Almost the bitter end

Day 10
Longyearbyen: love this town the whole place rings with Snow Bunting song, 'Svalbard Ptarmigan' 2, Wigeon 1, Redwing 1 and Red Phalarope.

 'Svalbard Ptarmigan', not a difficult species to see and snap within Longyearbyen 'city' limits.

A slightly sullied, moth-eaten looking male 'Svalbard Ptarmigan',... he's moulting, cut him some slack.

Day 11
Longyearbyen and Bjorn darlen: Red Phalarope 2, singing Purple Sandpiper, Dunlin and Ringed Plover, my first baby Barnacle Goose and Little Auks comin' atcha from all angles,... now that's baby making music.

It is difficult to describe just how many of these breed in Svalbard (apparently there are 1.3 million pairs in the Barents Sea region), they often look like insects swarming above the cliffs.

Moss Campion Silene acaulis, with a bit of luck somebody will identify the sedge growing through it and leave a comment,... oh, go on, go on, go on, go on.

Tufted Saxifrage Saxifraga cespitosa ssp. cespitosa, I will inevitably have misidentified some plants feel free to correct any mistakes.

Day 12
Longyearbyen: Arctic Fox 1 raiding Arctic Tern and Eider nests, Ringed Seal 1, Long-tailed Skua 1, five baby Barnacle Goose, Eider chicks disappearing down Glaucous Gull gullets (it's carnage out here) and Red Phalarope 2.

Guilty looking Arctic Fox with Eider egg, she got a right kicking from the Arctic Terns for her troubles.

 Glaucous Gull fodder.

Probably the Glaucous Gull with the easiest life in the world ever. Another Eider chick? Don't mind if I do.

 Purple Sandpiper, not the world's best looking wader but an excellent display flight and song.

Female Grey/Red Phalarope, a proper looker. One of a pair near the 'dog pen' on the edge of Longyearbyen.

 As usual, it sat on the end of the lens.

Dear reader, I promise I'll stick some photos up soon. [Addendum. See, I did.]