In Search of Isbjørn.

[Mel]

Did you cuddle with them? How could you get even closer!

[Dewi]

As the birding here was so good, I asked permission from our guide to wander over to the melt pools. They were going further up the beach to look at some of the historical items left there over the years. As we were in Bear country, I had to ensure that I kept the group in view at all times, but the Island was flat and you could see quite some distance up and down the beach, so there was nothing to worry about.

As I walked along the beach to the pool, Purple Sandpipers ran along the ground in front of me searching for tidbits in the seaweed.





Offshore, an Arctic Tern mobbed an Arctic Skua (Parasitic Jaeger to our American readers). Like a spitfire after a bomber, the Tern harried the Skua until it was away from it's territory. These Skuas constantly patrol the nesting colonies in search of unguarded nests which it can rob, or harry the seabirds as they return with food from out at sea. The seabirds drop or regurgitate their catch to avoid the Skuas and the Skuas get a free meal.



Pomarine Skuas (Jaeger) were also flying by. We see these birds on passage here in Wales, but usually far out to sea and only as small dark blobs through our telescopes, so it was great to see them close up, even though the light was not ideal for photography. I was in birding Nirvana.





Approaching the pool, a Pair of Arctic Terns were pair bonding. The male presenting the female with food amid noisy calling.



The female took the food before flying off towards the beach.



On the pool itself, dainty little Grey Phalaropes (Red Phalaropes in the States) were spinning like toys on the surface of the water gathering food prior to migrating South for the Winter. They will fly all the way to the West coast of South Africa before returning next year to breed. The roles are reversed in these birds, with the females being the more brightly coloured. Once she has laid the eggs, she leaves the incubation and raising of the chicks to the male and starts her migration earlier than him.





But for a birder, the stars of the show here were the pair of Sabines Gulls that were feeding out on the water. These stunningly beautiful small Gulls are rare breeders here and are one of the three most sought after of the Arctic Gulls. Again we see them during passage offshore in Wales, but not normally at such close quarters.







I was loathe to leave this place and could quite happily have stayed on the beach for the rest of the trip. We went back to the ship and sailed for the horizon. A Minke Whale crossed our bows and dived under, never to be seen again so we retired to the dining room and feasted on a herring and caviar starter followed by reindeer stew and mashed potatoes. Desert was delayed by the intervention of a Polar Bear, but more of that encounter in the next post.

Whilst sailing, the light was subtle and I tried to get some photos of the Kittiwakes and Fulmars as they glided by.





What a day, and it was not over yet.........

[Jillinflorida]

What glorious photos of the birds. Really lovely.

Dewi, where in Wales do you live?

[Mel]

Birder's heaven! Quite a few I hadn't even heard of before.

Great variety and the Arctic terns make me a tad green in the face.
Wish I had got such a clear shot of them.

Suspense again? I don't do suspense.

What was it with the polar bear that delayed desert?

[Lisbeth]

Who cares about history, when there are birds around -O

[nan]

wow nice, superb new birds for me too
I like the Purple Sandpipers, the interaction between Tern and Skua (all Artic... of course -O )
and the Artic (again) Gulls, not a lot are "zebring"

and then... the great nasty wolf arrive

[Penga Ndlovu]

Yep.
I must concur.

Great birdies Dewi.

love the shots of the walrusses too

[Dewi]

Thank you Jillinflorida, Mel, Lisbeth, Nan & Penge Ndlovu.

Jill, I;m on the North coast, 5 miles from Conwy.

Mel, the fact that he was on show meant that we all rushed out on deck just as dessert was being served!

Lis, sometimes you just have to miss one thing to see others.

Nan, no nasty Wolf, but I'm sure I can find you a cute relative or two of one for later in the TT.

Cheers PN. Theres some even better birdies on the way later.

[Dewi]

When we rushed out onto the deck to see the Polar Bear, it was still some way off, so I took some more photos of the scenery.



The light was sublime as a bank of cloud hid the sun so I took some more pics of the Fulmars.





This one flew directly in front of the sunlight for me.



In contrast, on the darker side of the ship, the waves were unlit.



The light was playing tricks with us but it made for a dramatic seascape.



Eventually we closed in on the small island that the Bear was on.



She was resting under the nesting cliffs of Guillemots and Kittiwakes.



She got up after a while and proceeded to chew on a bird that had either been caught by the Bear or simply scavanged from the local Foxes.





The birds on the cliffs above were nearing the end of their breeding season, with many chicks having gone out to sea already.



The light was still playing tricks, so when everyone else went back in for dessert, I stayed out on deck taking photos of the clouds as we moved away from the island.

[Jillinflorida]

Feel like I've tuned into a Geographic Special.

The Fulmar that flew in front of the sun/camera. Incredible.

The polar bear is wonderful. Glad you were on the ship though.

What birds were on the cliffs? Are they penguins? (or am I showing my ignorance?)

Did they save you any dessert?

My mom's family come from Wrexham. My Aunt lived in Bala till about a year ago and her inlaws lived in Colwyn Bay. No, I don't speak Welsh.