Birds pt 1

Horned puffins (Fratercula cirrhata) flying over the pass in late September.


A common murre (Uria aalge) in Ikatan Bay. The murre and many other alcids lives here year-round.




Song sparrows (Melospiza melodia) are also a year round residents. They are usually alone and spend their time on the beach near rocks and along the tundra in thickets. Those born in the Aleutians are 25% larger than their brethren.

Like other alcids, the horned puffin uses it's wings to swim underwater. These guys chase down or intercept fish for the majority of their caloric intake. We last saw them 3-4 weeks ago. They head offshore for the winter.



Bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus). I like the description we read of their wings: "plank-like." These are 'immature' birds, atleast they don't yet have the dark body and white head feathers of 'adults.' Because these have yellow beaks, we know they're at least two-year olds. During their forth year molting occurs. Their mottled-look, white and brown feathers growing amongst each other, is replaced by the more familiar two-toned look.





There are more bald eagles in Alaska than in the rest of the U.S. The diet of those in the Aleutians consists predominantly of seabird, unlike in other locations, where fish make up the dominant chow.