Horned Puffin observed near Guide Island.
It was a good day for alcids out on the water yesterday. There was little wind, and the islands did a good job of blocking the swell, so conditions were good for viewing. Highlights included a Pigeon Guillemot back in its summer blacks, a couple of early Rhinoceros Auklets, a Horned Puffin, bunches of Marbled Murrelets, and over 1000 Common Murres (with some already back in their summer dress). There were quite a few murres in Krestof Sound and other locations, but the vast majority observed were in Nakwasina Sound.
Rhinoceros Auklets are Rare to Very Rare around in the winter.
Horned Puffin observed near Guide Island.
cool!!!! can’t wait to be there..thanks again for the blog….allows me to “keep in touch” with Sitka’s wildlife events and landscapes!
as I told Paul, I have much work and will probably have to delay my arrival in Sitka…and might arrive a week later if I’m not finished with the paintings I have to do. Will probably arrive around the 23 of this month (and not the 15th)….hope I won’t be too late for the herrings arrival!
Thanks! Seems like there’s a good chance you’ll be okay for herring – they usually spawn over at least a couple of weeks, and it’s not unusual for them to go into the first week of April.