When Bella and Beary are playing, mouthing each other and rumbling, we call it bitey face. This week bitey face took on a whole new meaning.

While on holidays in Victoria, we went to the Phillip Island Nature Park to see the Little Penguin Parade. It’s something that was on my bucket list so I was almost as excited as Love Bug and Miss E to see the little critters swim up to the beach then waddle up to two kilometers {one and a quarter miles} over sand dunes to their burrow homes.

We made our way through the visitor centre along the board walk to the viewing stand. Once the sun sets, then the penguin predators leave, so just after sunset you can see waves of little penguins swimming in, the crowd bursting into applause the minute the first little critter waddles onto the sand. To quite Love Bug, they were SO cute and SO beautiful and SO tiny. Every bit as gorgeous as I’d expected.

Little Penguin watchers are supposed to be as quiet as they can be, and there is no photography or filming allowed at all once the penguins arrive on shore. The rangers encourage you to download the free app while you’re there to access their photos. We really were that close to them at some points. It was so hard not to reach out and give them a cuddle!

When they come out of the ocean they waddle at a precarious angle. The ranger said it’s about 45 degrees, and they do that because their tummies are so full of food to get them through the time they spend in their burrows.

They seem to know exactly which burrow is their home, and they will often stand outside their burrow waiting for their mates. Apparently up to 50% of them mate for life.

Which is where the bitey face comes in.

One was standing at the entrance to its burrow, waving his flippers and calling out. His little mate arrived and face planted the sand {which the ranger had said happens sometimes because their bellies are so full}. What happened next I wasn’t quite ready for. The original penguin jumped on his mate.

To which Love Bug pointed out: mumma, he’s jumping on his friend! My friend and I looked at each other and tried not to laugh.

I think they’re just playing bitey face Bubba, let’s have a look for some more.

So we set off to look for some more little penguin friends. We hadn’t gone 10 steps when Miss E announced look, those penguins are playing bitey face too!

Nothing like a good game of bitey face after a big swim on a full belly.

Apparently.