Views of Sequim, the Olympic Peninsula. . .and beyond
When we saw these two polar bears at the top on the ice field, we thought oh a mom and her cub. But our guide said it was a BIG male bear (you can tell by the size and their big neck) most likely hunting the younger lone bear that looked pretty skinny.
Of the 22 bears that we saw this one bear was the only one that didn’t look fat and healthy.
I never thought that some of my favorite photos would be of Walrus. But they were entertaining. This lil guy (probably 800 or more lbs-but see his small tusks?) kept trying to roll over but he was pinned in by the big boys who got mad at him every time he moved.
I had a family in the hospital issue so I don’t have my Peninsula photos with me. But I do have the ARCTIC still on my I-pad…So you get a bonus week!
I had walked away from my hiking group (just about 30′) to take photos of this Skua pair about 300′ away with my really long lens. This one started flying directly toward me. I thought– cool I can try out my new focusing system! Then he got too close for me to keep him in the frame, and next thing I knew he is pulling my ski hat off! Then he kept dive bombing me. They had a nest way far away, and didn’t bother the group. I was actually farther away from the nest than the group…but he saw me as a threat. They have 55″ wingspan so it definitely got my attention….
The same Skua circling around to get me again with my group in the background.
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!
This root on Protection Island is ALWAYS occupied by a bald eagle. It’s about 20ft from shore and gives a good vantage spot. (And a perfect spot to pose for passing photographers!)
I didn’t even have to go to the Arctic to find these guys. They nest here at Protection Island. It’s the largest colony in the US. But these guys (there were 5 left that we could see) should have left in July or August for sure.
But thanks for hanging around guys–you’re fun to photograph!
I’m so glad protection island exists. In this one tiny spit on the island were three kinds of gulls, seals, bald eagles and puffins. All a 15 boat ride from my house! Oh yes and a great backdrop of the Olympic Mountains….