Swan, Geese, Oystercatchers!

Posted on: April 15, 2009 | Sporadic Bird | Comments Off | Print Article | Rate Post:

(No Ratings Yet)

April 15, 2009

Seward, Alaska Sporadic Bird Report
Sunrise 6:39 am, sunset 9:17 pm, length of day 16 hours, 38 minutes; tomorrow will be 5 minutes and 27 seconds longer.
Weather: After a spring surprise of about 6” of new snow yesterday, today was benignly overcast and calm with temperatures rising into the low 40s. Snow dominates yards everywhere, but at least in town there are some brown patches reappearing around trees where birds can dig and peck. More clouds and rain in the forecast: April showers bring May flowers…and BIRDS!

Jerry O called in a phenomenal report this evening from the salt marsh with an airport in it: TRUMPETER SWAN (at saltwater), 2 WHITE-FRONTED GEESE, 2 CANADA GEESE, NORTHERN HARRIER, GADWALL, NORTHERN PINTAILS, and more ducks flying in. The freshwater pond ice is a sickly greenish-yellow color, on the verge of breakup. Watch for more waterfowl here soon!

Monday April 13:HOODED MERGANSER female reported at Stash & Store Pond, Mile 3 ½. CASSIN’S FINCH pair still at my house but the overall number of birds is waay down. WHITE-THROATED SPARROW sulking in undergrowth. CROSSBILLS, both species, at feeder, glad the siskins and redpolls flew north. 26 GRAY-CROWNED ROSY FINCHES (coastal species), a possessive SONG SPARROW, and a GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW at Duane’s. Clouds of gulls including newly arrived BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES crying continuously, heard even at night past 10 pm. Herring may be in the bay feeding the birds and cruising sea lions.

Saturday, April 11: 3 BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS reported at Lowell Point, refound on Sunday (alas! not by me.) Small raft of 24 SURF SCOTERS, about 50-60 BARROW’S GOLDENEYES, and HARLEQUINS just offshore, SONG SPARROWS singing from beach rocks.

Time to scrape the old nests out of the swallow nest boxes. Rub bar soap on the inside of the lid to discourage paper wasp nests. A couple inches of curly wood chips could help encourage nesting. Remove ALL perches and ledges that would allow predators like magpies and jays to snatch babies out of the nest box. They are decorative but deadly.

Keep your ears and eyes to the sky!

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

Consider getting involved in the NestWatch project from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Participants monitor nests and nest boxes to let scientists know when eggs are laid, when they hatch, and how many chicks fledge. It’s an important way to measure the impact of climate change and other factors on breeding birds. Visit www.NestWatch.org to check it out!