Good to be back on Tweeters after two weeks in Alaska. Not much
opportunity for focused birding, but I was surprised at how few birds
were seen while walking through primarily riparian habitats on the Kenai
Peninsula and on Kodiak Island.

Several items which may be of interest to others.

A life bird for me was a Rusty Blackbird.

Off Seward on a tour boat which approached within a few feet of a cliff
face we saw a group of Tufted Puffins (a life bird) within fifty feet. At
the same distance on the other side of the boat were several groups of
Horned Puffins. Seeing the two types at such close range was a memorable
experience. They seemed undisturbed by the scrutiny.

Drifting a fly at the mouth of the Buskin River on Kodiak Island, I was
surrounded by five different species of gulls, all feeding on salmon roe
floating down the river --- Mew, Black-Legged Kittiwakes in stunning
plumage, Bonaparte's, Glaucous-winged, and Herring.

Grant Hendrickson
ghendric at esd112.wednet.edu