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Barrow, Alaska – Top of the World

And our Alaska trip is concluded with Barrow. Target species? Spectacled Eider, King Eider and Steller’s Eider of course!!

Spectacled Eider

King Eider

Steller’s Eider

Of course, this also the best place in the world to photograph breeding plumage Red Phalaropes.

Red Phalarope

What would a trip to Barrow be without Snowy Owls?

Barrow, Alaska

Snowy Owl

Crippling adult Glaucous Gulls! Snow Buntings! Dunlin! Long-billed Dowitcher!

Glaucous Gull

Snow Bunting

Dunlin

Long-billed Dowitcher

Tundra Swan

Sanderling

Pectoral Sandpiper

Sara on the edge of the Arctic ice shelf. Yep, still completely frozen in June!

Sara in Barrow

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Posted by ctaylor on June 8, 2012 in Photography Adventures

Nome, Alaska – Kougarok Road

June 05

Pretty much only one target species. Bristle-thighed Curlew. 75 miles from Nome, in the thick of Grizzly Bear country. Fortunately, 0 Bears and 2 Bristle-thighed Curlew.

Bristle-thighed Curlew

Muskox, Caribou were quite abundant. Had a Red Fox being foxy as well.

Red Fox

Muskox

A Long-tailed Jaeger and Rough-legged Hawk quarreling. Managed to capture shots of the Rough-legged Hawk flipping around mid-air while the Jaeger was diving and harassing him.

Rough-legged Hawk

Can you spot the Willow Ptarmigan? How about our rental car? I took this with my iPhone…about 2 feet from the Ptarmigan!

Ptarmigan Car

Other Nome specialties, Northern Wheatear, Eastern Yellow Wagtail, gorgeous alt. plumaged Black-bellied Plovers and the rest of the usual suspects!

Northern Wheatear

Black-bellied Plover

Eastern Yellow Wagtail

Long-tailed Jaeger

Long-tailed Duck

Rock Ptarmigan

Common Snipe

Common Redpoll

Western Sandpiper

Pectoral Sandpiper

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Posted by ctaylor on June 5, 2012 in Photography Adventures

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Tags: alaska, bear, bristle-thighed curlew, grizzly, kougarok, kougarok road, nome

Second day in Nome, woke up a bit late – around 10AM – but didn’t really matter with nearly 24 hours of daylight. Decided to head out Teller Road. Started off with some close up looks of Muskox. Other highlights included singing Bluethroat and quite a treat to see Northern Waterthrush at the tops of Willows, singing away!

Crippling photos of Red-throated Loons picking out ponds to build their nests on. Rock and Willow Ptarmigans, Parasitic, Pomarine and Long-tailed Jaegers all in the same field of view. Love Nome!!

Red-throated Loon

Rock Ptarmigan

Willow Ptarmigan

Muskox

Parasitic Jaeger

Long-tailed Jaeger

Pacific Golden-Plover

Northern Waterthrush

Gray-cheeked Thrush

Bluethroat

Fox Sparrow

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Posted by ctaylor on June 4, 2012 in Photography Adventures

Nome, Alaska – Council Road

June 03

First day in Nome, picked up the car and got situated in our hotel. 8 PM and still plenty of daylight!! Headed out Council Road, an 80 mile road that headed Southwest from Nome to the town of Council. Gorgeous lighting, here are some shots I got:

American Golden-Plover

Common Redpoll

Red-necked Phalarope

Boreal Chickadee

Arctic Ground Squirrel

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Posted by ctaylor on June 3, 2012 in Photography Adventures

Saint Paul, Pribilof Islands, Alaska – Day 3

June 02

Auklets and Puffins galore! Sara caught me in action while I was hanging over one of the 100′ cliffs trying to get close enough to photograph all the Auklets and Puffins nesting on the rocky cliff ledges.