August Sporadic Bird Report
August 16, 2010
Sunrise 6:14 am, sunset 9:47 pm, length of day 15 hours, 33 minutes; tomorrow will be 5 minutes and 17 seconds shorter. While Alaskans mourn the chunks of time mercilessly lopped off every day, visitors marvel at how light it is “so late.” It’s all relative.
Weather: While Fairbanks boasted a record 91º yesterday, South-Central’s cool and wet weather continues with the thermometer stuck in the mid-50s. The grass grows greener, longer and longer, too wet to mow. Rivers rise higher and higher, churning brown with sediment. Exit Creek flooded over the road today, preventing vehicular access to the National Park. August: cloudy, foggy, misty, drizzly, rainy, stormy, gray, moody August.
The highlights for the past two weeks of challenging spots and dots birding include:
Saturday, July 31: Adult and speckled juvenile ROBINS feast on red elderberries, balancing precariously on the loaded branches. A FOX SPARROW and DARK-EYED JUNCOS scrabbled around the edges. Mixed flocks of warblers flit like bright sparks against the deep green alders: a family of TOWNSEND WARBLERS, an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, YELLOW WARBLER, and a WILSON’S WARBLER, joined by a RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET.
In the salt marsh pond, I am amazed and thrilled to hear and watch, once again and definitely for the last time this year, an ARCTIC TERN, hovering and diving for small stickleback and salmon fry. Mist rises off the beach like memories freed from the silent silt. A LEAST SANDPIPER is heard but not seen.
Monday, August 2: MARBLED MURRELETS announce their commute from the forest to the sea for breakfast at 5 am. An excerpt of an excellent book, Rare Bird: Pursuing the Mystery of the Marbled Murrelet, by Maria Ruth can be read at http://www.mariaruthbooks.com.
Wednesday, August 4: MARBLED MURRELETS overhead at 5:20 am. At a more reasonable hour, a HUMMINGBIRD was reported checking out a feeder in town during a pelting rain. The green bird could be a very late female or juvenile Rufous or possibly an Anna’s. The reporter usually has four to five every summer, but this summer only had two. A feeder in Camelot, just north of Seward, has not had any hummers for the past two weeks, a more normal migration time. Just in case, I immediately cleaned and refilled my feeders but they remain untouched by that whirr of magic.
Ava reported an invasion of four warbler species in her yard feasting on an unusually large crop of aphids attacking her trees.
An alert hiker reported at least two NORTHERN BOBWHITE QUAIL on Lost Lake Trail in the evening. This bird was documented with a photograph in her yard just off Exit Glacier Road on July 13^th and continues to be a regular visitor. No one in the area is known to be raising this species, but elsewhere they are used to train dogs. It will be interesting to see if they survive the winter and become naturalized like the pheasants in Homer.
Thursday, August 5: hard rain diminished to just grumpy. I saw many flying yellowish aphids and hoped they would become dinner before they multiplied exponentially. Too bad the swallows are long gone. Four DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS fished close to Lowell Point Road with one MARBLED MURRELET and one PIGEON GUILLEMOT.
Saturday, August 7: SHARP-SHINNED HAWK along Tonsina Trail; youngsters shrieked from tops of spruce trees, possibly fledglings near a nest. What sounded suspiciously like a WINTER WREN’s long breathless song heard in the Enchanted Forest at Tonsina Point.
Sunday, August 8: a very light-headed, light-breasted adult HARLAN’S HAWK raised a ruckus by the Resurrection River, flying after RAVENS and then being chased by same, crying out its blood-curdling “KEEEE-URRRRR!” Thanks to Paul Fritz for his keen observations of my fuzzy photos. A MERLIN shot out across the meadow between two islands of spruce trees. Hen NORTHERN SHOVELER dabbled in the pond with GADWALL families of various ages.
Monday, August 9: A KINGFISHER!!! first one I’ve seen or heard in months, rattled in a great loop around my neighborhood at 8:15 am. I believe habitat loss is responsible for their scarcity. Four or more YELLOWLEGS and six peeps spotted at salt marsh.
Tuesday, August 10: cloud of GULLS rose as one at tidelands, possibly stirred into flight by an eagle. A GREATER YELLOWLEGS and DUNLIN without its black belly, likely a juvenile, fed together near the beach. Several SAVANNAH SPARROWS popped up from the beach rye and posed on the driftwood at the salt marsh. More warblers at Ava’s and in my yard.
Friday, August 13: MERLIN again spotted at airport meadows, HARLAN’S HAWK heard but not seen. Five WESTERN SANDPIPERS and one LEAST SANDPIPER probed the silty shallows for invertebrates.
Saturday, August 14: SNIPE circled over airport meadow, YELLOWLEGS called from pond in the thick fog. Normally social TOWNSEND’S WARBLERS, ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS, and JUNCOS chased each other through spruce treetops. ROBINS and RAVENS feasted on red elderberries but in their own style. The robins pluck the berries one by one and guzzle them down. The ravens snap off an entire bouquet of berries and haul them off to eat privately at a more exclusive dining location.
Sunday, August 15: 1:30 am. Driving back from Anchorage through scattered showers, fog, and mist I was stunned to see the sky blazing with stars overhead in Seward. Cygnus the Swan flew southwest down the sparkling Milky Way, its long neck outstretched. Cassiopeia sat on her royal throne with Pegasus nearby. The giant globe of Jupiter beckoned like a porch light left on to welcome me home. I haven’t seen the sky in so long, day OR night! I wandered around in a daze, getting a bad case of warbler neck, gazing in wonderment. I heard sleepy twitters from the nearby spruce, perhaps the Townsend Warbler family. It was a marvel!
The gloomy clouds shuffled in by morning to reclaim their accustomed space and hide our lonely day star. A lone BRANT was reported at Fox Island spit. This small sea goose is not common in this area, and is usually with at least a few others.
Random and ephemeral silt tattoos discovered, created by the probing quick bills of peeps, likely WESTERN or LEAST SANDPIPERS, their tell-tale tracks lightly imprinted as they bustled along. Jerry O reported ten RUDDY TURNSTONES and one WANDERING TATTLER at the tidelands! Exciting discoveries along with a SNIPE and several YELLOWLEGS.
Monday, August 16: Alarming report of a COMMON LOON attacking a juvenile RED-NECKED GREBE at Bear Lake. While the loon family does have one almost-grown chick to guard, a young grebe is not a threat. This behavior seems very unusual. If you have observed loons attacking other birds in their rather large territory, especially non-threatening species like a grebe, please send me an email with details. Thanks to the wonderful staff at the Alaska Sealife Center for caring for the grebe. Their number, the Stranded Hotline, is 1-888-774-7325. Donations to this worthy cause are always welcomed.
Who knows what this next storm might deliver? Keep your raincoats and boots handy; you’ll be needing them for at least a few more days.
Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Sporadic Bird Report reporter
Seward, Alaska
Cat Bib saves birds! Check it out at http://www.catgoods.com/product.html 
July Seward Sporadic Bird Report
Wednesday July 28, 2010
Sunrise 5:28 am, sunset 10:38 pm, length of day 17 hours, 9 minutes; tomorrow will be 4 minutes and 44 seconds shorter.
Weather: Temps remain in the mid-50s as this cool and rainy summer rolls on, punctuated by infrequent but spectacular sunny days. Seward is every shade of green, thanks to all the rain.
Monday, July 5: MARBLED MURRELETS heard calling overhead in the dawn hush at 4:44 am on their daily commute to the ocean from their mossy home in the old-growth forest.
Tuesday, July 6: GLAUCOUS GULL struts around a neighbor’s well-kept lawn, several blocks from the beach, probably feasting on earthworms to the dismay of the neighborhood robins.
Wednesday, July 7: ten BONAPARTE’S GULLS dip their delicate black-hooded heads, bobbing in the waves at Fourth of July beach. KITTIWAKES, MEW GULLS, GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS feed heartily nearby. Six HARLEQUINS, three PELAGIC CORMORANTS, and 2 DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS dive and preen. It was difficult to follow the erratic but expert flight patterns of the swallows nabbing insects over the rushing river in the rain, but I managed to persevere and identified BANK, VIOLET-GREEN, and TREE SWALLOWS zipping around.
Thursday, July 8: My yard is filled with birdsong: HERMIT THRUSH, ROBIN, VARIED THRUSH, FOX SPARROW, and TOWNSEND’S WARBLERS. At the salt marsh, GADWALL, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, AMERICAN WIGEONS, nine COMMON MERGANSERS, five ARCTIC TERNS, and numerous SAVANNAH and LINCOLN’S SPARROWS.
Friday, July 9: BLACK OYSTERCATCHER reported at Founder’s Monument in town, quite unusual, given all the people and dog activity along this busy beach.
Saturday July 10: “Baby birds everywhere!” I wish you could have heard Ava exclaim about the action at her porch and yard! FOX SPARROWS, SONG SPARROWS, PINE GROSBEAKS, PINE SISKINS, NUTHATCHES, DOWNY and HAIRY WOODPECKERS, RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRDS, VIOLET-GREEN and TREE SWALLOWS. I could hear them over the phone!
At Tonsina Beach, I watched a long-legged, top-heavy SEMI-PALMATED PLOVER chick and its parents stop/start feed along the tide-line. YELLOWLEGS at salt marsh pond.
Sunday, July 11: BLACK OYSTERCATCHER at Fourth of July Beach. MARBLED MURRELETS again cry overhead as they commute from the sea to the forest at 11:47 pm. Female RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD fed quietly at my feeder.
Sunday, July 12: WHITE-TAILED PTARMIGAN hen and 4 chicks spotted on Mt Marathon.
Thursday, July 15: large flocks of SWALLOWS gathering high overhead, feeding juveniles midair and calling excitedly. Are they getting ready to migrate? I’ll miss them! This was the last day I saw swallows.
Friday, July 16: more MARBLED MURRELETS heard commuting to the sea at 4:10 am and 4:27 am. Hard to sleep around here!
Thursday, July 22: Single ARCTIC TERN observed streaking over the salt marsh pond, hovering, and then diving expertly to catch small fish. This was the last tern of the summer for me. I wish them well on their extraordinary migration to the Antarctic. The once ubiquitous SAVANNAH SPARROWS are reduced to a few “chip-chips” in the sedges, only one or two leaping up to balance precariously on a swaying stalk of beach rye or lupine. I think they too, have started to migrate south. The resident GADWALL families fed together near the safety of the pond margins; I counted several adults and ten ducklings.
Stunningly beautiful, sunny Friday, July 23: I flushed the hen WHITE-TAILED PTARMIGAN with at least one chick on the stony slopes of Mt Marathon. She watched me watch her for several minutes. I noted the surprising splash of red arching over her large brown eyes. Her outer primary feathers, tail, feathered legs and toes are white. Otherwise, she is a master of camouflage, her overall brown coloration speckled with white and gold, blending into the lichen-covered rocks nearby. Her half-grown chick(s) sailed off, instantly turning into little rocks upon landing.
An AMERICAN PIPIT, also with white outer tail feathers, flew over to watch the watchers. I counted three near the summit. A family of five GRAY-CROWNED ROSY-FINCHES called as they gleaned insects and spiders in a loose flock from the alpine rocks and sedges.
My fabulous day culminated with a young black bear galloping away from my “Hey, bear!” in the bowl. What a good bear!
Saturday, July 24: a male RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD buzzed a hiker clad in red on the Harding Icefield Trail just before the Cliffs section. To the amazement and delight of everyone, the brownish blur circled, looped, and hovered, probably just as amazed to see such an enormous red flower in the subalpine and meadow habitat. I haven’t seen any hummers at my feeder since July 11th.
A more likely sight, an AMERICAN PIPIT, perched momentarily on a rock at the Harding Icefield overlook. Back down in the alders, a male ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER dashed among the branches picking off insects for lunch.
Sunday, July 25: Over 30 VARIED THRUSHES reported for most of the day in a yard in Questa Woods, “the ground just moving with them.” Perhaps another pre-migration gathering? It sure is quiet now!
Tuesday, July 27: a pair of PACIFIC LOONS in breeding plumage dove just offshore at Fourth of July Beach. In silhouette, this bird may be casually mistaken for a cormorant, so look closely for its thin, long bill, striped neck, and checkered back. BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES cried and circled plunging repeatedly into the bay, while PIGEON GUILLEMOTS preened and paddled nearby. Two SPOTTED SANDPIPERS bobbed their busy tails and picked among the rocks next to the surging gray glacial waters of Fourth of July Creek.
A flock of about six TOWNSEND WARBLERS flitted through my spruce trees this morning, the fully fledged and capable juveniles still begging for food. ROBIN families hopped about on the soggy grass, seeking earthworms. The RAVEN family also visited across the street, the three fully grown juveniles screeching at full volume while the parent (feigning deafness) expertly found and ate delectables in the grass and gravel invisible to the demanding youngsters. It appears that the “service” stage of raven parenting is O-V-E-R. A similar performance was reported for the NORTHWESTERN CROW families by the beach.
Meanwhile, over at the huge BALD EAGLE nest in a tall cottonwood behind Seward Real Estate about Mile 4 Seward Highway, three juveniles remain in the nest. One was working on a carcass probably delivered by a parent. The juvies preened, napped and occasionally flapped their wings, building up their flight muscles. Soon they will fledge and join the world.
Shorebird migration has arrived in Seward. About a dozen GREATER and LESSER YELLOWLEGS were spotted at the salt marsh this afternoon. A few walked about the muddy shore of the pond, feeding, while the others, apparently exhausted, napped with their heads tucked under their wings. A dozen ducks including a hen SHOVELER, GADWALL, WIGEON, and possibly MALLARD erupted into the sky in alarm when a BALD EAGLE flew low and purposefully over the pond, rose up sharply, then dove vertically down to land on a small branch at the pond’s edge, the ducks no longer a target. The YELLOWLEGS also took to the air, crying “tew, tew, tew!” and I heard the rapid call of some LEAST SANDPIPERS.
A single SAVANNAH SPARROW popped up on a lovely Bent-knee Angelica, waving in the breeze, and perhaps waving goodbye. It’s a time of change, and time to move on.
As our residents leave, keep your eyes peeled for migrants from the north.
Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Sporadic Bird Report reporter
Seward, Alaska
Cat Bib saves birds! Check it out at
Brown Bear sow and 2 cubs in town
Seward Sporadic Bird Report: Top Gun eagle show
June 14, 2010
Sunrise 4:32 am, sunset 11:24 pm, length of day 18 hours, 51 minutes; tomorrow will be 1 minutes and 7 seconds longer. Summer Solstice is only a week away!
Weather: Rain has been forecast just about every day this past week, as one spectacular sunny jawdropper follows another. But today is indeed cloudy with temps in the low 50s; they might be right this time. A lovely white fireworks of crab-apple, apple, Mt Ash, and Mayday tree blossoms promise a bountiful crop for birds this fall. Lilacs are just starting to bloom; watch for rufous hummingbirds or their tiny mimic, the splendid sphinx moth, enjoying the nectar.
June 13: FOX SPARROW announced dawn at 4:30 am with his cheerful, “Whip-Gee-Whillikers! What a beautiful day!”
Ten BALD EAGLES stood up to their bellies in a small stream at the head of the bay, combat fishing just like the chest-wader, rod-flailing humans as three-year old red salmon returned from their ocean adventures. One eagle, impatient with the wait, harassed a passing ARCTIC TERN, forcing it to drop a very small fish. The bully caught it midair and flew off with the prize.
A bit later, two eagles stroked powerfully up into the blue sky in tight formation. When the smaller of the pair, the male, dropped onto the female, she instantaneously flipped upside down and their talons briefly locked. Just as swiftly but still falling, they released and resumed their course. This stunning aerialist feat repeated several times before they descended back to earth. I will remember this impressive show whenever I see eagles lounging in a spruce; maybe they just finished performing or are resting up for the next Top Gun flight!
Clouds of gulls, mostly BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES, GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS, and MEW GULLS feast along the shoreline, frequently stirred up by yet another BALD EAGLE or RAVEN.
Three RAVENS, not to be outdone, then did the same trick, though the flipper had food and the flipees wanted it. It may be rare that the bird that actually catches the food gets to eat it.
Also noted: SPOTTED SANDPIPER, bobbing its tail like we might absent-mindedly jiggle our keys. SAVANNAH SPARROWS perched on beach rye and driftwood look-outs, singing out their territorial boundaries. A smattering of ducks fed on underwater salads: GADWALL, PINTAIL, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, MALLARDS. No young seen; hopefully the watchful moms hid their treasures safely in the tall sedges.
One CLIFF SWALLOW and a few VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS dashed across the sedge meadows, snapping up insects. As others have noted, our swallow populations seem to be unusually low this summer. No BANK SWALLOWS have been reported yet. KINGFISHERS have been hard to find as well.
ALDER FLYCATCHER not heard at airport today, but one was reported on the Resurrection River Trail.
TOWNSEND’S, ORANGE-CROWNED, and YELLOW WARBLERS, HERMIT THRUSH, VARIED THRUSH, ROBINS, and PINE SISKINS still singing in town and along the Mt Marathon Jeep Trail.
Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Sporadic Bird Report reporter
Seward, Alaska
Sporadic Bird Report for May, whew!
Seward, Alaska Sporadic Bird Report
May 31, 2010
Sunrise 4:46 am, sunset 11:05 pm, length of day 18 hours, 18 minutes; tomorrow will be 3 minutes and 16 seconds longer. Plenty of light and more to come as Summer Solstice on June 21st is still three weeks away.
Weather: The first half of May continued the chilly temperatures and cold showers of April, but the successive storms brought exciting waves of shorebirds and other migrants. Nature then switched the wash/spin cycle to sunny and warm in the second half. Plants burst their dormant buds, sending out new growth, rushing to capture all that daylight. Twelve spectacular days in a row, with only a few sprinkles the last few days to break it up. Sewardites who weren’t already busy painting were trying to find something, anything to paint whether or not it was needed, just because we could. Nature chose green, green, green for May and painted around the clock.
May felt like winning a mega-lottery, finding a beach full of glass balls or a forest full of King Boletes. Nature played in a thousand different theaters, showing spectacular real-life movies in macro and wide-screen. It was exhausting but exhilarating to try to catch the 24/7 shows, and photograph bits of the frantic action and fabulous stars.
The shorebirds peaked around the second week of May. Seward hosted thousands of feathered visitors, who fed ravenously at the tidelands on their way to their northern breeding grounds. Most notable were the WHIMBRELS, a large (17 ½”) brown, streaky shorebird with a dark striped crown and a looong down-curved bill that grabbed a lot of people’s attention. They eat at the tidelands but also like the worms and other invertebrates found in grassy areas including lawns. A very similar-looking bird, the Bristle-thighed Curlew, has been reported here in the past, easily mistaken for a Whimbrel except for its radio-tuning call and tiny bristly feathers on sides and flank. The possibility of finding this rare bird makes Whimbrels all the more exciting.
Before the alder, willow, and cottonwood leaves expanded their origami-folded leaves, it was a lot easier to spot warblers. Even at Exit Glacier, which is a few weeks behind Seward, it’s now getting harder to see them through the fluttering greenery. But they’re still singing and feeding on the insects attracted to the willow flowers and emerging fresh leaf salads. There are pages of confusing warblers listed in the bird books, but only a few are found here. Look and listen for our five most common species: ORANGE-CROWNED, TOWNSEND’S, WILSON’S, YELLOW, and YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS. The NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH, also a warbler, was reported singing last week high up in a snag by the wetlands just past the bridge at Exit Glacier. Mornings seem to be the best time. The BLACKPOLL WARBLER is another uncommon species that has occasionally been reported at Exit Glacier, but not in recent years.
May 3: BALD EAGLE tears through yet another turbulent flock of gulls at Tonsina Beach and this time nails a GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL. The beach is soon littered with white feathers; as the tide rises the bloody-beaked eagle hauls the remainder to the spruce trees to finish its meal.
Four BRANT visit Lowell Point beach.
CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE works industriously to remove wood chips from my deck swallow box, zipping in to grab a beakfull, then popping out to fly a short distance away to drop them. I still don’t know if the birds decided to stay after all that work.
Flocks of GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS scavenge for protein, flipping over leaves and exploring mossy roofs, singing “O, dear me!” regardless of their success.
Fire at Lowell Point Beach
I drove out to Lowell Point State Recreation Area today to walk the beach. I was stunned to find a huge, black, desolate, burned strip all the way from the road to the beach. The newly emerged 4 inch high beach ryegrass shoots were black. Beaten down paths, beer bottles, and half burned tennis balls showed up clearly without the cover of the ryegrass.
At the beach, right by the NO FIRES sign, were the remnants of a beach fire, with a cigarette discarded in the sand.
I hope the fire, which apparently was discovered last night at 1 am, fanned by the brisk north winds. burned quickly and did not kill the plants’ roots. Fortunately, the path to the beach served as a fire break, protecting the area adjacent to the spruce-hemlock forest, and no nearby homes were endangered.
This once beautiful recreation area is rapidly being destroyed by vandalism, snowmachines, ATVs, and fires. Something must be done to protect this area before it’s too late.
Seward Alaska Sporadic Bird Report
April 29, 2010
Sunrise 5:59 am, sunset 9:52 pm, length of day 15 hours, 52 minutes; tomorrow will be 5 minutes and 15 seconds longer.
Weather: Sprinkles alternating with rain, forecast to continue until next week, with the possibility of more snow. (It can’t last!) Temperatures hover in the mid 30s to low 40s. Almost all the snow in town has melted, the grass is greening up, and tree and shrub buds are ready to pop. Many willows are in bloom, attracting insects that in turn attract birds like chickadees, kinglets, and hummingbirds. Look for the first warblers in willows.
RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD males zing after each other, establishing territories and laying claim to as many feeders as possible. Lucky feeder watchers continue to report hummers from areas all around Seward since April 25th; I am still waiting for MY tiny but fierce hummers to show up in town.
ROBINS sing and scold late into the evening past dusk at 10:30 pm, and rise to continue their sweet “Cheer-up, cherrio!” song at 4 am even in the rain. VARIED THRUSHES sing from every spruce, their varied pitch telephone ringing across the woods.
More RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS arrived as well, belting out their louder -than-possible song.
The first ARCTIC TERNS dazzled the boat harbor and tidelands on April 24 with their graceful aerobics, chirping and revving their engines, taking control of the airspace like they never left. The uplands south of the boat harbor is a good place to observe them diving for small fish, courting with same, and resting on quiet dock fingers.
April 23: a male RING-NECKED DUCK dove for sticklebacks with BARROW’S GOLDENEYES, GADWALL, MALLARDS, and PINTAILS at Roundhouse Pond. SAW-WHET OWL finally heard on Mt Marathon, beeping late at night, and also April 24th.
April 26: Nine BONAPARTE’S GULLS, one immature SNOW GOOSE, and 4 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS arrived at the tidelands, but did not stay. GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS feasted on earthworms migrating across the roads in town, gobbling them down like robins.
April 27: Under cover of heavy gray clouds, several flocks of GREATER WHITE-FRONTED, CANADA GEESE, and SANDHILL CRANES stroked northward all day, with some flocks heard overhead in the almost dark of 10:30 pm. HERMIT THRUSHES arrived in town, flipping over leaves for food. A little brown bat was reported out hunting moths on Nash Road and a male PINE GROSBEAK calmly fed at a feeder nearby. The wetland at Mile 1 Nash Road, is melting, but seems drier than normal. A single SWAN rested and fed in the open water area far to the back. A small group BARROW’S GOLDENEYES and HARLEQUINS, and a large raft of SURF SCOTERS gathered just off Fourth of July Beach. It won’t be long before they migrate north. A pair of BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS preened among the numerous GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS, MEW GULLS, and KITTIWAKES.
April 28: the first of season GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS arrived and now sing their “O, Dear me!” lament as they scratch through wet leaves for insects. A SAVANNAH SPARROW was also reported at Lowell Point.
More and more DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS, first spotted April 24th, are arriving daily. A good place to see them is on the old pilings just off the Greenbelt across from B Street, where each piling is topped by a fluffy-browed, yellow-billed large black bird.
PIGEON GUILLEMOTS in their dashing black breeding plumage with white wing patch are close to shore. COMMON MURRES sport both winter and breeding plumage. PELAGIC CORMORANTS flash their white flanks. Gulls line the shore like a white snowdrift, laughing, crying, and screeching late into the night. The air is alive with birds!
Warblers and violet-green and tree swallows are due any day.
Check out the MERLIN, the latest addition to the local (stuffed) birds on display at the USFS Ranger Station on Fourth Avenue.
Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Sporadic Bird Report reporter
www.sewardbirdhouse.com
Seward, Alaska
Seward Sidewalks and Street Improvements comments due soon
Public comments on proposed Seward sidewalks and street improvements are due this Friday, April 23 by 5 pm to the City Clerk’s office or emailed to public works at cbatchelor@cityofseward.net. For questions, call Public Works at 224-4005.
A public work session will be held Monday, April 26 at 6 pm at City Hall.
Grinding and paving First Avenue from Adams to A Street is the number one priority, though it seems to be in fine shape compared to many other Seward streets. Note that unpaved roads are not on the list: Brownell Street that serves the Bear Mountain Apartment complex and a few houses; Leirer Road, Northwest Circle, and Alameda Street in the Leirer Industrial Subdivision, a huge source of dust; Chiswell St and Barwell St; Maple St in Forest Acres.
Check out the handout and then consider your neighborhood’s needs, and Seward’s streets and sidewalks overall. This list will be finalized soon. Get your comments in by Friday and plan to attend the work session on Monday.
Sandhill Crane, Swan, Shovelers
Seward, Alaska Sporadic Bird Report
April 19, 2010
Sunrise 6:28 am, sunset 9:26 pm, length of day 14 hours, 58 minutes; tomorrow will be 5 minutes and 25 seconds longer.
Weather: Rain showers continue, heavy at times, pounding away at the snow patches and drifts. A new category of weather, “NOT raining!” is greatly appreciated as we lower our expectations. Temps hover around 40º, and the north wind still packs a chill. More optimistic insect-pollinated willows are budding out in preparation for hungry warblers and hummingbirds still to come. Unexpected starry sky and crescent moon suspended in the sky this evening.
Thursday, April 15: A beautiful sunny day tempered with just a bit of north wind. Spectacular views of the bay and surrounding snowy mountains. My first CANADA GEESE, four, feeding warily at the salt marsh with the flocks of pintails, mallards, gadwall, and bufflehead.
Friday, April 16: Enough sunshine. Back to our regularly scheduled depressing program of gray everything with cold showers. I ventured out to the salt marsh almost reluctantly, not expecting anything except to get wet. I stopped abruptly in amazement and started counting. SWANS! Swans everywhere, like exquisite snowy white sculptures in the gray pond, honking softly. Twenty-four TRUMPETER SWANS! Pintails greedily hovered nearby as tidbits of tasty vegetation were pulled up from the bottom. A juvenile BALD EAGLE perched glumly behind them on a driftwood snag, unmoving, and apparently uninterested. As I watched, the adults of what appeared to be a family of three, suddenly began honking loudly, stretched their huge wings, and thus revved up, swam in perfect unison with their long, straight necks outstretched towards similar family group about 50 feet away. The cygnets of each family dropped back to watch as if unsure of this ritual or its outcome. Halting just before impact, both pairs of adults honked and stretched, looking like pond angels, and generally seemed to be ecstatic to see one another. It was a remarkable scene!
Saturday, April 17:
Another drab, dreary rainy day, customized with a biting strong south wind. Another thrilling sight! The salt marsh pond was full of feathered life! 32 TRUMPETER SWANS fed voraciously from one side of the pond to the other with pintails, green-wing teal, mallards, and gadwall tipped up in between. Two bright HERRING GULLS stood by on the sedges. As I scanned the scene with my binoculars, I spotted the first SANDHILL CRANE, just one, feeding in the sedge meadow behind the swans, with five YELLOWLEGS, probably GREATER, picking along the dead brown vegetation. The view through the scope with the racket of gulls crying overhead was better than any nature program on TV. A group of 8 mischievous RAVENS patrolling the area decided to harass the newly arrived neighbors, and though the swans proved unflappable, the geese, pintails, yellowlegs, and finally the crane took off in disgust. I don’t know what the ravens had in mind, but they certainly proved to be effective bullies.
Back on the ocean side, 4 GREATER SCAUP rode the waves. A group of 4 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS was reported on the tidelands earlier in the day, but were not relocated.
Monday, April 18:
A flock of CANADA GEESE in a perfect V was reported at 9 pm, but oddly, flying back south! This will give the rest of us a chance to see them again!
Tuesday, April 19:
First of season pair of NORTHERN SHOVELERS, both sporting bright orange carrot-like bills, spotted at the airport ponds. Also my first AMERICAN WIGEONS, though they were spotted here a few days ago. A tiny but proud and handsome BUFFLEHEAD male dove with his harem of 4 females. A dozen CANADA GEESE, hundreds of NORTHERN PINTAILS, dozens of MALLARDS mixed with black-butt GADWALL napped or dabbled in the tidelands. Clouds of noisy BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES, MEW GULLS, GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS and a few HERRING GULLS rose up at the tideline, stirred into a frenzy by every passing not-so-innocent BALD EAGLE.
Please respect these tired and hungry migratory birds as you recreate or bird. A mark of success is to leave them as you found them, feeding and resting. Walk slowly and quietly, and control your dog. When you see the birds, especially the very wary pintails, start to paddle away, it’s time to retreat before they waste precious energy to fly away. Use your optics from a safe distance; a scope is especially helpful. You and Fido can get exercise and fresh air in many other, less sensitive places during this critical short migratory window.
Back in town, ROBINS clucked and fretted from treetops and branches, not quite ready to declare their territory in more melodious song. GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS sang out in the coastal forest, year-round residents, but still nice to hear them. The lakes at Two Lakes Park are still frozen with a lot of snow and ice remaining under the trees.
It’s not too soon to find, clean, and sterilize your hummingbird feeders. Towards the end of April, fill them with a boiled and cooled solution of 4 cups water and 1 cup white sugar. Remember, there is no need for red food coloring to attract them, and it may cause tumors. Once filled, clean and refill every week or so to discourage the dread black fungus. The usual arrival is the first week in May, but who knows? Let me know when you first see one!
Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Sporadic Bird Report reporter
www.sewardbirdhouse.com
Seward, Alaska
Snow Geese!
Seward, Alaska Sporadic Bird Report
April 12, 2010
Another storm hit South-central last night, bringing fresh snow to the mid and upper elevations. In contrast to the eye-watering, binoc-shaking wintery winds and snowy backdrop, 14 SNOW GEESE brought a sprig of spring to Seward today. The geese eagerly plucked tender greens and roots of the sedges at the salt marsh. At least 120 NORTHERN PINTAILS mixed with GADWALL, MALLARDS, and a single GREEN-WINGED TEAL male fed nearby, tails up heads down, feeding hungrily to restore their depleted fuel supplies.
More ducks, and 100s of gulls flew up from the tidelands, obscured behind the beach rye berm. Four RAVENS played with the wind; one toyed with a prize so big it took both feet to hold. He had quite a time figuring out how to land with it clutched in his landing gears. Finally, he flew close to the ground and let go with one foot. A juvenile BALD EAGLE chased him or another one down the beach.
This morning in town, I heard the quavering song of a VARIED THRUSH. With a little more practice, he will be ready for the ladies.
Yesterday, two CANADA GEESE were reported at the airport, but were not seen today.
Lowell Point reported FOS BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS late last week, and more VARIED THRUSHES.
Camelot reports repeated sightings of a NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL feasting on voles under and around the house. I haven’t heard any beeping yet this year, and hope there are more owls around.
Time to clean out your swallow next boxes if you didn’t already do it in the fall. Rub a little bar soap on the inside ceiling to discourage paper wasps from nesting. Be sure the opening is the right size; I have to repair considerable red squirrel damage on two of my nest boxes where it tried to get in. Remove any handy perches that magpies and Steller’s jays sit on to pluck out the eggs and baby birds. The swallows, chestnut-backed chickadees, and red-breasted nuthatches who all use the nest boxes don’t need them.
Look and listen for the geese and sandhill cranes. They’re coming!
Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Sporadic Bird Report reporter
www.sewardbirdhouse.com
Seward, Alaska
Townsend’s Solitaire and Snipe
April 10, 2010
Sunrise 6:54 am, sunset 9:04 pm, length of day 14 hours, 9 minutes; tomorrow will be 5 minutes and 28 seconds longer. First bumblebee of spring cautiously emerged on April 3rd to feast on nearby crocuses. First mosquito also seen, both overwintering species. Flies and other insects spotted on rapidly melting snow, excellent protein for small birds.
Weather: Dismal gray skies and cold rain moved in today, crushing three invigorating days of brilliant sunshine and phenomenal clear blue skies. More cold rain mixed with snow is in the forecast with temps in the mid 30s, at least until the end of the week.
This evening I happened to glance out my window and saw an amazing sight, a TOWNSEND’S SOLITAIRE “flycatching” bedraggled remnants of last fall’s Mt Ash berries off the bare twigs. Instead of hopping up to the berries, it flies up and grabs them midair, then lands on the branch to eat. I’ve never had the pleasure of this species as a yard bird, and do not recall seeing one in the spring before. A single bird was recorded in Seward in December of 2003, 2005, January of 2006, and in December of 2008 to January 2009. This species is reported to be among the most specialized of North American birds, since it is supposed to feed almost exclusively on juniper berries in the winter. But withered Mt Ash berries seem to serve as an acceptable substitute here, hopefully supplemented with insects. Wish I had something more appealing to offer it!
Also reported today, two HARLAN’S HAWKS, first of spring! and a flock of eight LAPLAND LONGSPURS at airport, HOODED MERGANSER at lagoon, and a single ROBIN.
Tuesday, April 6: Fourteen TRUMPETER SWANS touched down at the airport ponds to feed and relax. COMMON GOLDENEYES and NORTHERN PINTAILS mingled nearby to glean tidbits uprooted by these long-necked majesties.
Wednesday, April 7: Two swans reported at Stash and Store pond. HOODED MERGANSER continues to enjoy elevated status among the starry-eyed COMMON GOLDENEYE females at the lagoon. SHARP-SHINNED HAWK circled lazily over the old sawmill site on Nash Road. BARROW’S GOLDENEYES, and HARLEQUIN DUCKS still overwintering in the bay, spotted just off Fourth of July Beach. Two BALD EAGLES hunting and harassing gulls near a possible nest site by the creek.
Thursday, April 8: SHORT-EARED OWL reported at airport.
Friday, April 9: First of spring beautiful SNIPE reported at lagoon feeding in muddy areas at low tide. LAPLAND LONGSPURS and SHORT-EARED OWL reported at airport.
Gunsight Mountain Hawkwatch at Mile 119 Glen Highway is coming up next weekend, and the Homer and Cordova shorebird festivals are just a month away. Hard to imagine with all this snow still on the ground, but spring will surely come! Check out the Anchorage Audubon website at http://www.anchorageaudubon.org/content/view/20/35 for more information on these and other birding opportunities.
Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Sporadic Bird Report reporter
www.sewardbirdhouse.com
Seward, Alaska
Sporadic Bird Report
April 5, 2010
fat snowflakes dance
white-dotted pintails lift off
short-eared owl hunts
eagles hunker, ravens watch
quiet blizzard
spring in Seward
Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Sporadic Bird Report reporter
www.sewardbirdhouse.com
Seward, Alaska
Sporadic Bird Report: Raptor havoc
Seward, Alaska Sporadic Bird Report
Monday, March 29, 2010 Happy Seward’s Day!
March is having a tough time exiting like a lamb. Yesterday March was busy raining snow and snowing rain. Today is a mix of smaller squalls with welcoming bursts of warm sunshine peeking through the gray skies for a few milliseconds. The thermometer, which seemed stuck on 37º, has inched up into the low 40s. Lucky townsfolk have crocuses brightening the otherwise lifeless border next to the house, while neighbors out of town still face up to five feet of snow. More snow or sn’rain in the forecast to usher in bright April. Look for a full moon tonight if the clouds cooperate.
Sunrise 7:31 am, sunset 8:35 pm, length of day 13 hours, 3 minutes; tomorrow will be 5 minutes and 30 seconds longer.
March 29: A bit of excitement at the salt marsh today. I heard the lovely twittering of COMMON REDPOLLS and spotted about 70 feeding and flitting in an alder thicket. Suddenly, a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK dove into their midst, and the alarmed survivors swarmed up and away in a panic, T minus one. The happy hawk did not reappear, busy, I assume, enjoying dinner.
The ponds, flooded with salt water at the high tide, hosted over 100 noisy gulls: GLAUCOUS-WINGED, KITTIWAKES, and MEW, sitting on the edge of the ice in the middle of the melting pond, sharing gossip and travelogues. A pair of COMMON GOLDENEYES dove nearby. Five RAVENS disputed the ownership of a highly desirable tidbit, temporarily in the beak of the lead raven. This insured a lot of acrobatics and vocalizations as they entertained themselves with the pursuit of the trash or treasure. Four adult BALD EAGLES perched quietly in the spruce nearby, on top of driftwood and pilings, watching, always watching, and all the watched birds in turn, watching them.
The gulls had a reason to be wary of those eagle eyes. On March 26, clouds of shimmering gulls, hundreds and hundreds of them, repeatedly took flight over the tideflats. Through the binocs I could see why: three adult BALD EAGLES ripped through the dazzling cloud, chasing smaller and smaller numbers of gulls until just one gull received 100% attention. All three giants stroked after the one desperate gull, turning with remarkable ability, following their prey. I watched amazed, the blood draining out of my arms, wondering at the endurance of the eagles and the skill of the gull. An immature eagle flew in for the tutorial, adding to the gull’s distress. It looked like gull for lunch several times. That bird couldn’t fly any faster, maneuver any quicker, or hide anywhere. Finally, one adult eagle dropped out and flapped back to a sentry post at the beach, crying out encouragement. Then the others gave up and returned to their driftwood perches. I’m sure the gull, its little heart hammering in its tender breast, was thrilled to become anonymous once again.
In other news:
March 25: About 100 COMMON REDPOLLS spotted feeding on alder seeds in the thickets lining the Race Trail on Mt Marathon. Redpolls have been here in very small numbers all winter; it’s nice to see these larger groups.
A SHARP-SHINNED HAWK launched silently out of the sedges and flew overhead, unperturbed, patrolling the beach at the tidelands. Feeders around town have reported devastating declines in the number of songbirds at their feeders, if they were lucky enough to have birds, as the hungry hawk swoops in. It’s been a very hard winter for these raptors.
March 26: Two PIGEON GUILLEMOTS in breeding plumage, reported near the Alaska Sealife Center.
Report from Camelot of a few RED CROSSBILLS, another species that has been scarce this winter.
March 28: More than 20 GADWALL at the tideland pond, most likely newly arrived, joining our smaller over-wintering Gadwall and mallard population. Sweet to hear a SONG SPARROW singing by the Post Office. HOODED MERGANSER at lagoon, one of its favorite spots, still there today, surrounded by besotted female COMMON GOLDENEYES and frustrated Common Goldeneye males.
Gray skies and stormy weather may well be bringing gifts of spring! Keep looking and listening in between the squalls!
Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Sporadic Bird Report reporter
www.sewardbirdhouse.com
Seward, Alaska
Spring Birds
A quick bird update:
March 19th I spotted a single SNOW BUNTING sitting in the soggy sedge meadow at the salt marsh.
March 20th I located a lovely lone LAPLAND LONGSPUR.
Also reported on March 20th: the HOODED MERGANSER male in the bay south of the harbor uplands, and a GREAT BLUE HERON at the tidelands.
The attached photos are each collages of the same single bird.
Happy Spring!
Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Sporadic Bird Report reporter
www.sewardbirdhouse.com
Seward, Alaska
Seward Sporadic Bird Report: Swans and Great Blue Herons
Seward, Alaska Sporadic Bird Report
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Sunrise 8:04 am, sunset 8:08 pm, length of day 12 hours, 3 minutes; tomorrow will be 5 minutes and 29 seconds longer.
Weather: After three gorgeous sunny days culminating in a phenomenal, spectacular, grand slam St Patrick’s Day, somber gray skies have returned bearing rain and snow, the forecast for the next week with temperatures in the 30s and 40s. March is thoroughly packing in winter, with a grudging nod now and then towards spring. But we’re already exceeding 12 hours of daylight, and it’s not even the spring equinox yet!
RAVENS are pairing up, preening each other, sitting cozily side-by-side on tree branches and light poles, and whirling around in impressive aerial displays. EAGLES perch together near their nest site, screeching loudly when another eagle dares to fly past. DARK-EYED JUNCOS have a new trilling ring tone. Sea ducks like the goldeneyes and mergansers, continue to court, the males tossing their heads backwards to the snapping point, then energetically chasing off other males. Spring is in the air!
Today though gray, was calm and only sprinkly. To my amazement, not one, not two, but three GREAT BLUE HERONS magically appeared, standing forlornly on a few tideland rocks, only moving briefly to a slightly higher perch as the tide slipped in. I’ve been looking for GBHs for months and hadn’t seen one until today. Where do they hide?
A cloud of gulls rose up from the beach, mostly GLAUCOUS-WINGED, with MEW GULLS that have been here all winter, plus a few BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES fresh in for the halibut-black cod opening at the seafood processors.
A sleek and immaculate male GREATER SCAUP landed then lifted off and circled, flashing quite a bit of white in the wings. A few MALLARDS flew back to the tidelands. It won’t be long before the frozen ponds are alive with migratory ducks feeding hungrily.
March 17, Spring Creek Beach, Mile 5 Nash Road: PELAGIC CORMORANT decked out in white flank patches for spring dove near the shore as a snorting group of four Steller’s sea lions milled past; a stealthy harbor seal peeked up and slid back down. An EAGLE feasted on some delicacy on a rocky islet (no feathers were seen floating off) while small groups of BARROW’S and COMMON GOLDENEYES, three male BUFFLEHEAD with harem of five females, and eight HARLEQUINS paddled below, apparently unconcerned about the menu. A lone YELLOW-BILLED LOON creased the calm waters as it dove, resurfaced and stretched. Two KITTIWAKES flew past, flashing their distinctive black wing tips. On the sandy shore of the nearby wetland pond, ten COMMON MERGASERS soaked up the sun. Overall, however, the seabird numbers seem low this winter.
March 16: Another fine day. Two TRUMPETER SWANS landed in the ocean tidelands, paddling in the shallows. This pair was first seen on March 11 at the Mile 3.5 Seward Highway Stash ‘n Store pond, looking like just another pile of ice or snow until their graceful long necks emerged from the water. Perhaps these birds flew from their overwintering grounds at the Kenai River in Cooper Landing, just 30 to 40 miles to the NW. Or perhaps they are on the move from the south. Watching them feed voraciously for the past week through the swirls and squalls of snow and wind, makes long-distance migration seem unlikely.
Other sightings of note:
March 1: 20 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS at Third and Madison in a cottonwood, and six ROBINS.
March 2: male HOODED MERGANSER chasing male COMMON MERGANSER away from female common mergansers in Lagoon; BELTED KINGFISHER on wire at Nash Road and highway; 30-40 SNOW BUNTINGS reported at Fourth of July beach.
March 6: Seven robins survived several days of snow and squalls. PINE GROSBEAKS reported at Questa Woods, the first for that feeder.
March 12: 30 SURF SCOTERS, male and female SCAUP, COMMON GOLDENEYES, BARROW’S GOLDENEYES, and 30 COMMON MERGANSERS in boat harbor area.
As the halibut and cod season progresses, watch for more seabird action at the three seafood processing plants and at the fish waste bird feeder south of the boat harbor.
Though the ground may be more than two feet down under snow and ice, spring is on the March!
Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Sporadic Bird Report reporter
www.sewardbirdhouse.com
Seward, Alaska
Anchorage Audubon Seward field trip rescheduled
Due to the continuing heavy rain, avalanches, and adverse highway conditions, the annual Anchorage Audubon Seward field trip has been rescheduled to next Saturday, February 27. Meet at the Harbormaster’s building at 10 am with binocs, scope, snacks, and appropriate gear for a fun day discovering Seward’s hardy birds.
Ring The Bay Bird Tour
Seward, Alaska Sporadic Bird Report
Sunday, February 14, 2010 Happy Valentine’s Day!
Sunrise 8:38 am, sunset 5:46 pm, length of day 9 hours, 8 minutes; tomorrow will be 5 minutes and 21 seconds longer.
Weather: Temps in the high 30s to lower 40s with rain beating down on ice; more of the wash and spin cycle forecast for the rest of the week until Saturday. Despite the gloomy weather, some Sitka willows are already budding out in anticipation of spring. Yesterday was a gift of blue skies and warm sun in the morning, becoming partly cloudy by afternoon. A perfect day to go birding!
Feeders around town are slow, slower, and stagnant. The local regulars, BLACK-CAPPED and CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEES, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES, and DARK-EYED JUNCOS, seem to favor a progressive dining style, dashing in for a few moments, then off to the next feeder. Most feeders have not had enough business to warrant refilling this year. BROWN CREEPERS have been sighted but are never common. Even the usually reliable SONG SPARROW is scarce.
A single GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW, WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, and VARIED THRUSH popped up momentarily at a feeder in Clearview on February 3, but none have been seen since.
The only yard lucky enough to have the occasional GRAY CROWNED ROSY-FINCH has also attracted a very hungry and alert SHARP-SHINNED HAWK. Within seconds of the finch’s arrival, dinner is served for the hawk. While Duane appreciates the beauty and skill of the hawk, he is so discouraged, he is considering not feeding anymore. Too bad the hawk can’t enjoy a fat pigeon feast instead!
A nice flock of COMMON REDPOLLS was reported from Skilak Lake Road today, but none have been seen in Seward since the Christmas Bird Count. No PINE SISKINS, PINE GROSBEAKS, or CROSSBILLS either. BALD EAGLES, RAVENS, NW CROWS, MAGPIES, and STELLER’S JAYS seem to be holding steady.
A NORTHERN SHRIKE, not seen since the December CBC showed up at the airport on February 10th. A flock of nine ROBINS perched quietly in the bare cottonwoods on Saturday, silhouetted against the sky.
Thank goodness we have Resurrection Bay and many flowing streams and open ponds!
Yesterday, the gorgeous male HOODED MERGANSER with his COMMON GOLDENEYE Valentine swam alongside the road at Mile 3 ½. The tiny male GREEN-WINGED TEAL hung out with the multitudes of domesticated MALLARDS and hybrids at Clear CREEK. And over at NE Beach, the female KING EIDER swam by her lonesome near the end of the jetty. A BELTED KINGFISHER enjoyed the view from the powerline at the Nash Road intersection. A DIPPER in its gray raincoat dipped along the stream by the horse corral, where a moose lay camouflaged in the alders and willows.
A single LONG-TAILED DUCK was spotted at SMIC, and a lone female GREATER SCAUP swam just off shore from the Alaska Sealife Center.
At the mouth of the harbor, 4 river otters cavorted near the rocky jetty. Four COMMON LOONS paddled in close formation. A mob of GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS and a few MEW GULLS checked out the cannery bird feeder with small groups of SURF SCOTERS, BARROW’S and COMMON GOLDENEYES, COMMON and RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS, HORNED GREBES, RED-NECKED GREBES, and PELAGIC CORMORANTS. A large raft of Barrow’s Goldeneyes swam just south of Lowell Point where four MARBLED MURRELETS dove as soon as they were spotted. Other birds spotted included BUFFLEHEAD and wild MALLARDS. It was a bountiful day around the bay!
It’s not too late to participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count, Feb 12-15. For more information go to http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc.
Join the Anchorage Audubon Society next Saturday, Feb 20 for their annual Seward field trip. Meet at the harbormaster’s office at 10 am. Dress for the weather and bring your binocs, scope, and snacks for a fun day in the field. Please let me know if you have any birds at your feeder to share with the group. Keep your feeders full, especially the suet feeders which are greatly appreciated by our hungry feathered friends.
Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Sporadic Bird Report reporter
Seward, Alaska
Fluorescent Bulb disposal today, Feb 5th
First Friday Fluorescent Bulb Disposal 3 to 4 pm
small building to north of City Hall
Coal in the water, on land, and in the air
I encourage all interested residents to take a short drive along Port Avenue and loop around the cruise ship terminal. The snow is brown with coal dust, the area under the conveyor belt is black with coal bits and chunks. When the ship is being loaded, look in the water under the trestle and you will see and hear the coal chunks as they splash into the ocean. Just east and north of the Port Avenue bridge, look for the “settling pond” a tiny frozen patch of ice where the coal dust on the ground is supposed to settle out before it runs into the ocean. Take a look for yourself.
Short-eared Owl in Seward!
Seward, Alaska Sporadic Bird Report
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Sunrise 9:49 am, sunset 4:24 pm, length of day 6 hours, 35 minutes; tomorrow will be 3 minutes and 43 seconds longer. The red planet Mars peeks through the night clouds.
Weather: After a much welcomed January thaw where temperatures peaked at 45º, we’re back to gray clouds, temperatures in the low to mid 20s, and a cold north wind. More clouds and snow in the forecast.
This noon at the salt-marsh with an airport in it, a SHORT-EARED OWL suddenly bolted from the side of the dirt road and flew across the tide-flooded pond to perch on a piece of driftwood on the beach berm. A recent study tracking short-eared owls discovered one migrated as far as Mexico. Why is this owl still in Alaska? (See Anchorage Daily News, January 12, 2010, B1)
RAVENS love harassing the owl; it’s one good way to find it. Also noted nearby were 3 BUFFLEHEAD, 11 MALLARDS, and upwards of 100 gulls flying near the beach.
In the bay south of the harbor uplands, a single male BLACK SCOTER hung out with 7 SURF SCOTERS. One male surfer chased another; courtship behavior can’t be far away. A RED-NECKED GREBE dove and a MEW GULL picked at floating tidbits nearby. COMMON and BARROW’S GOLDENEYES cruised along the shoreline. At least 50-70 COMMON MERGANSERS rafted up farther out; a YELLOW-BILLED LOON and two COMMON LOONS were reported with this raft. About 80 NW CROWS flocked along the beach.
The HOODED MERGANSER male was seen at Mile 3.5 Stash n Store pond earlier today; hopefully this beautiful duck will stay the winter. Instead I saw the regulars: 3 mallards and 2 common goldeneye females, watched over by one adult and one juvenile BALD EAGLE. A HAIRY WOODPECKER banged away on a dead alder, while a family of 5 BLACK-BILLED MAGPIES strutted along, pecking at the dead leaves. A BELTED KINGFISHER rattled overhead.
Back in town at the Marine Science Center Rae Building, 15 RAVENS intently pecked through the totally exposed grass; there is no snow left, just icy patches. Always wary, they hop-leaped away when I stopped to watch.
The usual 10-15 DARK-EYED JUNCOS, a few CHESTNUT-BACKED and BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES, and a DOWNY WOODPECKER are at my feeder when the fat, happy squirrel isn’t. Grrrr! Two BROWN CREEPERS reported at Stony Creek.
Two territorial DIPPERS patrolled Lowell Creek on Sunday, chasing each other up and down, unwilling to share. Other dippers have been seen at the Lagoon and Salmon Creek.
Keep your feeders full!
Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Sporadic Bird Report reporter
Seward, Alaska
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