June 22nd

Yet another beautiful day in the Arctic wilderness! Even though I spent most of the day sat in the delta trying to catch Glaucous Gulls (Polarmåke) I enjoyed the day. The species-diversity was rather poor today, without even a single King Eider (Praktærfugl) in the delta. But the birds that did show up was even more welcome. I lay down in the gravel and got some quite nice pictures of the Red/Grey Phalarope (Polarsnipe) feeding along the shore. This might mean that it is thinking of leaving these areas, and will be heading down into the Atlantic Ocean to spend the next months before returning up here to breed again next year?

The Purple Sandpipers (Fjæreplytt) were trying their best to look like stones when the Arctic Skua (Tyvjo) came flying by, just three or four meters above my head. But soon they started to feed again.

The star of the day was the Arctic Terns (Rødnebbterne). I tried to get some nice pictures of them when they came flying in with fish, but I was usually occupied with explaining about the birds in the area to tourists when they came flying in with prey. But I did manage to get some rather good pictures of them when they were feeding in the rather strong South-Easterly winds that were blowing all day. I even got a few dives for food, and some water-action! I hope that you will be able to enjoy the pictures as much as I do! These little birds really make me envy them for their ability to fly!