I just went out on my folks' boat and we went for a bird watch. Specifically, we sought out puffins to look at. We loaded up into their trawler and set off into the waves, keenly eyeing any potato shaped bird that happened to be flying by. And then, at last, we saw the big bill and white face of the Tufted Puffin.
A close look-alike is the Rhinoceros Auklet, and we saw plenty of those as well. Its a neat bird with a bump on the bill kind of like a Rhinoceros horn and therefore the name. They are seldom seen in Southeast Alaska, but more common in the Salish Sea.
We also saw my favorite, the Pigeon Guillemot. All three of these birds are Alcids, which fly through the water with their wings, just like a penguin would do. All of them also like to eat fish and are good at catching them.
Abe and Katrina came with me on this tour.
We found a glacus wing gull nest with eggs in it! It is neat to see birds nesting and to see the eggs.
And then we headed back for home. It was a nice 4th of July, lots of sunshine.
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