A Leisurely BY 2022 from Herman and Kit

[Kitsafari]

289. Northern Fulmar, Floe's Edge

 

They were flying around us and over us but we struggled a lot to get a good shot of them. 

 

[Kitsafari]

290. Black-legged Kittiwake, Floe's Edge

 

 

[Kitsafari]

291. Thick-billed Murre, Floe's Edge

 

Quite a few flocks of them flying to Bylot Island or just in the waters. 

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

292. Black Guillemot, Floe's Edge

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

at our camp, I kept hearing songs that I knew were from small birds, but that really surprised me as we were really out on the frozen ocean. But i guess where there are humans there will be crumbs and there will be birds - small or big, too.

So to our surprise we saw three small birds - all different species - hanging out together in the mornings. 

 

293. Horned Lark, Floe's Edge camp

 

 

 

294. American Pipit, Floe's Edge camp

 

Horned Lark with the pipit

 

 

 

Edited June 30, 2022 by Kitsafari

[TonyQ]

Seeing all that ice in your Big Year @Kitsafaricame as a big surprise!

Some lovely photos, but a shame about the operator 

[Kitsafari]

295. Snow Bunting, Pond Inlet/Floe's Edge

 

A female snow bunting was the third species with the pipit and lark at the camp, but we had great viewings of the male and female snow buntings at the lodge in Pond Inlet, the town from which we launched our expedition to the ice's edge. The male snow bunting was my favourite small bird (because of that, im going to put up more pix)

 

Female at camp

 

Pond inlet: 

 

 

the male singing its heart out

 

[Kitsafari]

Thanks @TonyQ . it was great to see these birds - all lifers for us obviously! we've never been so up north nor been to the Americas for birds before. 

[PeterHG]

That Snow Bunting is definitely my favourite, too! Great photos. I’m sorry the trip did not turn out the way you expected.

[xelas]

Wow, that is a radical change of the scenery!  I am sorry to hear about missing mammals yet birds are always there to lift your spirit! Lovely photos in a difficult photographic environment.

[Galana]

Always sorry to read of trips being mismanaged but at least you got some very nice looking birds as part payment. Absolutely beautiful male Snow Bunting. I once heard them described by a TV birder as 'little bundles of white cotton wool' and we now know what he meant.

[Kitsafari]

 

Thank you @PeterHG @xelas @Galana . 

 

here's a little clip of the singing white cotton wool on his favourite perch on the rock. 

 

 

Edited June 30, 2022 by Kitsafari

[Kitsafari]

296. Raven, Pond Inlet/Camp

 

 

 

The ravens and glaucous gulls wait with the poor Inuit/Arctic dogs (used for dog sleds) for their occasional meal. These dogs are chained to a rope attached to the qumatik day in day out, and apparently even when the ice melts, the dogs sleep in the sloshy melted ice. The terribly poor conditions these dogs are kept made me very upset, and Herman and I refused to go on the dog-mushing that the group went on. No excuse for such horrid care - better care for dogs that help earn you a dime is just basic humanity. ok, rant over. 

 

[Kitsafari]

297. Snow Goose, Pond Inlet

 

We saw flocks of snow goose at the floe's edge but kept missing shots of them. On our last day at Pond Inlet, while waiting for the snow buntings, we heard the geese before we saw them  - a flock flying towards the mountains of Bylot Island across from Pond Inlet. 

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

297. Common Eider, Floe's Edge

 

On our target list, we were quite pleased to see the common eiders at the floe's edge although we were quite a distance away from waters.

 

[Kitsafari]

299. Long-tailed Duck, Floe's Edge

 

I didn't think we would get to see it, but when Herman spotted a long tail on a fowl and we both agreed it was the long-tailed duck. The pair was the only one we saw on both days. 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

300. King Eider, Floe's Edge

 

My top target (well gyrfalcon was at the top but i knew it was wishful thinking!) so we were very happy to have a few sighings of the beautiful bird. I only wished we had been closer to the edge!

 

  

 

with the northern fulmar

 

with the common eiders. they were quite often with their cousins

Edited July 2, 2022 by Kitsafari

[Kitsafari]

we saw a few birds, including a raptor, while we were travelling to the floe's edge but we were on the really bumpy and snowy ride in the qumatik and we couldn't stop and the camera was safe and dry in the waterproof bag. I also saw a long-tailed jaeger but at that time my camera was n the bag and Herman was not close to me to yell at him. 

These are all the birds we saw at Pond Inlet and Floe's edge. 

Next will be the Ottawa birds.

 

[Galana]

Great report and sightings.

I totally agree on your stance about the Dogs. Unacceptable treatment.

 

Nice panorama with the Snow Geese and mountains.

[michael-ibk]

Some very cool arctic birds, would love to see a Horned Lark, not to mention King Eider. Super Photos of the snow bunting! 

[xelas]

Such cool cool sightings!

[Dave Williams]

A leisurely stroll past 300 eh!!

I was amazed to see the Pipit and Lark in the snow too.

Good on you for refusing the sled trip. Claire and I , on arrival at the Greek island of Santorini, couldn't be bothered to wait in the queue for the lift and weren't prepared to take a donkey ride to the top of the caldera from where the tour boats dock. Everyone gets an included ticket for either mode of transport. The Donkey owners insisted that we gave them our tickets to be allowed to use their path then, drove their donkeys at speed heading back down as we were heading up on foot in an attempt to intimidate us. It was a hard walk but we felt better that we hadn't subjected the poor creatures to our added burden..and besides the ice cold pint of lager at the top was one of the best ever. My daughter who had chosen the lift queue option, joined us about an hour later!!

[Kitsafari]

@Dave Williams i remembered we also rejected the donkey ride at Santorini when we visited years ago. I can't imagine the poor donkey taking our weight up those steep hillsides. GOod on you for choosing a better faster route!

 

 

[Kitsafari]

Thanks much @Galana @michael-ibk @xelas  @Dave Williams

 

301. Canada Goose, Ottawa city

 

A big flock of adults and chicks looking very much at home at the Rideau Canal/locks.

 

 

 

 

Edited July 9, 2022 by Kitsafari

[Kitsafari]

302. Mallard, Ottawa city

 

 

 

While having dinner at a restaurant in the city, a pair of Mallards wandered in with rather bemused guests watching them. the perplexed male was led by a rather confident female!