Little Auks

After what seems like an eternity, I’ve managed to reach the colony of little auks. More than once, my feet had slipped on the treacherous terrain of broken boulders that lead up the steep slope. But at last, I’m here.

They are nervous birds and scare easily. I have to swap to my long lens because I cannot get near enough. It doesn’t take long for me to get frustrated with the speed and agility of these tiny birds against the cumbersome weight of my big telephoto. I swap back to a shorter lens, resigning myself to the fact that I won’t get the close-up I seek.

But my luck changes.

An arctic fox is picking their way through the rubble along the slope. In a flurry of activity, a section of the colony leap into the sky and race down the hill, veering sharply as they reach the water and then back up. Once, twice and then a third circuit before they resettle in their rookery.

It is enough to dissuade the fox here and as it moves to another part of the colony, the same occurs with another group of dovekies. I quietly sit, watching how narrowly they skim the broken surface of the jagged outcrops, wondering if they’ll strike them if they’re careless. Their nimble forms negotiate the obstacles with consummate ease. I feel very fortunate to witness their everyday.