Eastern Coves

Ok, this is going to be a big post.  I'd been trying to get it done for the last few weeks, but the internet always was slow.  The eastern coves trip is the one from Juneau to Ketchikan, and back, and it is one of my favorites, because we go along the coast mountains, and the glaciers that come down from them.  Also, there is the possibility of lots of different kinds of wildlife, though we don't tend to see it that often.  

I got to go to Anan Creek Bear Observatory, and that place is super cool, so I've got some nice shots of bears from that..

We started out going to Endicott Arm, and found the Dawes Glacier up there.  It was big and calving massive chunks and super cool, and lots of seals were up there too.

In the evening we went to North Dawes and found some Shovelers.

Another few shots from Anan, both Black and Brown bears live there.

This is a shot of Sumdum Glacier, and it has gotten much smaller since I first started coming up here, but I don't have an exact shot to compare with it, I'll have to look and see if I can find one. 

Ok, so here's Dawes.  Its retreated about 1 mile from where I can remember since I started here, but there was a Gigantic piece that fell off when we were looking, you can see the berg in the front, its about 700 ft long by 200 ft wide by 400 ft, and it made a big splash.

More seals looking happy

A closer look at some ice

And what happens when they fall down

Some more bears from Anan

We had these cute barn swallows try to nest on the boat at Thomas Bay, and they began to bring mud to make a nest.

I found some of this, which I think is a Spirerea...?

 And this eagle was sitting on the beach in boot sucking mud and walking around looking like a true alaskan

 When we were in Wrangell we did an all day paddle and it was a good time, we found some loons, and had a nice time around the Stikine river delta.  I'd like to spend more time exploring there.

 There were a few sandpipers looking around in the mud there too

 And some eagles

 Then, I found an Owl.  This is the first Barred Owl I've seen, and it was really nice and friendly. 

 It did ask me who, who goes there?

 At Leconte Ice gardens we found a nice seal that let us get real close

 And there are a bunch of shorebirds that are starting to come through, the Black Turnstones, they let us get a really nice look at them

 There is a dead boat on the beach at Robert and Crow Islands, I'd like to float it and take it away, but its going to be falling apart soon. 

 An oystercatcher.

 And some Surfbirds

 On my skiff tour at Robert and crow, I had some Orcas come and check me out.  It was really cool, they are great to see from a skiff.

 We watched them from the big boat as well

 And they looked at us too.

 And waved

 Waved again

 Then we went to Sawyer Glacier, which is my favorite.  Its the bluest there is.  In Tracy Arm.  I got a skiff tour where I got real close up to the glacier and it was fantastic

 The ice is unbelievable there

 And a snoozing pair of seals were in the perfect place

 A closer view

 It looks like frozen waves

 A storm even

 The seals were all over the ice, looking fat

 and one was kind of striped

 Then on our way out we found some bears, since it finally started raining.  This one was really skinny.  In fact there are two, I think the cub is the brown one.