After two summers in Glacier Bay I developed a great interest in birds. From the decks of massive cruise ships I kept my eyes peeled for interesting and rare species. There are the usual birds you see every day, like the black and white Pigeon Guillemots, but I always wanted to see something new and different. This changed on my first long kayak trip in the bay when I paddled past a cliff of nesting Pigeon Guillemots. I had to stop in fascinated amazement. The dull little birds I’d shrugged off as incredibly mundane from my perspective on cruise ships came alive in a flurry of charismatic charm. Playful, energetic, and noisy the Guillemots chased one another for fish, paddled in circles with bright scarlet legs, and screamed with brilliant red mouths agape. Birding became more than just finding new species. It became a search for understanding, appreciation, and joy in the world of birds. Photographer: Emily Mount