Wednesday, December 17, 2025 Anna's Hummingbird survives another night!

Seward, Alaska

Sunrise 9:59 am, sunset 3:51 pm for a total day length of 5 hours and 51 minutes. Tomorrow will be a negligible 40 seconds shorter as we approach the Winter Solstice on Sunday, December 21 at 6:03 am. 

The Polar Express worsened this week. Yesterday, a Special Weather Statement warned of continued colder than average temperatures and strong northerly winds. It advised caution when traveling outside and to wear appropriate clothing for very cold temperatures during outdoor activities.

Indeed, today was 17 degrees colder than the normal average daily high with a low of 8 and a high of 10. The north wind at 12 mph with gusts to 30 roared and rattled the trees, roiled the bay into frothy whitecaps and whisked away the escaping steam.

This morning in the dark at 8:35 am, aided by a headlamp, I took out the heated hummingbird feeder and plugged it in.  Then I waited and watched from my kitchen window, nervous that the ANNA’S HUMMINGBIRD did not survive another cold, 18-hours-long, windy winter night.

At 9:15 am, I thought I saw a dim shape at the feeder, but I needed binoculars to pierce the predawn gloom. Was it possible? YES! Incredible! He sat quietly for about five minutes as the feeder swayed in the wind, probably thawing out at the 60º feeder. He finally sipped some breakfast and thus fueled up, zoomed off to the nearby spruce tree. 

The first RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH appeared at 9:22 am, then the SONG SPARROW chased it away at 9:44 am to hog the suet feeder.

At 9:55 am, the Anna’s returned acting much more alert, looking around, and active. He fed for only a minute and then flew in the opposite direction from before.

Although sunrise was at 9:59 am, the sun actually cleared the southern Kenai Mountains at 10:30 am and took its sweet time to briefly dispel the cold shadows in town. 

I was unable to monitor the feeder consistently throughout the day, but did see him feed at 1:11 pm, 2:48 pm heralding by ticking, and at 3:30 pm when it was again getting dusky. 

At 6:45 pm, when I hoped he was safely tucked in for the night spent in torpor, I brought it the feeder. The sugar solution still registered around 60 degrees. I was very impressed!

The forecast calls for similar cold temps and strong winds until another plunge this weekend to really, really cold temperatures down to ZERO. And another plunge next Friday to MINUS 3. 

Can this tiny marvel survive these brutal temps wearing only his pajamas??? 

Fingers double-crossed!

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter 

Monday, December 15, 2026 Mt Goats!

Seward, Alaska

 

As sometimes happens in winter, small flocks of Mt Goats descend from the wind-scoured mountains to browse in the brush along Lowell Point Road. I chanced to witness a little drama this afternoon as a powerful nanny goat strolled across the steep, unstable landslide scar. Like the chicken that crossed the road to get to the other side, this maneuver seemed pointless.

 

Her darling, fuzzy kid agreed. He followed her a short distance as small rocks clattered downslope like hail, then stopped and watched. After ascending a rickety pile of rocks where she posed majestically, the nanny realized he was not following and looked back. This impasse lasted a few minutes, then the nanny sighed and turned around to follow her now-mobile youngster back whence they came into the brush.

I was touched by how they both checked on each other, making sure they would stay together.

 

Thanks to the lack of snow, I spotted four other white Mt goats including two kids, partially hidden in the bushes and trees. Soon, there was no sign that anything remarkable happened here. Timing is everything!

 

Happy Winter!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

December 9- 14, 2025 Rusty Blackbirds, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Robins, Varied Thrush, Bohemian Waxwings

Seward, Alaska

Clear, cold, and windy conditions continue. 

The lack of snow allows many birds to continue to forage on the ground. 

In the Clearview Subdivision behind Safeway, a flock of 12 RUSTY BLACKBIRDS flipped over dead leaves, a GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW jump-scratched the leaf litter, and DARK-EYED JUNCOS, STELLER’S JAYS, AMERICAN CROWS, and BLACK-BILLED MAGPIES rummaged around finding scattered seeds and tidbits.

The once-abundant crop of Mt Ash berries is rapidly diminishing as the flock of about 40 handsome ROBINS, one glowing VARIED THRUSH, 12 elegant BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS, RAVENS, and Crows gobbled the frozen treats from the trees and scattered on the ground.

PINE GROSBEAKS perched and methodically juiced the berries, seeds and skins dribbling down. I finally found a rosy male, bright in the sunshine, while the more subtle females and juveniles juiced nearby.

Winter light is short but brilliant, illuminating the busy birds like a spotlight before fading away. What a pleasure to enjoy their bright colors and hear their calls as they navigate another challenging day.

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

 

Thursday, December 11, 2025 Yellow-billed Loon, and Anna’s Hummingbird!

Seward, Alaska

Sunrise 9:52 am, sunset 3:52 pm, for a total day length of 5 hours and 59 minutes. Tomorrow will be 1 minute and 44 seconds shorter.

Due to the disruption of the Polar Vortex and subsequent Polar Express, sunny, cold, and windy conditions continued with a low of 9 and a high of 13 F. North winds 5-12 with gusts to 27 mph. 

This may seem relatively balmy compared to the extreme, frigid Arctic air in the Interior and parts of eastern Lower 48, thanks to the “ocean effect” of steaming Resurrection Bay, but it’s cold for Seward. The weekend forecast predicts single-digit temps and winds gusting to 44 mph. There is no relief in sight. 

Every morning before dawn, I put out the heated feeder and start watching for that tiny, miraculous ANNA’S HUMMINGBIRD. Did he somehow survive another 18-hour night in the intense cold and wind?

It was still dusky dark at 9:10 this morning when I caught a ghostly movement at the heated feeder. Using binocs to piece the gloom, I saw him, perched on the feeder sipping breakfast like it was summer!

Unlike more southern Hummers, he had shivered himself out of torpor in the coldest temperatures of the day without benefit of the sun’s warming rays. How does he do it?

Throughout the day when I could watch, he visited about every 10-20 minutes, often ticking loudly, a lively little sprite zooming around and carefree. As twilight returned, his short day and feeding also ended early, around 4 pm. Then, off to his secret shelter for the long, long, cold night.

This afternoon, I received another gift, a YELLOW-BILLED LOON! As I watched a few HORNED GREBES and RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS from the harbor uplands, the beautiful Loon swam in from the bay. He paused in front of the boat harbor to preen and stretch before resuming his dives. Unfortunately, the cold sapped my camera batteries (both of them!) and I couldn’t take more photos.

On the way home, dozens of ROBINS flew across the road in the 500 block of Second Ave, likely part of the flock of 40. PINE GROSBEAKS fly and feed with them in the ever-diminishing stock of Mt Ash berries. It’s lovely to hear their melodies from the treetops, especially uplifting in the wind and cold. 

On Monday, December 8, I heard a SAW-WHET OWL beeping from the mountainside about 10:30 pm. On Tuesday, I counted a pair of TRUMPETER SWANS with 4 cygnets by the Afognak Beach rock, and another 26 Swans in the distance by the eelgrass beds: 30 Swans!

Tough birds all!

Happy Brrrrding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

Tuesday, December 2, 2025 Update on Anna’s, Killdeer, Rock Sandpipers, plus a Pintail

Seward, Alaska

Sunrise 9:37 am, sunset 3:59 pm for a total day length of 6 hours and 22 minutes. Tomorrow will be 3 minutes and 5 seconds shorter.

Mild temperatures in the mid-30s, light rain, and generally calm winds continued for the past several days. Yesterday, the sun broke through and lifted everyone’s spirits for a glorious day.

Even the ANNA’S HUMMINGBIRD seemed to react to the brighter dawn of a clear day, appearing at my heated feeder almost 45 minutes earlier than on the previous dark Sunday morning. 

He continued to be very suspicious, zooming in, ticking loudly as he surveilled the airspace around the feeder. Up, down, this side, and that, even hovering and staring at my kitchen window. Oops! How did he know?

When he tentatively touched down, he just as quickly zoomed away into the nearby spruce. It took several reconnaissance flights before he finally settled down to drink. I wonder how long he will remember the abduction by aliens and my complicity!

The KILLDEER flew in yesterday with a loud “dee, dee!”, last seen by me on November 22. I was happy to see that he, like the Hummer, survived the recent storm. eBird reported sightings on November 28. As the tide ebbed, he foraged along the tidelands gleaning amphipods hidden in the mud.

18 ROCK SANDPIPERS chittered excitedly as they too foraged in a tight flock along the ebbing tide line. They seemed to exclaim over every tidbit they found, like treasures at a garage sale, very fun to hear.

At the Mile 1, Nash Road wetlands, 19 TRUMPETER SWANS, including a family with two dark cygnets, rested in the sun, snorkeled for salad, or even took a bath in the open water at the far side of the otherwise frozen pond.

Also of note on Sunday, November 30, I found a NORTHERN PINTAIL with a small flock of MALLARDS, AMERICAN WIGEONS, and GADWALL at the tidelands. A drake LONG-TAILED DUCK and COMMON LOON dove at Fourth of July Beach.

After that sunny break in the huge low rolling across the Gulf of Alaska, the dark clouds and rain showers returned today, concealing the stunning beauty all around.

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter