King penguin from Antarctica appears on Coorong beach

A group of birdwatchers on a Coorong beach have been stunned after a king penguin emerged from the waves … about 6000km from home. See the new photos.

A group of birdwatchers have experienced the surprise sighting of lifetime after a king penguin emerged from the water on a beach in the Coorong.

King penguins are the second-largest species of penguin and live in Antarctica and its sub-islands.

Maureen Christie, secretary of Friends of Shorebirds SE, said the birdwatching group was on their way after a survey of local birdlife on January 15 when the king penguin emerged from the sea.

“It was amazing,” Ms Christie said. “A group of us – two cars full – had finished up and were on our way home when suddenly it just appeared from the sea and started walking right up to us.

“It threw its head up in the air, made some calls and preened, he was doing a lot of preening.

“It was quite inquisitive, what we’d call naive, it probably hasn’t had any experiences with humans before.”

The king penguin waddles on to the beach at the Coorong. Picture Steve Jenkins

The king penguin waddles on to the beach at the Coorong. Picture Abel Zevenboom

King penguin sightings in Australia are extremely rare, with only two other sightings recorded in the past 40 years.

One was spotted in 2004 at Port MacDonnell – the last sighting before that was near Canunda National Park in 1987.

Ms Christie lives in Carpenter Rocks and was also involved in the 2004 sighting.

Ms Christie and the other birdwatchers said they were concerned for the penguin’s safety because it was unfamiliar with the Coorong and humans who may treat it as a novelty.

She said she helped out, keeping an eye on the penguin and making sure people or other animals didn’t get too close.

The king penguin waddles on to the beach at the Coorong. Picture Abel Zevenboom

“I’m very anxious about it,” Ms Christie said. “I’d like to stress that it’s important if people see the penguin it’s okay to photograph it and take videos but don’t get too close, don’t stand between it and water and if it starts walking away from you, don’t follow it because it’s telling you its had enough.”

It's the only the third king penguin sighting in SA since 1987. Picture: Steve Jenkins

Ms Christie said it’s likely the penguin has come onto the beach to moult.

“Penguins have to come ashore to moult as they lose their waterproofing during the process.”

The Friends of Shorebirds SE group weren’t the only humans the Coorong’s latest feathered visitor attempted to befriend over the Australia Day long weekend.

The inquisitive penguin also paid a visit to Steve Jenkins while he was fishing at Wreck Crossing, about 45kms north of Kingston SE.

Mr Jenkins snapped a couple of pictures of the penguin as well as a few videos and shared his unusual fishing companion to the Kingston SE and Surrounds, Information and Community Notices Facebook page.

“The things that say hello on Australia Day,” Mr Jenkins captioned the post.

Mr Jenkins said on Facebook he and the penguin “hung out for a couple of hours” before they went their separate ways.

Ms Christie said Friends of Shorebirds SE were uncertain of the penguin’s whereabouts since its social outing on Australia Day, however National Parks and Wildlife Service said it was not concerned about the bird’s welfare.