Babies! And a Third Farewell to the Arctic

I know I promised a really long time ago that the next post would be all about babies. I am way late but here it is! Shorebird babes are some of the cutest. I really don't know which I would choose as my favorite, although I am a little biased with the Semipalmated Plovers, since in a way they are like my babies. I watched them grow up from little eggs! *tear*

Red Phalarope chick

"You don't see me!"

A little hard to see, but look at those feet! 

Debating running past me to get back to dad. 

Daddy! 

I was amazed how close he let me get and stuck with his brood.

Sitting on them in water.

Red-necked Phalarope chick

You can see a little color and size difference compared to the Red

Semipalmated Sandpiper chicks, on a rehab pad no less! 

Look at those cute little developing wings.

One that is a little older than the ones above.

Hanging out with the family on a rehab pad.

Freshly hatched Semipalmated Plover chicks. 

Adult Semipalmated Plover

Very attentive parents

Mini-plover! Squee!

Get in there! 

This is not awkward at all.

They're so grown up! *tear*

Pectoral Sandpiper chick with a foot as big as its head! 

It has been so long that I have written, but I have not mentioned that on our last nest/area search of the rehab pads, I found a Savannah Sparrow nest! The chicks were really old when I found it, and fledged a couple of days later. 

The one on the right is a rebel.

Well, we're out of here in less than 4 days. I will be travelling with the crew from Ikpikpuk down the Haul Road to Fairbanks. I have never been, so it'll be nice to see it, and maybe pick up some new species. Of course, I will take loads of pictures and will share them here when I get back to Portland. With that, I leave you all with a Lapland Longspur fledgling. 

Beautiful colors