In addition to auks, other fuana use the tundra around the station for breeding grounds. As soon as we walk out the door, we are usually greeted by a friendly glaucous gull (although they aren’t too friendly because they do prey on our auks, taking them out of mid-air and swallowing them whole).
Next, we pass by the puppies…
We see Lots of flowers. These are from us to the moms.
During our commute up to the colony, we usually pass by a gaggle of barnacle geese and their baby chicks. Adult barnacle geese like to stay in small groups of 4-10 where they collectively protect each others chicks from arctic foxes (editor note: we saw our first fox yesterday creeping along the jagged rocks of the colony!).
Next, the reindeer can be seen resting in the snow (see other posts for pictures) or munching on the rightfully named reindeer lichen.
A skua pair nests about 10 meters from the trail, and often one of them keeps watch while the other warms the egg. The skuas are great because of their contradicting elegance and pirateering lifestyle. A very proper looking and parenting bird which obtains food by intimidating and robbing other sea birds–it would make a perfect James Bond villan. Hopefully by the end of july we will see the egg hatch!
A walk down to the sea is impossible without the visit from the arctic terns who bravely swoop and peck at any intruders close to the nest. Since they like to nest on pennisulas like the one right outside of the station, the high kree-kree can be heard whenever anybody walks about.
So far no polar bears, walruses, seals, or whales, but we hope to see some soon (though from a distance would be best).
And finally, we reach our research spot, what a view!