Photo ABCs

Tufted Puffin

A Tufted Puffin, doing its best imitation of a bighorn sheep!

Photographed on St. Paul Island, Alaska, in late June of this year.

Northern Fulmar

I don't think the Northern Fulmar will win any beauty contests.

This bird is rarely seen on land except when breeding, which it does in high northern latitudes, such as on St. Paul Island, Alaska, where I took this photo in late June of this year.

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch

St. Paul Island, Alaska, does not have a number of common birds that we take for granted, such as the House Sparrow or House Finch. It does, however, have the Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch, which is as equally at home around buildings and structures and the one bird-feeder in town as it is outside of town, in fields, meadows and next to cliffs.

The Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch is one of three types of rosy-finches in North America, and is the most widespread. The subspecies found on the Pribilof Islands is up to two inches larger than all other rosy-finches.

Here is one displaying on a blind for viewing seals. After our small group had been on the blind for a few minutes this bird appeared, displayed for a few seconds, and then flew off.

Rock Sandpiper

Another Rock Sandpiper, photographed on St. Paul Island, Alaska, in late June of this year.

Rock Sandpipers breed primarily in the Bering Sea, on the Aleutian and Pribilof islands as well as the coast of northwest Alaska.

Rock Sandpiper

A Rock Sandpiper forages in the mist. Photographed on St. Paul Island, Alaska, during the last week of June.

Lapland Longspur

A female Lapland Longspur, photographed on St. Paul Island, Alaska, in June of this year.

The bird is perched on the fence surrounding the St. Paul airport. She had a nest nearby, and if you look closely you can see that she has an insect in her bill, which she is bringing back to the nest.

(tap or click to enlarge)

Lapland Longspur

The Lapland Longspur breeds in Arctic tundra.

This male longspur, in breeding plumage, was photographed just over a week ago on St. Paul Island, Alaska. The softness surrounding the bird is caused by out-of-focus lupines near the camera.

(tap or click to enlarge)

Pacific Wren

A Pacific Wren sings away, with lupine in the background. Photographed last week on St. Paul Island, Alaska.

Tufted Puffins

"Honey, I'm home!"

The same Tufted Puffin (as in yesterday's post) returns to its mate, perched on a high ledge overlooking the Bering Sea.

Photographed last week on St. Paul Island, Alaska.

(tap or click to enlarge)

Tufted Puffin

Puffins are a primary reason birdwatchers travel great distances and endure cold and damp weather to visit St. Paul Island, Alaska.

Who doesn't like these adorable creatures!

St. Paul Island is home to breeding Tufted Puffins and Horned Puffins. The third puffin species, the Atlantic Puffin, is found on the Atlantic Coast of North America and Europe.

Here a Tufted Puffin takes a swan dive, er, puffin dive, from its rocky perch while its mate looks on.