The Least Auklet, as its name implies, is the smallest of the North American alcids (upright penguin-like birds).
Here is one photographed on St. Paul Island, Alaska, in June of this year.
This small bird is not only cute, it has cute names in other languages!
French: Starique minuscule.
Unangan (Aleut): Chuuchii.
(tap or click to enlarge)
This male Long-tailed Duck made repeated amorous advances towards this female, despite the fact that she was caring for five chicks.
Perhaps in part due to his pestering, over the course of three visits to this pond on three consecutive days, her brood of chicks decreased from five to three to one.
The Red-necked Phalarope breeds in the arctic or sub-arctic tundra.
Here is a male Red-necked Phalarope on St. Paul Island, Alaska, in June of this year.
A Horned Puffin, flying towards its cliffside perch on St. Paul Island, Alaska.
Photographed in June of this year.
The Thick-billed Murre is another northern-latitude alcid (penguin-like upright bird), which breeds on the cliffs of St. Paul Island, Alaska. It looks similar to the Common Murre (also found on St. Paul Island) but has a white stripe on its upper mandible and the white on its chest forms an inverted V pattern.
Photographed in June of this year.
Tufted Puffins share a moment.
Photographed on St. Paul Island, Alaska, in June of this year.
Another photo of a Tufted Puffin, photographed on St. Paul Island, Alaska, in June of this year.
The Parakeet Auklet breeds in the Bering Sea from Alaska to Siberia, and in the Aleutian Islands, though can be found as far south as California in the winter.
Here is one photographed last month on St. Paul Island, Alaska.
In North America the Red-faced Cormorant is found only in Alaska's shorelines, the Aleutian Islands and the Bering Sea.
It shares the white rump found on the Pelagic Cormorant, but its face pattern and coloration are distinctive.
This bird was photographed last month on St. Paul Island, Alaska.
A fledgling (note the yellow around the gape [area at base of bill]) Pacific Wren waits for food from its parents.
Photographed last month on St. Paul Island, Alaska.
