These two king penguins were resting together on the beach during a bit of a sandstorm. When they both pointed their beaks into the sand, I thought they were just doing it to help as they stood up — a behavior I had observed earlier in my trip to the Falkland Islands. But instead, they kept their beaks down until the gust of wind and sand subsided. I too, was down on the ground doing my best to shield the sand from my face and gear. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 400, f/5.6 at 1/640th of a second.

It was a windy day in the Falkland Islands and this king penguin was coping with all the blowing sand. Needless to say, I was thirty feet away in about the same position as the penguin, dealing with the same wind and sand. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 400, f/7.1 at 1/200th of a second.

A gentoo penguin looms in the background as a dolphin gull walks along the shoreline. Photographed on Saunders Island in the Falklands. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 350mm) ISO 800, f/5.6 at 1/1250th of a second.

Technically not my best photographic effort, but this one has amusement value. On certain of the Falkland Islands, the domestic sheep seemed to be as common as the penguins. This Magellanic penguin appeared to have something to get off his chest and was bending the ear of whoever would listen. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 360mm) ISO 400, f/5.6 at 1/2000th of a second.

Here’s another one from Carcass Island in the Falklands. A blackish oystercatcher. Not much to say here, it’s an oystercatcher and it’s, well, blackish. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 400, f/4 at 1/1000th of a second.

Male southern sea lions live up to the name with their rather large and furry heads — at their furriest best when blown dry by the sub-Antarctic winds. This guy was enjoying the weather on the southern tip of Carcass Island in the Falklands. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (400mm) ISO 400, f/8 at 1/500th of a second.

Of the five species of penguin that I photographed in the Falkland Islands, the Magellanics were the only ones that live in burrows. All the others live in open colonies. Entire hillsides were covered with holes courtesy of these guys. They were also the most skittish of the penguins I saw, likely due to their more solitary nature. Of course a skittish penguin is still pretty bold in comparison to most wildlife. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 340mm) ISO 800, f/6.3 at 1/640th of a second.

This king penguin colony looked like a gathering for an outdoor music festival. But with penguins. There was certainly a lot of activity going on. The growing chicks (all those wearing brown coats) were in various stages of molting — you can see all the white feathers on the ground — while the parents were busy feeding their demanding brood. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 98mm) ISO 400, f/8 at 1/400th of a second, graduated neutral density filter.