PART 9 BB (continued from 9AA)- Chatham Sound......and entering the British Columbia Narrows-

   

                     

     It was late in the day on Tuesday, Sept. 10, when we had reached the mouth of Chatham Sound between Digby and Stephens Islands. We would make it into the Narrows in a few hours, just in time to watch the day fade into night. We would sail all night through the narrows and arrive in Vancouver at 7:00 am (Wed. Sept. 11) in the morning. 

    For a while, even the Shearwaters had dropped off and there wasn't much in the air, and the last whale sighting was hours ago. 

    I saw a small flock of birds swimming off the port bow which I thought were Common Murre. Since all the Alcids I was seeing on the water in the Gulf since we left Sitka, I just assumed these were Murre as well. As we got closer I was excited and pleasantly surpriised......it was a flock of Rhinoceros Auklets!

    When the last Auklet in the small flock dove, the Orion passed them by. For the next half hour, I didn't see any birds. We were obviously getting closer to the head of Chatham Sound and the Islands as many timber logs were floating by with a few having Gulls on them relaxing and enjoying the ride.

    In between the Gull logs, more Shearwaters-

     Common Murre numbers began to pick up as well- 

    Gull numbers began to increase and always investigating the ship- 

    With a couple hours of daylight left, the Orion started into the narrows having sailed by Digby and Smith Islands. 

    Jen and I decided to go for a late dinner, it was a very good day. We stopped by our suite before heading to the restaurant. We walked out on the veranda to look at the scenery and we both looked down...... there were birds everywhere you looked on the water. The first birds we saw were Gulls mixed in with the floating Kelp. There was a lot of floating Kelp in this area which often gave the impression of small seabirds. 

     The first Alcid that we spotted was this Pigeon Guillemot- 

   ......and then more Guillemots 

     And of course,  more floating logs and Kelp matts with Gulls hitching a ride (Pigeon Guillemot top left corner)- 

      ...... and more Pigeon Guillemot-

  

     .....and the second species of Alcids to be seen, more Rhinoceros Auklets- 

       Oh, and more Pigeon Guillemots- 

     Gull numbers were concentrated here. Short-billed Mew Gull

                                       California Gull

    The Orion traveled a quarter mile and the bird numbers decreased, until the water was literally covered with Common Murre flocks....in all ages from juvenile to adult in all plumages from breeding plumage to transitional plumage to winter plumage and every plumage in between. This was a great place to observe Common Murre in all the different ages and plumages.

   The numbers of Common Murre flocks were well into the hundreds....... more in one location than I have ever seen before. Since Jen and I were on our veranda on the starboard side of the ship, I wondered what was on the port side? I thought about running up to the bow, but the number of birds was really good here, I was happy where we were. 

    There are always a few unanticipated surprise encounters that take place when you are birdwatching; something just about always happens that you were not expecting. While I was photographing the Murres, a bird flew through my camera viewfinder. I usually ignore it when this happens, but the white triangular flash of the wing triggered my brain. This is something I need to divert my attention to! I pulled the camera over to the quickly departing bird and instantaneously I recognized this small Gull as a SABINE'S GULL; my Gull nemesis!! I started reeling off continuous shots just to make sure I captured this Gull on my camera card! Unfortunately, my being SO overanxious to grab images of this bird, I didn't wait until the camera achieved its optimum focus. What I ended up was a sequential series of blurry out of focus images. I was so mad at myself. In reviewing the images, I did manage to capture one half-way decent image of the immature Sabine's Gull almost in focus. Even with my major screw-up, I redeemed myself with one image to document this spectacular event! I started wondering if I had been on the bow, would I have had a better chance for it?

    Sabine's Gull is very rare and uncommon in New England during their fall migration. Each year a few are seen off Race Point, Provincetown, Cape Cod. I always miss them when I try for them on the Cape, usually I am too early or "I should have been there yesterday"!! Whatever the reason, I have never been fortunate (until today) to have seen one! Now my nemesis Gull is no more! The Sabine's Gull (to me) is the most elegant Gull species of all the Gulls (in New England). I think the Little Gull is a close second.

    After catching my breath from the Sabine's Gull encounter (which took several minutes) I went back to enjoying and photographing the continual flocks of Common Murre. 

    And intermittently scattered among the Murre flocks were more Rhinoceros Auklets- 

    I was also pleased to see more male Murres with your fledglings, a gift that this Alaskan cruise had brought me. 

                                       The flocks of Common Murre seemed endless- 

     Eventually the flocks of Common Murre were replaced by numerous Rhinoceros Auklets that were gathered in small flocks, trios, pairs and singles. For me, wanting to see and experience a few Rhino Auklets had been overtaken by the large numbers of them in this area. 

             You can always tell when an Alcid is getting ready to dive......one last gulp of air......

                     A good image that shows the shoreline landscape in the Narrows. 

                In my mind a very gorgeous Gull.....1st cycle Short-billed Mew Gull-

   The day was almost over, the light was nearly gone, but still the Alcids continued! Its been about an hour of continual Alcids on the salt water. More Rhinoceros Auklets- 

                       The last of the Common Murre flocks before the light was gone- 

     The last pair of Alcids I saw before it was too dark to photograph, and the last Alcids I saw on the Alaskan cruise; Rhinoceros Auklets. The first Alcid I saw on this cruise at the beginning was a Common Murre in Resurrection Bay in Seward.

                                                      Final shot! Bloop! 

   With the light gone, and the end of a beautiful day, and an absolutely incredible Alaskan Cruise, Jen and I wished the day Good Night, and went off for a late but very satisfying and relaxing dinner! We would sail all night and arrive in Vancouver at 7:00 am. Good Night!

Birds seen today at sea: Glaucous-winged Gull, Herring Gull, Glaucous-winged x Herring Gull, California Gull, Short-billed Mew Gull, SABINE'S GULL, Bonaparte's Gull, Short-tailed Shearwater, Sooty Shearwater, Pelagic Cormorant, Common Murre, Rhinoceros Auklet, Pigeon Guillemot

                           Image below shows the location of the Orion at midnight.

         PART 10, Sailing through the Narrows tonight and arriving in Vancouver continues..........

                                        

                                                      To Continue....click on "OLDER POSTS" below right