Least Auklet, the smallest alcid, coming ashore to inspect the nesting colony in a boulder field on St. Lawrence Island #Alaska 🪶

A gray whale and her calf foraging along the shoreline near Gambell #Alaska. The seas around St. Lawrence Island is a key summering area for these whales where they dine on the abundant amphipods. 🦑🦊

Widespread in the northern hemisphere but usually a little dun bird, the Dunlin is another that shines in its summer plumage. In western Alaska the range overlaps with the other black bellied sandpiper, the rock sandpiper. Gambell #Alaska 🪶

Lapland Longspur, a LBJ most of the year but they really become handsome little devils during the summer. This one lives at Gambell #Alaska #BirdsSeenIn2026 🪶

An ID challenge. St. Lawrence Island is one of the few places where the ranges of Semipalmated and Common Ringed plovers overlap. Here a Semi is chasing a Ringed but it was unfazed; by the next day the ringed was in possession of the site and had found a mate. Gambell #Alaska 🪶

A couple of Tufted Puffins flying past Gambell #Alaska. The mountains in the distance are in Russia. If Tina Fey lived here she could see Russia from her house. #BirdsSeenIn2026 🪶🦑

Crested Auklets returning to their colony on St. Lawrence Island. Several hundred thousand of these small seabirds pass back and forth by Gambell #Alaska as they commute between foraging and nesting area. #BirdsSeenIn2026 🪶🦑

Semipalmated Sandpiper on the hunt for dipterans on the coastal tundra near Nome #Alaska #BirdsSeenIn2026 🪶

The Ambush: A Yellow-billed Loon lies in wait to eject a group of Red-breasted Mergansers from its lake. Nome #Alaska #BirdsSeenIn2026 🪶

A drake Harlequin Duck cruising the coast off Nome #Alaska. Plenty of suitable breeding habitat nearby but tracking data shows many continue on across the Bering Strait to breed in Russia. #BirdsSeenIn2026 🪶🦑

Red-necked Phalaropes can't dive but sometimes a tasty morsel is just out of reach and they gotta try. This position does provide an excellent opportunity to see their fancy lobed toes. Nome #Alaska #BirdsSeenIn2026 🪶

Meanwhile, back in Alaska. I barely made it back when I found myself off on a trip to western Alaska. One of the birds visitors are always keen to see is the Bluethroat. They are locally common but can be secretive when they aren't singing. Nome #Alaska #BirdsSeenIn2026 🪶

One last eastern warbler then back to Alaska adventures. Although the Blackburnian Warbler was named after a person somehow blackburnian seems to describe its fiery plumage. Toronto #Ontario #BirdsSeenIn2026 🪶

Winding down on my shots from my visit to #Ontario. Just love those warblers, here's a Black-throated Green Warbler from Toronto. #BirdsSeenIn2026 🪶

A Red-eyed Vireo with a rather dull eye for spring. Some claim this might be the most common bird in North America. Its a vagrant where I live but they were common in Muskoka #Ontario where I took this shot. #BirdsSeenIn2026 🪶

Always a treat to run into a Red-headed Woodpecker. This time I really lucked out as there was a nest nearby. Muskoka #Ontario #BirdsSeenIn2026 🪶

Another image of birds in cherry blossoms has surfaced. The other birds had been visiting for nectar (and the occasional insect) but the Cedar Waxwings were eating the blossoms! Toronto #Ontario #BirdsSeenIn2026 🪶

I'm not sure if teasels make the most comfortable perch but this Tree Swallow did pick a photogenic one. And a spot for a friend to join it. Toronto #Ontario 🪶

Nothing like an American Goldfinch to brighten up a muddy trail. Toronto $Ontario #BirdsSeenIn2026 #finches 🪶

Seems like everywhere there is a tern with slight variations on the theme. Perhaps Common Tern is the "original" but it is different than my usual species so I enjoyed seeing them Toronto #Ontario #BirdsSeenIn2026 🪶

Do small birds go for small perches? Not necessarily says this Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, it likes something substantial to hang onto. Looks like it was gathering fluff for nest lining? Toronto #Ontario #BirdsSeenIn2026 🪶

Bay-breasted Warbler contemplating gong for an even higher perch, Awenda PP #Ontario #BirdsSeenIn2026 🪶

Today's #BirdOfTheDay Theme is #Ebony&Ivory, birds that have Black & White plumage Black-banded Owl. Found in humid forests in South America. This one was on San Martin #Peru 🪶

Today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme is: #WildMotion, Dynamic wildlife behaviour, freezing a second which is full of energy. Does not have to be in flight. Must be a summer scene with Sabine's Gulls coming in for a landing on land. They are pelagic except while nesting. Yukon Delta NWR #Alaska 🪶

Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #Quackers, any Duck will do, Barrow's Goldeneye star-gazing, or perhaps looking for the aurora. This is actually part of display to a nearby hen. Anchorage, #Alaska 🪶

Rose-breasted Grosbeak seems to have been interrupted mid-bite. Chowing down during a migration stop in Toronto #Ontario 🪶

Today's #BirdOfTheDay Theme is #RedBeakFeetEyes, any bird with a Red beak, Feet or Eyes Not Feathers. Horned Grebe: A former summer resident of a roadside ditch in Anchorage #Alaska. Nowadays you have to go farther afield to see them nesting but still a regular migrant. 🪶

Baltimore Oriole joins the list of birds loving cherry blossom season. They didn't seem too concerned if the blossoms still had petals even though they still seemed to be looking for nectar. Toronto #Ontario 🪶

So many birds go unappreciated when you see them too often. Red-winged Blackbirds are rare in most of #Alaska so I may have been the only looking at them during my trip "back east" last month. Well except for my friend who loves plumage details of and had fun ageing the red-wings. Toronto #Ontario 🪶

When I visited southern Ontario last month I was surprised how common Wood Ducks were, often outnumbering Mallards on my hikes. Not that I'm complaining as they still warranted a second look. Toronto #Ontario 🪶