Sporadic Bird Report: Snipe and Pacific loon

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December 3, 2008

Seward, Alaska Sporadic Bird Report

Sunrise 9:39 am, sunset 3:56 pm, length of day 6 hours, 16 minutes; tomorrow will be 2 minutes and 53 seconds shorter.
Weather: Once again the thermometer is stuck at 32º, turning our lovely snow to slush and ice, with a light freezing rain. More clouds, rain and snow, and wind are forecast for the next week. The short days, dim light, and spots and dots on optics make birding very challenging!

A WILSON’S SNIPE continues to feed regularly at the Benny Benson Lagoon, especially when the tide is low and the muddy shallow areas are exposed. It was first reported by Peregrine Joe on November 26th. I watched this lovely brown and tan striped shorebird with the looonnnggg bill stand in the cold water up to its belly, surrounded by snow, a most unlikely backdrop. Then it walked over to a shallower area and began probing the soft bottom for food only it could sense. If it’s not feeding on the Lagoon side, likely it’s across Dairy Hill Lane in the wetlands surrounding the horse pasture. Look closely and carefully, as it could be mistaken for a roundish rock. A single RUSTY BLACKBIRD called ‘chak, chak!’ from the top of a nearby spruce, then flew off. I hope these two unusual prizes linger for the Christmas Bird Count!

December arrived with a gift: a spectacular sunrise at 10 am. A bank of rosy pink clouds lit the sky above the dark silhouettes of the Resurrection Peninsula mountains. The fleeting sun stealthily and quickly slid across the pale yellow sky and disappeared over the Harding Icefield less than 4 hours later. Though it seems to be getting dark even at noon, a beach walk at Lowell Point turned up two wonderful birds: a PACIFIC LOON and a YELLOW-BILLED LOON. The Pacific Loon was first reported on November 29th.
Much smaller than the common and yellow-billed loons, the Pacific loon also has a much thinner, straight bill. A closer look reveals a narrow dark chin-strap on the white throat. Like the other foot-propelled divers, it takes a little jump when it dives. The yellow-billed loon has also regularly been observed snorkeling along the Greenbelt, quite close to shore, quite a treat.

On November 30th, I observed a VARIED THRUSH feeding on Mt Ash berries with a small flock of PINE GROSBEAKS at Lowell Point. A short while later, I pulled over by the Lowell Creek waterfalls to identify a robin-sized bird fluttering over the waves. It was another Varied Thrush! I watched it walk along the high tide line, picking at the wrack, hopping up on the snow, then back down to the beach. Very interesting survival strategy for a thrush that should have migrated. Meanwhile, at least 6 ROBINS in town feed on Mt Ash berries and complain mournfully, ‘cluck, cluck’ about winter.

With the Seward Audubon Christmas Count just around the corner, here are some tips for winter binocular use, modified from Seward photographer Ron Niebrugge’s excellent blog at
1. Keep your binoculars cold. Warming and cooling will cause condensation on the lenses. Don’t put them under your jacket or try desperately to defog them in a blast of air from the car heater. It takes too long, and you’ll miss birds. Don’t try to blow the snow off with your warm breath either, as this only causes more condensation. It’s easier to brush snow off cold binos.
2. Keep your car cold. Having a cold car will prevent any condensation from forming as you leap in and out to spot elusive birds. Instead, dress warmly with chemical hand warmers in your mittens, gloves, boots, and coat pockets. You will be more likely to want to get out if you are already dressed warmly and you have a heat source with you. Bring extras to share. They are advertised to last 6 to 8 hours, more than enough to cover our short days.
3. Watch your breath. One exhale with the bins lowered slightly will fog them up instantly, and the bird gets away. Learn to breathe into your collar or a scarf instead.
4. If you do get fog on the optics, use a microfiber or lens cloth to clean them, not a rag or handy paper napkin. The expensive coated lenses will last much longer and there will be fewer scratches.
5. If your passengers insist on a warm car, consider stashing your cold bins in a gallon-size ziplock bag before you get in. This also works to eliminate condensation when you bring the binos back inside the house. It might also work as a waterproof cover when the snow turns to rain.
6. To use a spotting scope tripod in snow, start with the legs slightly apart, and then gently push the tripod deeper into the snow. This will slowly spread the legs as the tripod sinks, avoiding damage to the legs.
7. Wrap the tripod legs in foam pipe insulation secured with electrician’s tape. This will make the scope easier to carry on your shoulder, and warmer to handle.
8. As with binocs, close the cover on the scope before you enter a warm car or house to reduce condensation on the optics.

Any other bino tips for winter are welcome!

In addition to the Seward Christmas Bird Count on December 20th, there will be a special Seward Christmas Bird Count Week Birding Tour for seniors. Sponsored by the Seward Senior Center, a heated van with a driver and guide will take 7 lucky seniors birding around town on Friday, December 19th from 1:30 to 3 pm. Binoculars will be available, thanks to a generous donation by Tom Morris of Anchorage. Seniors must sign up at the Seward Senior Center or call them at 224-5604 by December 18th to reserve a seat. Participants will not be leaving the van to bird watch.

Please let me know if you plan to participate in the Dec 20 Seward bird count. We will meet at the Seaview Community Services conference room at Mile 0 at 9 am to sign up and receive zones, and then reconvene at Resurrect Art Coffee House and Art Gallery at 320 Third Avenue between 3 and 5 pm to tally up the day’s count. Hope to see you there!

Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Sporadic Bird Report reporter
Seward, Alaska

I encourage you to join this well-run forum to check on Seward and other Alaska birding news: AKBirding-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Banded and deformed beak information and reports: USGS Alaska Science Center

Window kill articles and solutions:
http://www.birdscreen.com/
http://www.birdscreen.com/Articles.htm

For more information on how to keep cats indoors, please refer to the American Bird Conservancy website, Cats Indoors at and other informative sites listed under a Google.com search.