Mostly normal Sunday at PPC

By noon today we were already finished with all scrubbing and kitchen duties. I was given permission to do whatever I pleased for the afternoon.

I began by letting any penguins out that wanted to come out. Several Gentoo penguins trotted on out and I called to the kings as the keepers have done when it is time to walk the birds. A couple of kings came out, Barry and King Tut, and were eager to walk. They seemed confused also because I wasn't planning on walking them and merely letting them wander as they pleased. I also took buckets of ice and poured them in the nest room, where the birds were, and down the hallway, where some of the gentoos had made it. They were confused mostly and seemed anxious. They didn't seem to enjoy the ice as much as they do when they are in the exhibit but still didn't mind putting their feet in it. Some of the gentoos waited patiently at the end of the hall, at the top of the stairs, for me to walk them. After a bit, I poured snow on the ramp that was on the stairs leading to the hallway. I had hoped that one of the birds would toboggan down the ramp. Instead, a couple of gentoos tried to walk down the ramp, but slid instead. Also, a couple kings tried to do the same but slid faster and fell. Even king tut, who has been known to slide, was wary and eventually scared of the ramp. I kicked the ice off and helped the penguins back up.

Next, it was time to feed the baby Humboldt chick, aptly named, Guillermo. The bird responds to imitations of the calls of the adult birds. It also responds to keeper voices, not mine but my coworker's. The bird still has a distinct squeak like a chick. After my coworker had fed the bird, and I had helped, he left and I decided to stay and get to know baby Guillermo. The bird has become accustomed to the attention given by the keepers, one keeper in particular who coddles the bird. Baby Guillermo wanted to sit in my lap as he has done. I sat down and put the bird in my lap. He walked right up on my belly so that he was leaning against my chest. He seemed pretty comfortable. I was able to pet him and nuzzle him and he seemed just fine. He would sometimes see my fingers moving and investigate them. He would test them by gently biting them. I guess he thinks that my hands are the bringer of fish. I sat with baby Guillermo in my lap for at least an hour and he seemed to enjoy it.

A couple of side notes, the gentoos almost always walk with their wings stretched backward. Especially when they are walking quickly.

The kings that I have fed frequently, more specifically, the kings that are most accustomed to me so far seem to change the way they feed for me. Baby Kong is very gentle with his feeding: he puts his beak down and opens it just a crack and I push the fish in until he responds and swallows. Sometimes, he doesn't even respond until I nudge his beak upward so he can swallow. Barry has also been doing this as well as Uma. I think B.B. may have done it as well when she is not feeding weirdly. I don't know if this is how they always feed or if it has changed for me but it is interesting nonetheless.