We have had some wild weather with big seas, rain and hail. These yellow-eyed penguins appear to be having a discussion whether to go fishing or not - sit on the beach, come back to the landing and finally it looks like they decided they were hungry and head away into the wild ocean. It is their home too and they are formidable swimmers - so maybe the matter discussed wasn't so much "shall we be brave and go" but having a bit of a social time before heading off. Sometimes we wish we could speak penguin to know what they are saying to each other!!

This nest box was sponsored some time ago when it was owned by a single male but he moved on.
Not every yellow-eyed penguin goes fishing every day. Every once in a while they take a day off to hang out with each other at a potential nest site. Here a pair has moved into Benny's Angels' box but time will tell if they like it so much that they will breed in it. We will know in October!

Most yellow-eyed penguin disputes are resolved by "talking" or shouting but sometimes it comes to blows. This one is quite a harmless one, i.e. no one bleeds at the end, but that can happen as well if they peck at each other on the flippers for example and break the skin. Nothing serious though.

Our fab four certainly are awake and have opinions to share as it slowly gets light in the morning. What would you give to know what they say to each other?

After returning from fishing there is a lot of socialising by the yellow-eyed penguins on our beach and not all their discussions are friendly. On this occasions their disagreements seems to be resolved by talking. It's not always this civilised.

excuse me, coming through, hello there, how are you going?, excuse me, hello......

Trail cameras are fabulous capturing the natural social behaviour of our yellow-eyed penguins, and they are at their most social at this time of year messing around on the beach.

This yellow-eyed penguin is announcing his arrival back in the colony by standing in the middle of the beach and giving it his all. No wonder they are called Hoiho - the noise shouters!

We have trialed a different type of house for the penguins and put a few of these donated and altered barrels into the colony. We had the odd bachelor take up residence but it seemed that the girls were not so keen on the box - or the bachelor? Until the other day when we found a pair at home during the day in their blue box. It's early days yet, but so far they both seem to like it. And why not? It's unique!

These three adult yellow-eyed penguins are on their way home. There is not mucking around on the beach and not that many penguins are returning to the colony yet, but the beach will become ever more important as a meet and greet place for the penguins for their socialising.