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Nature Photography by Marcia Birken
  
 
 
 
 

 

Vistas of Alaska III

Tracy Arm Fjord is a magical landscape of towering waterfalls, steep mountain cliffs, enormous icebergs, eagles, seals, and whales. The highlight of our voyage was watching pods of humpback whales engage in bubble-net feeding. This cooperative behavior is astounding to watch. One or more whales dive below a school of herring and swim in a circle blowing out a "net" of bubbles. As the bubbles rise, the herring are caught in the net and form a tight cluster in the center. Other whales drive the fish up to the surface inside the net, while some whales vocalize to confuse the prey. The entire pod rises with gaping mouths through the net, straining the herring through the baleen plates in their mouths.

Please click on small image to observe larger image.

 
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Eagle on Iceberg, Tracy Arm
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Eagle on Iceberg, Tracy Arm
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Eagle on Iceberg, Tracy Arm
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Humpback Whales Bubble Net Feeding
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Humpback Whales Bubble Net Feeding
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Humpback Whales Bubble Net Feeding
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Humpback Whales Bubble Net Feeding
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Humpback Whales Bubble Net Feeding


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Humpback Whales Bubble Net Feeding
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Copyright Marcia Birken, 2007©
Rochester, NY