September 2016 Meeting

Tue, September 6, 7:30 – 9:00 pm
Blue Spruce County Park
Speaker: Cris Hamilton

Description

Cris Hamilton, a retired teacher, was fortunate to take several trips during 2015 to visit some very special islands. She traveled in July to Iceland, which is, of course, an island. After landing in Reykjavik, the group of eight, including six students, one instructor, and his wife, headed to the north central area of Iceland and then took a ferry to another island, Grimsï¿½y Island, which sits partially within the Arctic Circle. The group spent nine glorious days living together in a bed & breakfast type place and photographing Atlantic Puffins, Black-legged Kittiwakes, terns, sheep, and Icelandic horses. The Atlantic Puffins were the big draw as they were feeding chicks. Can one see the chicks? Youï¿½ll have to wait to find out.

Late November and into December took Cris to the Falkland Islands, off the coast of South America, for an amazing look at how people live there, the interesting weather patterns they experience, and the fun wildlife and birds that live there. Following that week with a relatively small group of people and an excellent guide, who lives in Alaska, the group met up with a few more people. Approximately 75 guests, plus ship staff, and expedition staff boarded the Ortelius, an expedition ship, for the trek from Stanley, in the East Falkland Islands, to South Georgia Island, about 800 miles to the east. This is considered Sub-Antarctica. The scenery there was more spectacular than one could even imagine, and the group had many opportunities to photograph everything from penguins to albatrosses to literally tons of blubber -- more blubber (elephant seals) than most people will ever see in a lifetime. Many harbors were visited, a variety of weather was encountered, and one could see the remains of the whaling business in the small town of Grytviken, where Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton is buried.

Have you ever seen the feet of a King Penguin? Have you ever ridden in a zodiac in the South Atlantic Ocean in the wind, rain, and freezing temperatures? Did you know that the Wandering Albatross has a wingspan of almost twelve feet? For these and even more fun facts and photos, we hope to see you on Tuesday, September 6 for the photographic presentation of "Island Birds and Friends!"