship tired to ease between, but was soon stopped by a wall of ice. Since we couldn't break through the ice, the captain turned the ship to find a better anchorage on the south side of the island. After some searching and fighting the strong current, our persistent captain found a suitable spot about a kilometer from the landing site. Cheers went out as our landing was confirmed and we prepared to go ashore. As we loaded zodiacs the breeze occasionally carried the smell of the giant Adelie Penguin colony to the ship. Big patches of blue sky dominated and only a moderate breeze rippled the water as the zodiacs skimmed off toward the shore. Paulet Island is beyond doubt one of our expedition highlights! The main attraction is the colony of 200,000 pairs of nesting Adelie Penguins. Soon, we were all spread out over the island, each in search of a unique experience. Penguins came and went along the snowfields, between water and nest, offering many opportunities for photography and a peek into the life of these endearing birds.
Many of us also walked among the remnants of the Larsen Hut, tucked into the middle of the island. The story of Captain Larsen and the stranded men from the ship Antarctic is one of incredible courage. We could only imagine the ordeals they underwent as the men lived in this makeshift stone hut throughout the long winter months of 1903. A group of intrepid hikers climbed to the summit of Paulet Island with Ted and Gail Cheeseman. All reports were that the walk was stunning with incredible views over the ice-choked waters of the Antarctic Sound. Most agreed that the best part of the day was zodiac cruising among icebergs carved into amazing shapes and illuminated by beautiful and changing light. Hundreds of Adelie Penguins resting on the bergs created scenes that we all had dreamed of photographing. We didn't know which way to point our cameras – it seemed the next shot would be better than the last. Hugh's last zodiac cruise of the afternoon reported a close encounter with Antarctica's wildlife. A curious Adelie Penguin purposefully hopped across an iceberg to people-watch the occupants of the zodiac from only a foot away. It was soon joined by more curious penguins and for several minutes penguins and people locked-eyes in curiosity. Finally, at 6 PM the last zodiac returned to the ship and the sun faded behind some clouds. But the day's activities weren't over! We spent the evening hours ship cruising to the north and east of Paulet Island. The sun reappeared in beams alternately lighting up the glaciers, mountains, water, and icebergs with beautiful light. An Emperor Penguin swam alongside the ship shortly after we raised anchor, putting a "cherry-on-top" of our perfect day. Return to top Red Rocks and Blue SkyPosted July 14, 2010 by Debbie Thompson
Our three four-wheel drive vehicles caravanned west out of San Lorenzo toward the Eastern Cordillera Mountains in Northwestern Argentina. These mountains are between Salta and the Andes and at 6,000 feet are not as high as the Andes. Our route took us through more Yungas (cloud) forest; this forest gets its moisture from the low clouds and mist rather than rain. But today it was bright and shiny! We made a quick stop near a bridge over a wide and braided river. Our short walk took us down the ravine where we spent about a half-hour looking for birds and other interesting things. My favorite find was a brightly colored Blue and Yellow Tananger, very pretty. Continuing on our way skirting the eastern Andes, we drove higher in elevation and the vegetation became drier and the roads turned to dusty-dirt, but were in decent condition. We soon entered the Puna zone characterized by tall columnar Cardone cactus. The views of the surrounding mountains and some bare reddish and greenish colored rocks against the blue sky were beautiful. Soon we entered Los Cardones National Park and made a few quick stops to look at birds. We turned down a road into the Enchanted Valley (La Valle Encantada) to find a nice spot for lunch at about noon. We ate our picnic lunch of sandwiches, avocadoes, and fruit while surveying the bare rocky outcrops for Mountain Viscahas. We spied two of these interesting small creatures (imagine a cross between a rabbit and squirrel) – or perhaps they spied us – as we enjoyed our lunch. These charming creatures live in rock crevices and enjoy sunning themselves on the rocks. After lunch we took a wonderful hike in and around the magnificent rock formations. The red rocks spattered with orange, green and yellow lichen were stunning. On our hike we found several more Mountain Viscahas plus some Andean Geese, Spectacled Teal, and Yellow-Billed Pintail in a small pond. After our hike in the Enchanted Valley we continued into the heart of Los Cordones National Park. Just after reaching a pass at 11,000 feet we started to see Guanaco and Wild Donkey, unfortunately more of the latter. The landscape here is spectacular. On one stretch we drove through a gully of beautiful red rock sprinkled with Cordone cactus. After leaving the park, we stopped a couple times to search for the Elegant Crested Tinamou and the Sandy Gallito and luckily we found both after some hunting. The sunlight giving out, we reluctantly made our way to our lodge, Casa de Campo (Country Inn) in Cachi. This lodge is an old and charming ranch house with an added wing filled with about six rooms. Antique ranch-style furnishings and homemade linens gave the lodge an authentic feel. We soon found our way to the dining room and enjoyed a delicious meal of traditional empanadas and Argentinean stew. Very tired, we all made our way to our rooms for a well-earned sleep with visions of beautiful Cardones National Park replaying in our dreams. Return to top Polar Bears on Ice, That's Nice!Posted July 7, 2010
Excerpt from the voyage log by Vidar Bakken
Before lunch we reached the drift ice, packed against the eastern side of Spitsbergen in the Norwegian Arctic. Our ship, The Professor Molchanov, then followed the clearly defined ice edge further north. There were a lot of birds foraging along the turmoil of the ice edge, especially fulmars and Brunnich's Guillemots. The largest colonies of these guillemots in Svalbard are situated just west of the area we were passing (Lovalskifjellet and Stellingfjellet) numbering an impressive 800,000! During the afternoon two Polar Bears were spotted from the bridge. The first one was far from the ship but the other, spotted by Rinie, part of our Expedition Staff, was closer to the ice edge. The ship parked strategically in the ice downwind of the bear with hopes that it would soon get whiffs of the ship and our dinner cooking! The strategy worked! The bear, probably an adult female, approached the ship. All people were on deck with cameras clicking resulting in several thousand photos of this now-famous bear. The undaunted bear approached to within 30 or 40 feet of the ship and stood on hind legs to over eight-foot tall. What a view of this beautiful animal. After it decided there was no food to be had, it strolled about 300 feet away and proceeded to take a nap. The bear was clearly undaunted about our presence. Return to top Ostrich DecoyPosted June 21, 2010
by Stephanie Mendez While driving the plains in Ndutu, our vehicle came upon a female ostrich that was limping, seemingly struggling with a broken wing or some disease. We followed her for a few miles while she hobbled along, fell down and got up again. In the vehicle, all of us were had different theories about what was causing this strange behavior; at the same time we were feeling very sorry for her. After several miles and about 20 minutes, she abruptly stood up and walked quite normally over to another group of ostriches that must have included her young. Of course, we were in shock to see her in a very healthy behavior mode. When we returned to the lodge and told Gail about our experience, she said that the mother ostrich probably was engaged in decoy behavior to protect her young. It was one of the strangest and most surprising behaviors that I have seen an animal exhibit. Return to top Birder's View of PanamaPosted June 3, 2010 by Jim Danzenbaker This was the first of two days that we spent in the cloud-forest highlands of Cerro Azul (Blue Hill in English), to the east of Panama City. It is home to a variety of brightly-colored tanagers that are not found in other parts of Panama, plus bird flocks and mammals can be encountered at any time here. Our entire day was spent in Cerro Azul and coolers supplied both breakfast and lunch as well as snacks so we could spend as much time as possible exploring this productive area. Our first stop was at a bridge where we watched Spotted Sandpiper, Black Phoebe, and a beautiful Fasciated Tiger-Heron rock-hopping in the river - a widely distributed species though nowhere common.
Next we visited Birder's View, a lodge for birders and nature enthusiasts inside Chagres National Park, near the top of Cerro Azul. It is surrounded by ten acres of forests and gardens and from here you can see much of the well-forested watershed of the Chagres River, the main source of water for the Panama Canal. Hummingbird feeders, tanager ripe trees, and a nice view of park held our attention. Olive and Emerald Tanagers were seen and the myriad of hummers included stunning views of Bronze-tailed Plumeleteers and Violet-headed Hummingbirds. A walk down the trail with Nando, the gardener and caretaker, was fantastic since he knew the area well and also knew where special birds were feeding. A grove of heliconia produced White-tipped and Stripe-throated Sicklebills plus the ubiquitous Western Long-tailed Hermits. Scanning the sky reaped a great reward – a beautiful Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle that flew over on long narrow wings! Swallow-tailed Kites stole the show though as they gracefully plied the sky and then stooped low to break off branches or grab moss in front of us – a precursor to nesting perhaps? Our afternoon visit to Cerro Jefe Forest Reserve in search of tanager flocks was fruitless – sunny skies without clouds meant less birds except a pair of beautiful Yellow-eared Toucanets. However, Joan and Susan glimpsed a Stripe-cheeked Woodpecker, one of our target birds! We returned to Birder's View to watch more hummingbirds and tanagers before packing up and returning to our bed and breakfast, Casa de Campo, for happy hour, dinner, and a discussion of our wonderful day. Return to top Mighty-nice Hercules BayPosted April 29, 2010
Excerpt from the voyage log by David Shaw There was snow blowing across Hercules Bay when the Polar Star pulled in during the early hours of the morning. The mountain tops were shrouded in clouds but the weather did not take away from the extraordinary views of the cliffs rising thousands of feet from the bay. There were two landing sites planned. One, the waterfall site, was located on the inner portion of the bay where a mighty hundred-foot waterfall poured down onto a small beach. The second, nicknamed "the slot ", was near the mouth of Hercules Bay where a gap in the rocks allowed zodiacs to pull in and out from a rocky plateau near a cluster of nesting Macaroni Penguins. Soon, the group was distributing to the two landings and to zodiac cruising the scenic bay. Despite the initially poor weather, the morning turned into a light show of patchy sun, falling snow, and portrait-perfect overcast light.
The outer landing site was home to a wallow of photogenic, if stinky, Elephant Seals and a rocky shoreline of bright yellow, lichen-covered rocks. Macaroni Penguins hopped up and down a penguin highway through loafing fur seals, while others rested atop a nearby rock. Meanwhile at the inner landing a group of 75 King Penguins were resting in the spray of the waterfall, making for interesting photographic compositions, and unique wildlife viewing. It was during Zodiac cruising however when the most interesting sighting of the day appeared. Rod spotted a strange-looking crested penguin mixed in amongst a group of Macaronis. It was a bit bigger, white-throated, with a substantially larger and more robust bill. The bird napped all morning long, allowing many zodiac loads of passengers to view the bird. Possibilities were thrown out to the identification of the bird, and finally we settled on a Royal Penguin, or similar hybrid. Royal Penguins breed only near New Zealand, halfway round the Southern Ocean from South Georgia. (Later in the day at Grytviken, the British Antarctic Survey biologists agreed that the bird was likely a Royal Penguin, the second ever record for South Georgia Island. The dispute continued later via email when two experts disagreed over the identification.) Shortly after noon all were safely back aboard the Polar Star and we were underway to Grytviken Harbor. Blue ruled the skies above the ship as we made our way toward the old whaling base. But as we turned into Cumberland Bay we could see the mountains draped in snow-filled clouds. Closer to shore, katabatic winds, racing down the many glaciers hit the ship in sharp gusts, throwing spray into the air. Many of us stood out on deck and watched the entralling scene as fur seals porpoised along side our ship. Return to top Celebrate Earth DayPosted April 22, 2010
by Gail Cheeseman and Debbie Thompson Cheesemans' Ecology Safaris grew out of Doug and Gail's passion for conservation and their desire to give their travelmates memorable experiences with nature around the world. It is our hope that a similar passion to preserve the natural world grows out of these unique experiences in all our travelmates. It is our intension that each tour will foster a longing to preserve the wonders of the planet. To go to pristine lands like Antarctica and Patagonia. To see one-of-a-kind marsupials in Australia and lemurs in Madagascar. To witness seabirds and marine mammals along the scenic coastlines of New Zealand. To observe unspoiled cultures along with the wildlife of Ethiopia and Bhutan. To see surprising wildlife action in Tanzania and Kenya. To poke around for rare and colorful birds in secluded spots of Panama and Belize. We truly believe these encounters will entice others to protect the diverse habitats of our beautiful planet. Each tour provides a chance for you to leave the bustle of the city behind and immerse yourself in nature. We hope to spark your interest in colorful birds and intriguing animal action - both a joy to photograph. We provide time to contemplate and capture wildlife behaviors, not just snap a quick picture and move on. Maximum field time allows you to capture the soft dawn light before the animals disappear and still be there for the action during the "magic hour", as Gail calls it, just before dusk when the most secretive of the mammals, especially the cats, are apt to appear. We hope to make you ambassadors of nature with this breathtaking photography. Today is Earth Day and we hope you will take time to ponder the wonders of the natural world. And then for your celebration, take some action to preserve these wonders. It doesn't have to be something big because many small deeds add up into a great effort. Something as simple as deciding to use cloth towels instead of paper towels will benefit our earth. It's up to you. Return to top Saratoga Live! Interviews the CheesemansPosted April 15, 2010 (Video may take a few seconds to load) Interview with the Cheesemans ©Saratoga Live Video by SaratogaLive!
The City of Saratoga, home to Cheesemans' Ecology Safaris, boasts some of the most desirable assets in the Bay Area. Nestled in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains, it is surrounded by wineries and contains a picturesque town center with some of the finest dining in California. It is easily accessible to the vibrant Silicon Valley. A special website, Saratoga Live!, was developed by Saratogans to entertain and inform anyone who is looking for a cool place to visit. They recently conducted this special video interview with Doug, Gail and Ted Cheeseman. Note: Come watch wildlife with the Cheesemans! Their distinctive worldwide tours travel to destinations unique for abundant and photogenic mammals, birds and nature. All our trips emphasize maximum time in the field, action-packed wildlife photography, knowledgeable and enthusiastic leadership, small groups, and custom itineraries perfected during more than thirty years of leading tours. Check-out our latest list of trips and join us on your dream wildlife experience! Return to top The Elephant and the RollerPosted April 5, 2010 by Stephanie Mendez
While we were taking pictures of an elephant on the shore of the Uaso Nyiro River at Samburu, the elephant walked directly out of the river and over to a fallen tree branch. Sitting on the branch was a Lilac-breasted Roller. We expected the roller to fly away when the elephant approached. Much to our surprise, the roller did not fly away, rather it stayed and looked at the elephant. The elephant grabbed some grass and moved closer to the roller. Several times, the roller flew away and returned to the exact spot. After observing this interaction, we concluded that they were definitely friends. Judge for yourself from the photos, the two very different species are together. Return to top Adventure on the MaraPosted March 26, 2010 by Debbie Thompson
After an early breakfast at 6:30 AM, the four of us loaded into our safari vehicle. Just outside of the lodge gate we found two confused young lions calling for their mother. We saw the mother just inside the lodge's electric fence in the thick bushes (proving it only provides a small protection against the wild animals, awareness being the best protection). She tried to find a way under the fence to her cubs, but got zapped. We left the scene after a bit but later heard that the mother was seen outside the fence with her cubs. I am sure the lioness has experience navigating electric fences. Zach, our Kenyan driver/naturalist, drove us down the dusty roads, concentrating on our hunt for duma (cheetah in Swahili). We came across a Black-backed Jackal dining on half a Thompson's Gazelle carcass. A Tawny Eagle perched on a small nearby termite mound patiently waiting a turn. Another jackal waited with a fat belly; it seemed like they were a pair. The jackal tried to drag the carcass to save it for another feed, but it was too heavy and there weren't any bushes to hide it in anyway. Soon the jackal had its fill and the pair trotted off with round stomachs. Further on, we came across three young Spotted Hyenas lounging outside their den inside a large termite mound. They were a few months old and quite cute. It is always amazing to me how their "uncontrasty" facial features blend in with the background - to look at their face is like looking at the dirt, providing a nice camouflage. Two of them disappeared into the den and we saw dirt flying out of the hole, they obviously were doing some housekeeping. Continuing on the road, we stopped to watch many other animals. Two beautifully colored Topi Antelope were sparring - facing each other, dropping to their knees, and then butting horns together. Giraffes were eating leaves high in the trees lining a small creek, their peculiar gate always interesting to watch. Hippos waded in the Mara River, their exposed skin turned a bright red protecting their sensitive skin from sunburn. Our quest for cheetah was finally resolved by a mother and two cubs lying under some bushes. They were half asleep but kept a sharp lookout on the surrounding plains. One of the cubs seemed to have a bum leg. We were concerned since a cheetah with a bad leg would soon starve, but this one was still young and had a mother to provide food while it healed. The morning done, we were forced to get back to the lodge for lunch. On the way we saw three zebras wade into a small pond to take a long drink - it looked very refreshing. Arriving back at the Mara Serena Lodge at 1 PM, we hungrily made our way directly to the dining room. All our meals are buffet style and the food here is very good and plentiful. Bellies full again, we went back to our room for a short rest. I decided to get "forty-winks" while Steve walked about the pretty lodge grounds. I opened up our sliding balcony door overlooking the expansive plains below for some fresh air. Dozing off, a loud noise at the woke me up. I was startled to see a very large male Baboon on the railing just a foot outside the open door, taking a survey of our room. I jumped up, yelled, and waved a pillow, scaring it away. Whew! What a way to wake up. Baboons are very dangerous and aggressive with large canine teeth and I am glad it didn't challenge me. They warned us not to leave our sliding doors open since Baboons have completely ransacked rooms before, but I dumbly assumed they meant only while we were gone. I didn't think the Baboons would dare to come into an occupied room - boy, was I wrong. Return to top Macaroni at Cobbler'sPosted March 18, 2010
Excerpt from the voyage log by Ali Liddle We had a calm and peaceful night anchored in the shelter of Godthul and another early start found us traveling around the headland in open water to the beautiful enclosed site known as Cobbler's Cove. This quiet little bay was named after the White-chinned Petrels that nest in the surrounding hillsides. These birds have a chattering call, which was thought to sound like the old squeaky sewing machines used by shoemakers to make leather shoes and boots hence the name "cobblers". It was a beautiful morning yet again, with blue sky and just a few white fluffy clouds around the tops of the surrounding mountain peaks so a perfect start to another South Georgia day. The objective of the morning was to hike over the hill to Rookery Point to see the colony of Macaroni Penguins, something everyone was very keen to do, previously having found only an empty rookery at Hercules Bay. The walk took us on a steep climb up a snow gully but, given the numbers in the hiking party, it didn't take too long for steps to be stamped down into the snow making easy climbing for the majority of people heading up over the 150m high pass. From the pass itself it was a gentle descent through relatively green pastures down to the rocky coastline by Rookery Point. The views out to East Skerry, a small offshore island were much improved by the presence of a grounded ice berg on its eastern shore. At the Macaroni Penguin colony there was around 100 birds tucked away in small, open areas between the tall tussac stands, with more arriving from the sea every minute. They had to weave their way through the muddy trails to reach the open rookery and probably got a bit of a shock to find their way filled with camera wielding paparazzi! At the height of the breeding season the population at Rookery Point is around 2,000 pairs but it was a little early to see the colony at its noisy, bustling peak season best. However the photo opportunities, especially on the rocky landing beach were fantastic for everyone as the penguins arrived ashore sparkling in the sunshine and walking past on their way through the tussac to the hillside colony. Unfortunately this breeze freshened to whip-up chop from the open ocean, halting the progress of the zodiac-cruisers who hoped to see the Macs by sea. As the morning wore on the breeze increased and wisps of mist crept inland to shroud the hillside, creating ghostly patterns above the colony. It was time to begin the walk back over the hills to Cobbler's Cove. The return journey was certainly a little quicker for most as we slid down the snow gully back to the beach! Great fun for everyone. Return to top Boating the BillabongPosted March 10, 2010
by Debbie Thompson
Australia is a wonderful country of diverse and intriguing landscapes. You never know what surprises you will meet ahead, especially on this day at Kakadu National Park on the very topside of Australia. Steve and I awoke at 5:15 AM and met the bus and group before breakfast. Luckily, as usual, we prepared our gear and clothes the night before, making the morning less hurried. Leaving the hotel in the dark, we drove about 45 minutes to reach the Yellow River Billabong in Kakadu National Park. After our wonderful and productive billabong tour yesterday, we all decided that another venture into the billabong should be squeezed onto the agenda for this morning. This wetland area consists of many billabongs (seasonal wetlands) and the landscape changes drastically over the year, and also from year to year, depending on rainfall, eventually drying up in the dry season. We all boarded the 30-foot pontoon boat and once again headed out in the billabong. Our boat driver was Agnes, an Aboriginal lady, who skillfully steered us into all the nooks and crannies for close-up looks at the multitudes of birds. The early morning sunrise cast a soft light on the water and scenes, once again great for photography. The skies were very blue and the water very glassy creating a mirror for the overhanging yucca-like Pandanus trees. There were many species of birds, from shore birds to song birds; from the five-foot tall Jabiru Stork, to a large nesting White-Breasted Sea-Eagle to the tiny Leaden Flycatcher feeding young worms in a nest overhanging the water. We found a Pheasant Coucal (named for its full-feathered pheasant-like tail) roosting in a tree with the feathers on its back lifted like the hairs on someone's goose-bumped arm, exposing its skin to the warming rays of the sun. It was a true birder's paradise. Of course, lounging "Salties", those dangerous Saltwater Crocodiles that Australia is famous for, were seen at every turn. They seemed to be made of harmless plastic as they basked motionless in the sun. But we knew that these crocodiles were laying in-wait for an unwary meal to venture too close. Our group took thousands of photos of the scenes surrounding us, running around the boat not wanting to miss a single thing. All too soon it was time to head back to the dock at 9 AM to continue our discovery of this matchless island-continent of Australia. Return to top Ndutu, Our Serengeti FavoritePosted February 22, 2010
by Gail Cheeseman What a great safari! Everyone is enjoying it so much. We have encountered an amazing number of kills: the first a cheetah in Ngorongoro Crater that caught a wildebeest calf that was immediately stolen by some hiding hyenas. Ndutu is one of our favorite places in Africa, so we schedule six nights here to be able to take in all the action. I have seen three lion kills since we got to Ndutu. Lions normally do not hunt in the daytime, so it's unusual. I have also seen two female cheetah make kills since we have been here. One day we discovered the "Marsh Pride" of lions devouring a zebra that they killed the night before. We were captivated for a good part of the morning and the afternoon watching them devour the zebra. The pride includes nine cubs about eight months old - we couldn't stop studying them as they played and ate!
We have been watching one lioness in particular who is part of the "Marsh Pride." She is proving to be an incredible hard worker, always on alert when the other lionesses are sleeping. The day we arrived at Ndutu, we saw her kill a wildebeest in the afternoon. And today we watched her go from sleeping with the pride females and their nine cubs to wide-awake as she spotted a herd of wildebeest moving into the "Big Marsh" grasslands above them. In less than 15 minutes she knocked a wildebeest off its feet into the gully that runs down a hill to the marsh. We watched from the hill above and by the time we drove over to her, she had suffocated it. Water from the recent rain was running over the wildebeest. The sides of the gully were too steep to pull the carcass out, although she tried really hard to tug it up the muddy bank. She walked back to the lounging pride to bring them to the kill for another feast. Also today we watched a big male from another pride charge a herd of wildebeest coming down a hill to drink. The wildebeest scattered and ran uphill right into a tented camp above, then scattered back downhill. One wildebeest ran right into the jaws of the male, which he quickly killed. Then when he was disturbed by the camp staff above, he deserted his kill and didn't return to eat it. Yesterday we observed a big male lion in his prime actually make a kill! He couldn't run fast enough to catch a wildebeest as they scattered a hill toward a tented camp. The camp staff inadvertently frightened some of the wildebeest back, right into the mouth of the big male! In the Seronera River Valley we watched two very cooperative leopards (meaning that everyone got some great photos). At Ndutu we didn't see any Leopards except one that was sleeping with only its tail visible, but the cheetah and lion action made up for it. Return to top King Penguins GalorePosted February 16, 2010
by Ali Liddle, Expedition Staff We found the beach at St. Andrew's Bay bisected by many rivers filled with glacial silt spilling from Cook Glacier covering the mountains in the background. Since it is springtime here in South Georgia, the rivers were at their peak flow creating a bit of an obstacle for everyone. The ingenious Cheesemans' staff came to the rescue fashioning a zodiac bridge across the river. Everyone was soon on their way to explore one of South Georgia's most beautiful and renowned sites. St. Andrew's Bay is home to the largest King Penguin colony in South Georgia with about 200,000 pairs of penguins, truly a sight to behold! In every sheltered nook and cranny and on every remnant patch of snow, groups of molting adults stood stoically with their backs against the wind. There is nothing for them to do during this 3-week molt, but preen the old, worn feathers away and endure the itchiness of the new feathers as they grow in. Comical outfits of protruding feathers could be seen on some adults, offering material for an unofficial competition to see who had the funniest photo. The penguins are not waterproof at this time, so must wait until the molt is over before they can return to sea for a well-anticipated meal. We found the main breeding area of the colony further down the beach, by the edge of another river. The fuzzy brown chicks, or "oakum boys" as they are often called, hungrily whistled for their parents who were gathering food out at sea. And the trumpeting calls of returning parents carried far down the beach as they searched for their own chick, locating it in the huge colony by call alone. Once parent and chick were reunited, the chick received its anticipated meal. Most of the chicks were fat and thriving, but there were a number of chick carcasses throughout the colony and others were hungrily hunched over and still. Sad to see, the poor krill year seemed to have a big effect on the mortality of these chicks. But luckily life carries on, and there were still many healthy adults coming ashore to feed their chicks and others that were courting for this year's breeding season. Hopefully this low-krill year is just a short "blip" in a natural cycle, rather than a hint of the ocean-warming changes to come. Return to top Cheesemans' Favorite Color: GreenPosted February 2, 2010
by Debbie Thompson When you call Cheesemans' Ecology Safaris to make a reservation for one of our unique wildlife safaris, you can feel pleased that the phone on the other end and the computers that are storing your reservation and receiving your email are all powered by solar energy! The Cheesemans have been a big proponent of solar power for the past decade. The first solar panels were installed on the roof of their home-office in 2001 with the capacity to generate 3 kW of power. Solar panels have become more efficient over the years and are now able to generate more power. Taking advantage of this trend, additional panels were added in 2006, 2008, and 2009 so now there is an impressive total of 92 panels covering the roof with a capacity to generate over 16 kW of power. Doug Cheeseman enthusiastically explains, "The abundance of sunny days here in California provides the perfect environment for generating solar power. During our sunniest months between March and October, we often generate more than enough power for our needs in our home-office, so the extra power goes back on the grid for others to use." Doug is such a believer in solar power that last year he purchased a car that operates solely on electric power. His Tesla Roadster was designed right here in Silicon Valley and he has become quite a spokesman for the company, offering testimonials to visiting journalists from around the world. Doug proudly tells them, "I now take my solar power with me on the road, and since my car has a range of over 200 miles I can reach all the places I need to." Gail Cheeseman sums it up, "We all must step up to do all we can to protect our environment from climate change. Driving an electric car and using solar power are two things that are within everyone's reach." Read about some of the other conservation efforts that the Cheesemans are involved with. Return to top Land of the Thunder DragonPosted January 18, 2010 (Video may take a few seconds to load) Bhutan, Land of the Thunder Dragon ©Steve Thompson Video by Steve Thompson Often referred to the last Shangri-La, the tiny Kingdom of Bhutan is truly one of Earth's most remote countries. It is known to its people as Druk Yul, which means "Land of the Thunder Dragon." See more Bhutan videos. Return to top Happy New Year from the FalklandsPosted January 7, 2010
by Jim Danzenbaker Our group headed to the albatross/penguin/shag colony on the other end of New Island, but not before viewing a family of five Ruddy-headed Geese that were feeding along the trail. Once at the colony, I headed down the gully to an area that is best for viewing the loafing Rockhopper Penguins and others returning from the sea. Although tussock-lined and slippery in spots, the descent into this gully was well worth the effort. The gully is a major thoroughfare for Rockhoppers as they plod their way up towards waiting mates and young after successful foraging runs at sea. To me, it's a slice of heaven - the sights and sounds combine to show nature in the raw. It is truly memorable to stand at the bottom of this gully and look up at the jagged, ridged sandstone walls that are lined with nesting albatrosses while simultaneously listening to the pitter-patter of tiny Rockhopper Penguin feet as they hop along towards the colony or head out to the sea. At the mouth of the gully, hundreds of loafing penguins take time to rest and do some much needed preening after returning with full stomachs. It's fascinating to watch these penguins enter and exit the frothy sea along this rocky coast - gathering up in ever larger groups until an unknown signal (or critical mass) pushes one, then two, then a hoard of penguins into the surf. Their rule is safety in numbers, since they never know if there is a lurking Southern Sea Lion or Orca waiting to dine on a wayward penguin. Getting back and forth to the penguin colony looked challenging to me but these little guys take it step by step over this treacherous terrain and conquer seemingly "in-hoppable" distances between rocks with relative ease - sometimes needing extended flippers to balance lest they fall over. What a fantastic bird! Return to top Where Few Have Gone BeforePosted December 29, 2009
by Marc Lombardi
A trip to South Georgia is bound to quickly exhaust superlatives. The unimaginable mass of wildlife, spectacular surroundings and sheer remoteness of the trip easily exceed the experience of most travelers - even those of us who have been to the Southern Ocean before. This trip delivered the South Georgia experience to the limits of reasonable expectations, and then pushed beyond with a sight few travelers have shared - circumnavigation... a cruise down the southwest coast on a clear day with views of the entire expanse of this magnificent island! After three wonderful days of landings along the northern end of the island, a fierce storm approached from the east. Rather than running for cover and spending a dreary two days huddled in Grytviken, Ted's experience and sound judgment as an expedition leader offered another option: retreat back to the north and down the west side of the island, betting that the normally weather-battered side would be sheltered by the "rocky spine" of South Georgia. And so it was! After a morning landing at Peggotty Bluff in King Haakon Bay, the site of Shackleton's landing after crossing the Southern Ocean in 1916, we cruised out of the bay and Pauline Carr read passages from the account of Shackleton's epic journey. A short time after turning south Pauline returned to the PA system encouraging all to witness a sight that she and Tim had never seen in their 14 years living on South Georgia - the entire southwest coast visible at once! South Georgia's rocky spine had served us well, both providing shelter from the storm as well as breathtaking views of the mountains swirled and framed by surreal cloud formations. As incredible as the wildlife and other "typical" sights of South Georgia certainly were, the landscapes of the southwest coast could prove to be the true prize of this voyage. Friends seeing some of the images from that day cannot believe the clouds and mountains and scale of the images. Indeed the storm may have been our friend in many ways, driving textures, shapes and diversity of clouds that dwarfed the 6,000+ foot mountains. A remarkable day at the end of the earth! Return to top Preparing for a Life at SeaPosted December 22, 2009 Excerpt from the voyage log by Ali Liddle
Prion Island is a very special place! It is a rat free oasis for many breeding birds from the magnificent Wandering Albatross to the tiny South Georgia Pipit, the most southerly breeding passerine in the world. Onshore we were met by South Georgia Pintails, a small teal that feeds along the shoreline and in the fresh water streams that run down through the tussac grass. Due to the sensitivity of the island as one of the last breeding strongholds of Wandering Albatross, whose numbers had been decreasing at a rate of 4.5% per year in recent years, the visit had to be carefully managed. A boardwalk has been recently constructed to ease visitor pressure on the albatross, as well as providing protection for the vegetation and the burrows of petrels and prions. The boardwalk took us directly up the hillside to view the albatross chicks sitting patiently amongst the tussac waiting for their parents return. Their patience and almost serene composure seemed to affect everyone and a sense of quiet calm seemed to descend over the groups as they moved between the perfectly positioned viewing platforms. The eight month old chicks could be seen practicing their wing beats in preparation for a life at sea, to begin in around six weeks time. It was amazing to see how the chick folded its six-foot wingspan back into its flanks and settled down again to wait. Some of the chicks didn't have long to wait as a number of adult birds returned to the colony. They circled the island a few times as if to get their bearings before dropping down into the tussac near their patient chicks to provide a feed of concentrated reguritated squid, krill and fish soup. Return to top Extra-Extra, Read All About It!Posted November 23, 2009
By Ted Cheeseman The Penguin News, the local newspaper of the Falkland Islands, got wind of our gallant effort to clean the beach at Dyke Bay during our recent journey to the Southern Ocean. The Falkland Islanders were very pleased that an expedition of our size took a big interest in their tiny island. On November 5, many of our staff and passengers gave up valuable expedition time to make a positive impact on the environment of the island by collecting the debris of the fishing industry that blows up on the brilliant beach. The beach can now be safely used by the myriad of wildlife without the threat of entanglement in the debris on the beach. Return to top
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