Ferry to Valdez

An early morning (of course, what other time would birders get up?) and we're back on the road.  Gerhardt thinks that I need more sleep. Doesn't seem to matter what time of day I get in the back seat and bam I'm asleep.  We stopped at Beluga Point and saw more Dall's Sheep.

1. Ravens
2. Arctic terns
3. Canada geese
4. Mew gulls
5. Red necked grebes
6. DALL SHEEP
1. snow masquerading as dall sheep
7. Sandhill cranes
8. Magpies
9. Robins

Then drove (or rather Arlene drove) on down to Whittier via the long one way tunnel.  The tunnel is narrow and is used by cars and a train. Traffic goes one direction for a time then the other. Kinda cool, of course I don't use it every day.  Whittier is a funny little town with lots of boats, a ferry landing and a few shops.  http://www.whittieralaska.gov/   We had arrived early so we did a bit of birding in town. I finally broke out the spotting scope to start practicing using it. The parking lot had sparrows but the building by the bay where we were trying to see water birds had a boxer.  This doggie wanted to play fetch.  She was very patient and didn't want to be petted only played with.  Arlene finally gave in and tossed the rock. Yes, the boxer dog wanted to play fetch with a rock. Not just any rock but this one specific rock. She'd retrieve it and bring it to one or the other of us dropping it at our feet and then looking at us and/or the rock quite expectantly.  Silly mutt.

1. Stellar's jay (Melinda only)
2. Northwestern crows
3. Savannah sparrows
4. Song sparrows
5. Marbled murrlets
6. Greater scaups

In Whittier we drove onto an enormous ferry, parked the car and went upstairs. Apparently you don't have access to your car during the trip.  Instead you hang out in the spacious restaurant/hotel lounge area with lots of leg room, seating, and windows.  We saw lots and lots of sea life and birds from this ferry.  The water was very calm and the sun very bright and it was a gorgeous day.  To add to our fun, three other women, all who have been trained as guides for the ferry and/or work for the forest service were there to help us spot and identify birds.  I finally have learned how to tell a Kittlitz from a Marbled murrlet in flight and on the water.  WHEEEEE!  

1. OTTERS
2. DALL PORPOISES
3. Black legged kittiwakes
4. Surf scoters
5. Glaucous winged gulls
6. Herring gulls
7. STELLAR SEA LIONS
8. HUMPBACK WHALES
1. icebergs, dirty icebergs, ice chunks ...
9. Horned puffins
10. Pacific loons
11. White winged scoters
12. Bald eagles (lots and lots of these in Valdez)
13. Kittlitz murrlets

We drove off the boat and meandered around town checking things out and looking for birds.  I did see a couple of new ones, a flock of pectoral sandpipers and the merlin chasing them.  Dinner was at this posh place I ordered the halibut, and they brought me out this HUGE slab of fish, it was lovely but there was no way I could eat it all. Heck I could only eat about 1/4 of it.  I think Arlene is going to make chowder of the rest.

1. Yellow rumped warblers
2. Mallards
3. Northern pintails
4. Green winged teal
5. American pippet
6. Glaucous gulls
7. Pectoral sandpipers
8. Merlin
9. Northern shovelers
10. Gadwalls

Early to bed early to rise I guess that's partly cause I'm still on Idaho time...  Oh, and it was a busy sunny day.