Favoritos de earth2theworld

Aberrant coloration. At first we thought it was a N. fasciata x N. clarkii hybrid but the dorsal pattern is too banded (not stripey) and the ventral pattern is unstriped but not plain, albeit very low contrast (orange vs yellow half-moons). Compare a few other "hypomelanistic" N. fasciata from nearby:

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/67151325

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/109373290

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/70033204

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/67151325

6-22-21 Several Sea Otters were feeding along the reefs. This one is munching on Sea Urchins. Not a great foto > the Sea Otter was at a good distance from the shore, but it does show the Sea Urchins.

In the past few years more and more Sea Otters hang out in this area year round. Depending on time of year & rough weather on the 'outside' of the island or when predators are around, other Sea Otters come into the Bay. Have seen females rearing pups here too.

Now the kelp beds are recovering due perhaps to the Sea Otters feeding on Sea Urchins.

6-7-21 One of two juvenile Bald Eagles @ Summer Bay Lake Bridge. I've tagged this one as 'Juv #2' > note the darker, larger eye patch that extends from behind the eyes to the ear area than the eye patch of 'Juv #1).

7-1-21 Particularly irate Ground Squirrel which kept shrilling, barking & whistling @ Strawberry Hill near the eagle nest on the cliff. There were a LOT of eagles all over the nearby hillside so it was on constant high alert.

These Ground Squirrels were introduced to Unalaska in the late 1800 - early 1900's. Intention was to provide food for Foxes during a Fox Fur craze. Research papers indicate that their DNA is that of Nushagak Arctic Ground Squirrels.

However, the foxes cannot possibly keep up to the growing population of these little monsters which have now colonized the entire island and the Eagles basically ignore them.

"Cute" but very destructive to habitat.