Sitka

 So we got to Sitka for the first time this year, and it was a nice trip.  It started off in Glacier Bay, with a porcupine.  This little guy was a super cutie, and he was just munching on grass in the middle of this clearing near the beach, and some of us spotted him.  I got there a little while after and sat down to get some shots, and some video, and he just kept munching and scratching, because I guess there is a lot of itching to be done under the quills.  Then just as our time was running out he spooked a little and started running towards me.  Enough to get the heart pumping a little bit!

 After Glacier Bay, we went back to Neka Bay again, and found two bears this time.  One was shy and hid in the trees, which is good because its bear hunting season there, and the other was bold and eating crabs on the beach.  In this photo, see if you can spot the crab wiggling as it is being eaten alive.

 Then we went to the Keku Islands and then Halleck Harbor, and both were nice places, but I got to do a transit during lunchtime, so I was driving a skiff across between the two places and stopped for a short crawl out on a slippery rock.  I managed to get up on top and find that an eagle was still up there, and it gave me one stern look and I decided to abandon the rock and go back to the skiff.  They have a pretty powerful look when they want to give it.

 We found a big fat black bear on that transit also.

 Then we went to Big Bear Baby Bear State Marine Park and I kayaked with a bunch of shorebirds and got really good looks at them.  There is so many migrating birds and so it is really pretty to see them all. 

 Here is a Dunlin in breeding feathers

 And a nice Western Sandpiper chowing down on the low tide treats. 

 I also found a cormarant with a red face, but I think it isn't a Red Faced Cormorant, but rather a Pelagic, but I can't be sure...

 And some Brants.  These were tolerant of me kayaking near them, which I find unusual.  This was in the Magouns.  The people were all nice and good and we had a nice time.