Arctic Birds - Part 2

This second group of Arctic birds are those I consider more exotic for one reason or another. 

We expected to see Common Eiders on our trip and we weren't disappointed. I think they are beautiful birds even though they are often overlooked in favor of their more colorful and more rare relatives, the King Eiders. Several people warned us we were unlikely to see the latter as they are uncommon but in fact we saw quite a few more King Eiders than Commons! 

 We had the opportunity to photograph Common Eiders close up near the town of Longyearben but I prefer this image of a male and female pair flying in front of a glacier.

 Although we saw far more King Eiders than we expected, the sightings were always at some distance. Still, it is easy to see why they are so sought after as the colors of the males are quite spectacular.

 One of the birds I was really hoping to see was the Pink-Footed Goose. I finally had my chance to photograph a small group as they flew in front of a Kittiwake nesting wall. You will probably have to click on the image to really see the geese as they blend in so well with the background.

 We saw a few individual Puffins in the water but no groups. I believe we were too early for the nesting time.

 Another bird we saw quite regularly was the Purple Sandpiper. I really don't know how they got their name as they did not appear to be purple!

 My favorite bird images from the trip are those of the Red Phalaropes. This is the only bird species I have ever seen where the female is more colorful than the male. There is a good reason for the difference in coloring - in this family the female lays the eggs but the male then takes over and does all the work of raising the chicks, including sitting on the nest. He is more dully colored so he will be less visible. Red Phalaropes live almost their entire lives at sea. They are partners with the Blue Whales that they follow around for the majority of the year, finding food where the big mammals feed. They are only on land long enough to mate and raise their young and then back to sea they go.

 This pair of Red-throated Loons is a little distant to really appreciate their beautiful markings but they were a treat to watch.

Last but not least is another predator of the bird world, the Arctic Skua. We saw three of the four types of Skuas on our trip but none as close as this one who was protecting her "scrape" (nest) on the ground amidst the Purple Saxifrage.

Arctic Fox

The list of animals I hoped to see in the Arctic besides Polar Bears was long but near the top was the Arctic Fox. We were lucky enough to see several on a couple of different days although the largest number were spotted, not surprisingly, on the day we visited the Dovekie colony. 

 The foxes are incredibly hard to see as they blend in extremely well to their surroundings. This time of year is even more difficult than most as they are mottled - at various stages between their white coats of winter and the dark brown of full-on summer. The only way to really see them is to watch closely for movement in the rocks or - as we did - stumble across a sleeping fox who stands up basically at your feet!

This photo may look like just a pile of rocks on a scree slope but if you click on it to make it larger and then look closely you will see the hundreds of Dovekies or Little Auks nesting among the rocks. The foxes are here because of the opportunity to eat the birds' eggs as well as chicks and even full size birds if they are quick enough.

 Little Auks are (surprise!) little. They measure about half the size of their cousin, the Atlantic Puffin. Their short, stubby bills and size make them easily identifiable. Their wings are better suited for swimming under water than for flying and in many ways they resemble tiny penguins.

 As we were sitting close to the slope and photographing the birds, we suddenly realized the animal we were searching for was right at our feet. This small Arctic Fox stretched out and yawned before giving us a curious look and sauntering off to a quieter location.

 A second fox was spotted just up the hill as he searched for dinner. His bands of white and dark brown fur blended in to the rocky background, making him almost invisible as he moved across the slope.

The third fox of the day was pretty far off. I would not have even included the photo except for two things: He is being harassed by a Glaucous Gull which is quite a bit larger than he is and the reason for the harassment is that he has an adult Little Auk firmly clenched in his jaws. Nature at its most real!