July 17th - St. Lazaria Island National Wildlife Refuge

St Lazaria Island is referred to as a volcanic "Plug". It is believed that lava was extruded through a chasm on the ocean floor up through the glaciers that were present at the time. Consequently, the lava formed very unusual peaks and ledges which are perfect for nesting birds. It is open to the ocean of the Gulf of Alaska. It is documented that there are:

250,000 Breeding pairs of Fork-Tailed Storm Petrels
4 to 5,000 Thick Billed Murres
1,500 to 2,000 breeding pairs of Tufted Puffins
1,000 Breeding Pairs of Rhinoceros Auklets
and various populations of Guillemots, Gulls, Murrelets, Bald Eagles, Peregrine Falcons and Black Oystercatchers.

We could hear the sounds of the thousands of birds as we approached the island

The pounding wave action create caves. The captain pointed the bow of the boat into this cave. As the swell surged we could see colorful starfish clinging to the lava walls.

The surge and swell made it very difficult to take photographs.

The elusive Tufted Puffins scattered quickly at the sight of our boat.

There were many Tufted Puffins in the water when we approached the island but they quickly disappeared. Puffins spend their entire life in the water diving for food with the exception of when they breed and nest.

There were hundreds of Murres clinging to the walls of this cave. They resemble flying Penguins. Their eggs are uniquely shaped to prevent them from rolling off the narrow ledges of cave.

The cliffs are covered with nesting Petrels.

The extruded lava is very evident in this photograph.

 

On the way back to Sitka we came upon a "Raft of Sea Otters".

They wrap themselves in Kelp and form a flotilla to protect their young from the ocean swell.

They look very whimsical as they float on their backs with their flipper-like feet sticking out of the water.