Living Coasts Part 2/3: Elegant Wading Birds, Adorable Otters, & Playful Seals

The three otter brothers

Last time, I wrote about the penguins and other sea birds I encountered during a trip to Living Coasts last Monday (9th). This post is all about the otters, wading birds, and seals!

Part of  Waders' Estuary

After leaving the marine birds behind, we went into a separated area for the wading birds, called Waders' Estuary (pictured above). It consisted of reeds, grassy areas, trees, and sand banks surrounding water. As with Penguin Beach and Auk Cove, Waders' Estuary overlooked the bay beyond and gave a very peaceful feeling to the enclosure. 

A pied avocet

A black-necked stilt

The species of birds that shared this space were pied avocets, black-necked stilts, ruffs, redshanks, and oyster catchers. Some of the birds were inside their shelters, while others wandered around elegantly around atop their long legs, on the sand, through the grass and in the water. The black-necked stilts in particular seemed to be in pairs, occasionally chasing each other around or mirroring one another's movements. It was quite lovely to watch - as was listening to them!

We we spent some time watching the waders, before heading around to the next environment, Otter Rapids (pictured below).

Part of Otter Rapids

The otters housed at Living Coasts are Asian short-clawed otters, which are apparently the smallest of the thirteen types of otters in the world. 

A chart of "Otters of the World"

The three brothers living in Otter Rapids were born at Newquay Zoo, and brought to Torquay together when they were old enough. It was obvious that they had a very strong bond, as they followed behind one another in a line around their enclosure, making squealing and barking sounds at any humans they saw. It soon became apparent that it was their feeding time soon and they were becoming impatient - hence all the noise! 

Otters looking for hidden food

When feeding time finally arrived, the keepers put the three brothers inside and hid their food in various places around the enclosure. This was done in order to give them more of a challenge and some mental stimulation, just as they would have when finding food in the wild. 

As soon as the door to their shelter was opened, they immediately broke the tight formation that they'd had for the rest of the time and went off in search of the food individually. According to the keepers, otters have an extremely good sense of smell and so it took them very little time for them to find most of the hidden morsels - even those underwater.

However, there were three or four that they had to search for for quite some time, and they seemed to enjoy the process. In fact, the otters seemed to make a game out of almost everything they did; it was very endearing!

Fur Seal Cove

The next area of Living Coasts that we went to was Fur Seal Cove, which is home to four South American fur seals (three females and a male). Above the water, the two biggest would take it in turns to laze on a large rock, while the smallest would pull a large yellow buoy around playfully. 

They were all very vocal when they surfaced, with whichever was atop the rock seemingly taking the lead. The noise they made was a rather delightful mix that was halfway between honking and a chainsaw! 

This pool was only part of the seals' enclosure; there were also other places where they were able to emerge from the water. Also, they had  additional, interconnected underwater swimming spaces, most of which were visible through subterranean viewing windows. That's where we next saw them.

Seeing the seals underwater was a completely different experience. They moved with incredible agility and speed, which they lacked on land and on the surface. Although they're only semi-aquatic animals, when seeing them move submerged, it became quite clear where they were most at home.

After watching the seals swim for a while, I noticed some paper fish, covered in glitter, attached to one of the frames of the tanks. In the middle of them there was a sign that explained that the seals enjoyed interacting with visitors by following the fish, so I grabbed one and held it against the window.

It did indeed attract the attention of one of the seals (I think it was Gemini, the youngest), who disappeared and came back several times to investigate, spinning and twirling in all directions as she did so.  She left one last time, before returning to show off with a "toy" that she obviously thought was far more entertaining than my paper fish. And she was right, haha!

We watched her play with the shell for a around ten minutes. During that time she would also look through the glass periodically and briefly follow along with the paper fish, before returning to the more exciting shell.

Two of the other seals - the large male seal and one of the other females - also began playfully swimming around with her during this time as well, which was really fun to watch. But she kept hold of her precious shell the whole time!

Shortly after that, it was the seals feeding time, so they vacated the tank we were viewing and we left that area.


That's it for part 2/3 of my trip to Living Coasts! Next up: Meeting the Creatures of the Deep!

Living Coasts Part 1/3: Meeting the Penguins & Other Beautiful Sea Birds

Living Coasts

Last Monday (9th), it was rather cloudy, rainy and cold. For this reason, it seemed like the perfect day to go and see some beautiful marine life at Living Coasts, the coastal zoological gardens in my town, with my friend, Miseria Van Dahl, and my mother. Before I go any further, I just want to point out that this isn't a sponsored post; I just find animals endlessly fascinating and love being around water! As you can see from the photo above, the park is situated right next to the coast, which - in addition to being scenic - must help to provide additional sensory stimulation in the environment of the animals that reside topside as well, I would imagine.

Me and a "baby penguin"

In the entrance hall, there were some models of little icebergs surrounding two large models of baby penguins, so of course I had to pose with one! There was also a "face-in-hole" picture stand, featuring seals, penguins, & Inca terns, as well as various themed stencils/murals on the surrounding walls.

As we walked further into building, we went through a corridor decorated with seashell imprints, paintings/murals, models suspended from the ceiling, photos and information. The lighting was also in shades of green and blue, and sounds of the sea played atmospherically in the background, which almost gave the short walk into the main building the feel of like a trip into another world.

The corridor opened out into a room with an educational area about great auks - birds that, much like the dodo, died out due to human interference. However, unlike the dodo, the great auks were hunted to extinction (in the 19th century) because their feathers were used in down pillows, rather than them being a food source.

Once past the educational area, there were large viewing windows that allowed us to see out into part

Watching puffins and guillemots 

of an underwater enclosure that the tufted puffins and common guillemots shared. Seeing them dive and swoop around in the water was quite mesmorising.

Every so often a gate to the left hand side of the water would open and a create a mini-"wave", which the birds seem to really enjoy. This was so nice to see, not only because it mimicked something that they would experience in the wild, but also because they seemed to be having fun too!

A tufted puffin diving into the water

"Please do not touch the penguins"

After we spent a while watching the puffins and guillemots swooping around, we moved through a door that had the sign to the right outside it. This is because the penguins who had eggs occasionally crossed the visitor paths at feeding times - under the watchful eyes of the keepers - so it was essential that the rules were established before entering. (However, I found the sign amusing for another reason entirely, which people who know me will understand, haha).



As the sign implied, the next area led out into the area called "Penguin Beach", which is home to Living Coasts' macaroni and African penguins. The first part of this area is the large, deep pool, which the birds seemed to enjoy swimming, floating, and diving in. Also, just like in the puffin and guillemot pool, there were simulated "waves" in this one periodically too.

A macaroni penguin

A macaroni penguin preening

An African penguin

There were various other species of birds flying & fluttering around in the air and water too. These included: kittiwakes (red-legged and black-legged species), eider ducks (spectacled and king), Inca terns, and even some native sparrows & thrushes that had crept in through the high nets that were erected over the outdoor enclosure. (And, in case you're wondering: no, those nets won't damage any birds that fly into them, because of the way they're constructed).

Penguin Beach and the high nets

Spectacled eider ducks (female & male)

The main "beach" part of Penguin Beach was a lovely din of "gaw"-ing and "gak"-ing penguins!

Penguin Beach

Macaroni penguins

Some were huddling together, some stood with their wings out & heads in the air, some were collecting rocks/sticks, making little practise nests, some were preening, some were waddling down to the water to swim/play, and some were resting in the little shelters dotted around in the sand for them.

You might notice that in the photos some of them look like they're losing their feathers, but don't worry, this is normal. The keepers/visitor guides explained that the penguins whose feathers look brilliant white/shiny black had just moulted and regrown their feathers, whereas the ones whose feathers looked dirty/patchy had yet to complete the process.

Penguins (African & a macaroni) crossing
to nesting / food sites, with
spectacled eider ducks & an Inca tern

African penguins

At feeding time, we got to learn a little bit more about each species, as well as the individual penguins who live at Living Coasts. It turns out that a female from a pair of breeding macaroni penguins had just laid an egg that morning! The male of the pair, is also the largest penguin of all, was "babysitting" when we saw them.

Millie and Ceebee with their egg, in a rocky nest

Next, we left Penguin Beach and headed up to Auk Cove, which was home to bank cormorants, tufted puffins, Inca terns, and common guillemots. As all of these birds are flighted birds, however, they were free to fly wherever they pleased over Penguin Beach and Auk Cove.

Bank cormorant

An Inca tern perching on a mossy rock

Common guillemots & tufted puffins

This was the pool that we had watched them diving into at the beginning of the visit; we saw a few of them diving in at various intervals and it was great to watch it from above!

Wave simulator: out

Wave simulator: in

Later on in our visit, there was another chance to observe the penguins; this time they were underwater. They were much more agile and swift in the water and seemed to really enjoy the freedom of speeding through the pool!

An African penguin swimming 

In addition to underwater viewing windows, there was also a lot of information about the seventeen types of penguins that live in the wild and the animals that share their habitat, plus various penguin-themed decorations:

Pingu: "Nok-nok!"

Penguins in height order from little penguins to
emperor penguins (part 1)

Penguins in height order from little penguins to
emperor penguins (part 2)

King Penguin
(Another photo I had to take for my
own amusement)

Not sure what this was, but it was cute

Penguin money collection box

That's it for part 1/3 of my trip to Living Coasts! Next up: Elegant wading birds, adorable otters, and playful seals!

Photography - The Lemon Experiment

Lemon/Glove/Scientist 04: 'Smile'

As part of last week's Delightful Aberrations photography challenge, I created this photoset, using the prompts "lemon", "glove", and "scientist". (Thanks to J. for being the "hand model").

Lemon/Glove/Scientist 01: 'Subject 015'

Lemon/Glove/Scientist: 'Piercing'

Lemon/Glove/Scientist: 'Incision'

Lemon/Glove/Scientist: 'Split'

Lemon/Glove/Scientist: 'Segment'

Lemon/Glove/Scientist: 'Exploratory'

Lemon/Glove/Scientist: 'Slice'

Lemon/Glove/Scientist: 'Sample'

Lemon/Glove/Scientist: 'Results'

If you want to view the other photos from this or previous challenges, or participate in this week's, then head over to this entry on DA for more info!

Photography - Stigmatic Crossing

Cross: 'Made in Italy'

Last week was week six of the Delightful Aberrations photography challenge. I used the prompt of "cross" and, once again, took the photos with a Canon 750D camera.

Cross: 'My Mother Was A Saint'

Technically, the items in the pictures are a crucifix and a rosary, rather than crosses, but both contain a cross.

Cross: 'Iesus Nazarenus, Rex Iudaeorum'

The large silver crucifix and portrait of the Virgin Mary were something that was given out at my grandmother's funeral. She was a very religious Catholic, had a lot of religious effigies in her house, and they were very important to her; I assume this was the reason why the crucifixes were given out at the service. I was unable to attend, as I live on the other side of the world, but the crucifix was sent to me, along with some of my grandmother's personal belongings.

Cross: 'See No Evil'

Cross: 'Nailed'

The rosary is unrelated to the crucifix; in fact, it's actually a piece of merchandise from the supernatural horror film 'Stigmata'. I quite enjoyed the film, but honestly, I just liked the way the rosary looked, which is why I have it. Despite not being religious myself, I do have quite a penchant for religious artifacts and buildings!

If you want to participate in the Week 7 photography challenge, head over to Delightful Aberrations for more information. :)

Drawings: Fancy Rats & One Punch Birthday

'Fancy Rats' for Rina

Over the past week or so, two friends of mine have celebrated their birthdays and so I decided to draw each of them something as a present. I did the drawing above, 'Fancy Rats', for my friend Rina, who's birthday was on May 2nd. She adores rats, but can't keep them at the moment due to having cats, so it was a little consolation.

'One Punch Birthday' for Kei

The second birthday drawing I did was for my other friend, Kei. It's of two of the characters (Genos and Saitama) from the anime/manga/webcomic 'One Punch Man', as she likes the show a lot (it's good - watch/read it!). It's not the kind of style I usually draw in, but I might try it again at some point because it was fun!

Photography - Monstrous Monsters of the Deep

Monstrous: 'Waiting'

Last week, I participated in the Week 5 photography challenge over at Delightful Aberrations. The theme I chose this time was "Monstrous" and some beautiful creatures assisted me by modelling. 

Monstrous: 'Glow Sticks'

8 (Vosem') the octopus has very translucent tentacles and that created a slightly glowing appearance in some of the photos.

Monstrous: 'Claws'

Creepy Claws the crayfish was a little more camera shy and kept trying to hide behind the rock*, but I managed to snap him too, eventually.

And, by "rock" I mean "cliff", because both 8 and Creepy are over 10 metres tall, of course. Giant sea creatures shot in monochrome really were the obvious choice for the "Monstrous" theme.

The Week 6 deadline is tomorrow, but if anyone still wants to join in, you can see the themes in this post.

*Falling off it; his rubbery legs provide no support for his sand-filled body!