Alaska's Inside Passage, Day 5 - 04 Jul 2007

Skagway - 04 Jul 2007

0800 Hrs. We arrived in the fishing town of Skagway. 

Waiting our turn to depart the ship I watched a Violet-Green Swallow dart in and out among the boats below as a Herring Gull sat idly atop a dock post.

0900 Hrs. Chilkat Eagle Preserve and Fjord Expedition – Chilkat Tours. For the next 6 hours we'd be taking a bus, boat, bus, boat, bus, boat, and finally bus back to the ship. Our tour guide Sylvia took us on a bus down to the marina where a ferry boat would take us 30 minutes to Haines, AK, where we’ll board a bus for another 20 minute ride to a rafting trip down the Chilkat River. 

Through the great Alaskan Fjords we cruise, seeing waterfalls, Bald Eagles, and even stopping to visit resting Harbor Seals. 

Arriving at one of the feeder streams of the Chilkat River we took a few minutes to don lifejackets, boots and get a shore lunch before heading down the river.

Bald Eagles are nesting nearby, and Northern Ravens are flying about, looking for scraps. The Chilkat is home for the five great species of salmon (Silver, Pink, King, Sockeye, and Chum) and world-renowned wintering grounds for hundreds of Bald Eagles.

Since the river is created by glacial runoff it has a blue-green color in sunlight and silty gray on cloudy days. Visibility is zero, even when water depths are a few inches, so its easy to bottom out in our float tubes. 

Our raft chief, Jessica, however, is an old hand at keeping us moving. Eagles are everywhere, mostly sitting on the banks, where they hope to see the back or fin of a swimming salmon.

 

Arctic Terns have just started showing up, and a half-dozen are flying about looking for scraps. 

Scenery is spectacular! 

Other birds seen or heard: Belted Kingfisher, American Robin, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Barn Swallows, and a Greater Yellowlegs. On the return ferry ride we added White-winged Scoters, Marbled Murrelets, Mew Gulls, Herring Gulls, Savannah and Song Sparrows.

1830 Hrs. Heading south toward Prince Rupert. Slowing cruising past what I believe is the mouth of the Chilkat River, the mountains open up to miles of grassy marshland on either side of the river. All along the shoreline I counted 30+ Bald Eagles, (2) Common Loons, and (2) Pigeon Guillemottes. Fully expecting to see bears, I did not. I’m lucky enough to catch three Black-legged Kittiwakes flying by. 59º08.68N, 135º18.27W.

Skagway--waterfront, Skagway Municipality, Alaska, US
Jul 4, 2007 8:00 AM
Protocol: Incidental
Checklist Comments:     Incidental sightings of birds while in port (NCL Cruise)
17 species

White-winged Scoter (Melanitta deglandi)  2
Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca)  1
Marbled Murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus)  2
Pigeon Guillemot (Cepphus columba)  2
Short-billed Gull (Larus brachyrhynchus)  2
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus)  2
Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea)  12     Chilkat Eagle Preserve
Common Loon (Gavia immer)  2
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)  12     Chilkat Eagle Preserve
Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon)  1
Common Raven (Corvus corax)  12
Violet-green Swallow (Tachycineta thalassina)  1
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)  1
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)  1
Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis)  2
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)  2
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata)  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S41975438

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)