Seward Sporadic Bird Report: A stroll about town

Posted on: November 20, 2009 | Sporadic Bird | 1 Comment | Print Article | Rate Post:

Seward, Alaska Sporadic Bird Report
November 20, 2009 Cloudy, 14º, relatively calm!

The pummeling north wind finally took a rest today. I seized the opportunity to enjoy a little walk about town with my binoculars. Sheltered in the spruce in my yard, DARK-EYED JUNCOS flitted in the understory, flashing their white outer tail feathers. The usual RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES, and BLACK-CAPPED and CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEES nibbled on black sunflower seeds and suet.

GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS twittered unseen in the dark spruce boughs at Two Lakes Park. Feasting on Mt Ash berries in front of AVTEC on Second Avenue were my first PINE GROSBEAKS of the season, a small flock of five. Three heavy RAVENS warily plucked red berries off the sagging branches of the neighboring tree.

A sprightly DIPPER stood in shallow but frigid water at the muddy south edge of the lagoon, dipping in plain sight while a COMMON MERGANSER female dove in the ever-shrinking open water rimmed by ice. Perched high on a power line over the Fish Ditch, a natty KINGFISHER surveyed the stream below.

Only blocks from the coastal rainforest spruce, the Pacific Ocean meekly lapped the shoreline, dainty tendrils of sea smoke wafting up where only yesterday whitecaps boiled and steam frothed. A harbor seal poked its head up and down like a periscope; two sea otters snacked from their tummy tables.

Easily a hundred NORTHWESTERN CROWS flew excitedly overhead in circles, mixed in with a dozen or so PIGEONS. I looked for a raptor as the cause for all this disruption, but failed to find a source. They soon settled back in the bare cottonwoods, or resumed picking through the tide wrack and dead beach grasses, not bothering to fly off on my approach. I presume the danger had passed, for now.

Two adult BALD EAGLES perched on the mooring dolphins by the boat harbor, watching, watching. Five SURF SCOTERS dove in unison; HARLEQUINS hugged the shore. Three COMMON MURRES, unusually close to shore, bobbed in the tiny waves near a single RED-NECKED GREBE and a PELAGIC CORMORANT. A small raft of BARROW’S GOLDEN EYES took flight, their wings whistling musically. COMMON MERGANSERS and COMMON GOLDENEYES dove in small groups here and there. Three tiny HORNED GREBES paddled just ahead of me all the way to the Alaska Sealife Center where I left them and their ocean home for town.

A lonely GRAY-CROWNED ROSY-FINCH stood still and forlorn on the snow near LeVan’s feeder. I wonder where his companions are?

As the sun dipped behind the mountains and dusk settled in early on this cloudy afternoon, I heard the chickadees and nuthatches calling from my yard. From forest, to lagoon, to beach and ocean, town feeders, and back, it was a delightful afternoon stroll.

A bit out of town on Balmat Street south of Salmon Creek Road west of Nash Road, Ava reports quite an impressive list of birds:
“For the past week I’ve had a small flock of BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS feeding on my Mt Ash and Mayday berries. At first there were about a dozen, but there has been a MERLIN hot on their heels and my little flock is down to only five now. I also saw a TREE SPARROW a couple of days ago and of all things, one single COMMON REDPOLL. There have been lots of JUNCOS around for the past week or so and there seems to be more and more showing up every day. Of course I have my usual crowd of suet eaters….the BLACK-CAPPED and CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEES, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES, as well as a bumper crop of DOWNY and HAIRY WOODPECKERS, so many in fact, that they have been knocking each other off the feeders….quite amusing to watch, actually. I’ve been getting occasional visits from RED CROSSBILLS, ROBINS and VARIED THRUSHES, but sadly nary a sight of any PINE GROSBEAKS as yet. Birders are welcome here any time, any day.”

Still listening for owls but hearing none (yet), wishing you could get out too and enjoy our remarkable winter birds here in moody but beautiful Seward.

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

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