Little auk (Alle alle) were another of the high arctic bird species I had looked forward to seeing and photographing. We had first encountered them during our trip out exploring Isfjorden but there had been no opportunity to photograph them from the fast moving RIB. Once we had arrived up in the pack ice more opportunities arose to photograph passing flocks and birds at closer range.

Little auk definitely have the cute factor with their small sturdy frame and blunt faces, not to mention their North American name of dovekie.

Being restricted to the ship I was unable to get any low angle views for photography but the smooth seas provided a nice distraction-free surround.

I had hoped we would have an opportunity to photograph them on land at a breeding site but this was not possible as the challenging polar bear hunting conditions prioritised an ongoing search for more bear encounters.

Photos with Nikon Z9 and Nikkor Z 800m f6.3 VR S