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Breeding island

15 June 2010

Today, I go and census the biggest breeding island for barnacle goose nests. reading rings and searching for geese which have been equipped with dataloggers for daylight on their rings. I count 173 goose nests among about 1000 eider ducks.

I want to show some impressions like the variation in nests. Nests surrounded by moss, droppings or a wall with grasses as result of many years of defaecating. Note also the differences in clutch size and amount of down.

Panorama's with long views under a cover of clouds is normal, but on a picture it becomes spectacular. I did not notice this until I viewed the picture (see left).
One of the three reindeer which stayed on the island when the fjord ice melted is curious and comes close.

The snow is covered with their winter droppings. They are black and wwarm faster from the sun than the sun-reflecting snow. This makes them melt through the snow.

Finally a grass area on the tundra with some close-ups of grass and the forest of Spitsbergen: small willow plants.
When we pack to return to the village after eight hours of censussing, we meet some curious seals. And again the cloud cover is spectacular.


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20100614, 15:30 20100615, 18:00 20100622, 13:31 all items shown with small pics
departure and arrival breeding island Ny-Aalesund symposium

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