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SuziGolodofUnmatchedWildlife877.581.2612www.unalaska.info13PhotobyRichByeBirdwatchersaroundtheworldknowtheAleutanIslandsareaspectaculardestnaton.SpringandfallmigratonsregularlybringAsianstraysintothewesternislands.DuringthesummeranestmatedfvemillionseabirdsnestthroughouttheAleutansandourice-freecoastalwaterssheltertremendousfocksofwinteringwaterfowl.UnalaskawhichismuchmoreaccessiblethanAtuorShemyagivesbirderstheopportunitytoseeandaddtotheirlifelistsanumberofBeringianendemicsspeciesseldomseenoutsidetheAleutans.Aleisurelywalkaroundtownadriveortouralongtheroadsystemorahikealongthecoastwilltakeyouintothevariedhabitatsofabroadlistofbirds.Bringinglightraingearandwearingwaterproofbootsisalwaysagoodidea.Duringthesummermonthsthenearshorebaysandcoastalclifsarealivewithhornedandtufedpufnsblack-leggedkitwakesgullsandcormorantsincludingthered-facedcormorantnotseenoutsideAlaskaandNEAsia.Summerisalsothetmetoseekthetnywhiskeredaukletaholygrailforserioustwitchers.WhileitspossibletoseethemfromtheferrywhilecrossingthePassfromAkutantakingaboatcharterfromUnalaskatotheBabyIslandsisabeterbet.Beadvisedtogiveyourselfextraweatherdaysforgetngoutonthewaterasgalesarefrequenteveninthesummer.OtherpelagicspeciesreadilyseenofshoreincludeshearwatersandpetrelsLaysanandoccasionallyblack-footedandshort-tailedalbatross.Theresidentbaldeaglesnestalongtheclifsbutarejustaseasilyseenabouttownonroofopsandlightpoles.TheyaretalliedinthehundredsduringthecommunitysannualChristmasBirdCount.AhandfulofsongbirdsareresidentshereincludingAleutansubspeciesofsongsparrowwinterwrenandgray-crownedrosyfnch.OtherslikeLaplandlongspuronlycomeheretobreed.Thechallengeofwinterbirdwatchinghasitsrewardsinseeinggreatfocksofwaterfowlandseaducks.Thelocalbaysfllwithscotersandlongtailedducksharlequinsandsometmesthousandsofmurres.AleutanspecialtessuchastheemperorgoosewhoseentreworldpopulatonwintershereintheAleutansandthehandsomeStellerseiderarereadilyseenfromtheroadways.AleutanEurasiangreen-wingedtealarecommonintowncreekandonthelakestufedduckscasualsfromAsiaareoccasionallyseenamongthescaupfocks.DuringawinterwalkaroundtownyoumayseePealesperegrinefalconschasingsnowbuntngs.Rockptarmigancomedownwhenthesnowsgetdeepbutarealsoseenduringsummermonthswiththeirbroods.Amongtheshorebirdsarerockandleastsandpiperblackoystercatcherandsemi-palmatedplovers.Ifyourtmingisrightyoullseeruddyturnstonesandwanderingtatlersinlatesummerandbar-tailedgodwitsinthespring.AuthorAleutanNaturalist