Gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua) population winter/summer behaviour and CEMP time-lapse cameras validation at Galindez Island in the 2018/19 season

Gentoo (Pygoscelis papua) penguin colony population behavior/dynamics have been studied during 2018-19 season. The detailed observation of bird arrival, nesting, hatch and crèche has been provided in two colonies at GAI CEMP site at Galindez Island nearby the Vernadsky station. We inform on the results of visual survey of penguin population and penguin count. During the 2018/19 season biologist winterer at Vernadsky station at Galindez Island, provided continuous observations every day/each five days of gentoo GBV and GPP sites. The results of visual observations of penguin population changes are discussed. The two seasons of the data validation experiment have been provided for pictures from time-lapse cameras of the CEMP camera monitoring project of CCAMLR at Galindez Island gentoo (Pygoscelis Papua) penguin colonies are discussed. During 2017/18 and 2018/19 seasons, biologists-winterers at Vernadsky station (Galindez Island), GAI CEMP site, provided daily observations of 15 gentoo nests chosen in the three monitoring sites GBW, GPP1, and GPP2, simultaneously with automatic time-lapse cameras picturing. The results of visual observations have been compared with data from camera pictures, which registered the same nests. The comparison of the events of lay, hatch, and crèche dates was undertaken. The preliminary results exhibit the reasonable correspondence within 0-3 days between visual observations and time-lapse camera data for both seasons. The standard deviation for each event varies from ±1 to ±3 days for 15 control nests at the three test sites. However the time delay in 1 to 3 days (7 days maximum) between the registered dates by camera and visual observations was recorded. This delay should be taken into account when the event dates from camera data analyzed without correspondent visual observations.