SE Alaska: July, 2018

Non-breeding adult male Common Merganser

Common Raven

One of the most intelligent of all birds.

They engage in seemingly playful acts such as yanking the tails of cats and dogs.  This may account for the fact that American Indian folklore often portrays them as tricksters.

Alaskans are serious about wanting people to keep their dogs on leashes when on hiking trails.  They offer free leashes as well as poop bags.

Blue Mussels on dock pilings

Adult Hoary Marmot

“Hoary” means gray-haired

They are known for their shrill whistling calls.

Baby Marmot before he ran over to Mom

SE Alaska: July 2018

One of the very few sailboats we saw under sail.

Most “sailboats” tend to travel under motor power in SE AK

Bald Eagle surveying its realm.

Fog is beginning to swallow the forest.

Relaxing Steller Sea Lions

Baranof Warm Springs

Birds in Glacier Bay National Park: July 2018

Latest info on coral from this month’s National Geographic magazine:  “The Great Barrier Reef illustrates how extensive coral bleaching can be: 30% of the coral perished in 2016 and another 20% in 2017.” 


Kittlitz’s Murrelet

Female Barrow’s Goldeneye

Once the ducklings leave the nest, the broods of different females often come together and are taken care of by a single female.

Bathing

Non-breeding Kittlitz’s Murrelet

Immature Glaucous-winged Gull

Pelagic Cormorants taking advantage of man-made structures as nesting spots

Steller Sea Lions resting on the channel marker “lower floor” while the cormorants have the penthouse.

Glaucous-winged Gulls, SE Alaska: July 2018

Immature Glaucous-winged Gull

These birds take a variety of food, including live animals in addition to carrion and garbage.  They have been known to kill and eat rabbits and pigeons, as well as Glaucous-winged Gull chicks.

The patterns on their wings are much more intricate than those on the adult’s wings.

Ice, SE Alaska: July 2018

Sorry but no more glacier calving sequences so we decided to post a few ice shots instead.  Hope you like them.

Calving Margerie Glacier in Glacier Bay NP: July 18