So this is a Brunnich’s Guillemot chick landing in the water after jumping or often after being PUSHED off the CLIFF because it’s time to migrate to Greenland.
Here is dad who flew right after him to protect him from the Kittiwakes and Glaucous Gulls who swoope right in to munch the defenseless chicks. THe chick black head can be seen to the right of dad. He was a good dad, he reared up and snapped at all the gulls trying to get the chick. He then hid the chick under the cliff wall at the waters edge while he continued the battle. Then he acted like he could find the chick until the gulls went away (we were all devastated thinking the chick had drowned). Suddenly when all was clear he went and got the chick.
Chicks, we were told, can’t fly for almost a month. Chick and dad will swim to Greenland together!
Very protective.