Greetings from Cold Bay

Last year, I was out here for 2 weeks and we never went out eider banding due to weather. This year, I got out twice!!: Blaine Pt & Newmann Island for those of you familiar with Izembek. It was great fun for Dave & I to finally work together in the field. Eider banding is quite the production. Capturing ducks isn't anything like capturing seabirds. You have to find them on the water while they are molting (which makes them flightless) and then herd them into the traps.

gorgeous morning on the water

trap set up at Newmann

herding a small group of Steller's eiders up to the trapsite

some Steller's rounded up!

Audrey & Lucretia reading a band on a recaptured bird

Dave drawing blood from the jugular. He is really good at it.

Thomas & Michelle at the banding station

Audrey & Bob showing off their birds

Mary helping us take data and passing along more birds

Of course, we had to have some 'fun', too.

Went fishing for silver salmon at Russell Creek yesterday. 3 silvers + 1 dolly.

the hog on my right is Dave's fish. he caught it on the first cast!

boy these fish put up a good fight!

Dave's been out bird hunting, too! Adding more meat to the freezer for the winter.

heading back to Seward tomorrow.

hope we get to come back out here again next year.