Fairy Penguins

[KymE]

I had the pleasure a few months ago on the Northern Beaches to have 2 fairy penguins around me whilst surfing. One was just over a foot away. It was soo magical. They appeared a fortnight later - then gone.

Just wondering how close has anyone gotten to a Fairy Penguin ?

Do they only appear at beaches certain times in the year?

Where have they been spotted?

[chrisb]

Iv'e seen some penguins at Palm - I think there's a colony nearby. Came within about 3 feet of me.

Saw one at the Poles also. A nearby surfer called it a pelican - I had to explain to him the difference between the two.

Both those sightings were a few years ago. I don't think that the numbers have decreased, it's more case of being lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time.

What has increased in the last 5 years in Sydney has been the number of dolphins. 20 years ago you'd have been lucky to see any at all.

[Clif]

they are soooooooooooo cute.

prob would make good bait too. (just joking )

[shish]

There is a colony of them in the harbour near Manly. Have seen them in the surf quite a few times, even right in at Manly beach. They make a high pitched squarking sound when they surface.

[Hound]

There are colonies up and down the coast, with the caring folk at the RSPCA (or something like that) helping to increase their numbers around the cabbage tree bay area. It's very common to see them bobbing around the bower area. I think there's something in the number of 300 nesting at north head, could be wrong.

Nice to see them out in the water, keeps the noahs busy!!!!

[Shaunm]

Do they work with chilli sauce?

[Mr_momo_32]

i have seen one at longy it was soo fast it came up about 4 feet away from he said helo and zooooomed away he was sweet!

[christopher]

early this year one morning at cronulla it was like an aquarium out there. there were tonnes of schools of tiny fish, medium fish, and some beasts close to a metre. definitely a weird surf. there were fairy penguins poppin up all around the place too. that same session a small fish who was travelling with his/her school jumped into my mouth while a few beached themselves on my board for a split second. i was paddling back out through the washy water and the little bugger just popped straight into my mouth when i was breathing
ill never forget that.

you could tell every surfer were shitting themselves out there though due to the abnormal numbers and types of fish! the seagulls were havin a ball though.

[yanks r us]

i was at narrabeen a while ago and there was a swarm of dolphins catching waves, pretty decent size surf to. sweet to watch, got really close, even about o duck dive a wave when a dolphin was catching a wave right in front of me, thought i was going 2 collide and die.

[smw1]

They're cool little things. I used to live harbourside in Manly and one of the colonies was near the end of the garden. Only trouble was they kind of wake up at about 2am every morning and scream their heads off (sounds a bit like a baby crying)!

They're not at all scared of us, which is bad news for them really because they'd be better off steering well clear. It used to drive me nuts when people would come to see them at night, talking in loud voices and shining torches on them You aren't supposed to do that to endangered species, obviously, but some people don't care I guess.

Power to the Little Penguins.

SMW1

[mad]

Used to surf a couple of spots on PI that had colonies, like Summerland bay awesome little beasts.

Canny little speed bumps, had to work hard to leave the mark of Zorro.

[snakes]

Do they work with chilli sauce?

snakes

[Hawkeye]

Do they work with chilli sauce?

Dunno about the penguins, but seagulls definitely do!

A mate and I had this nasty carping gull follow us all the way from the beach to the Raglan St carpark at Manly, demanding to be fed. We'd picked up some doner kebabs on the way and were royally fed up with the loud and insistent racket it was making, so I said "orright, you pest, here you go!" and threw it a bit of lamb that was liberally dosed with chilli sauce.

In true seagull style it intercepted it midair and scoffed it down instantly.

But a second or so later, the seagull had learned what happens when you mess with the hawkeye! For a couple of seconds it stood stock still, beak wide open and tears streaming from its eyes, and was last seen waddling in a decidedly drunken manner back the way it came.

A very satisfying end to an enjoyable day!

[macca202]

anyone see the dead one along the shorline last thursday at curly?

[Squidlips]

we get loads in vicco, got a national park dedicated to the buggers on phillip island. 1000s live on this one beach. they surf pretty good.

[Spoon]

Mr_momo_32 Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2005 3:45 pm Post subject:

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i have seen one at longy it was soo fast it came up about 4 feet away from he said helo and zooooomed away he was sweet!

Wow, not only did you get to see one but you got a talking one, I'm impressed.