Sporadic Bird from Seward, Alaska

Saturday, January 24, 2026 Loons, Beach Robins, the calm before the next storm

Seward, Alaska

Sunrise 9:30 am, sunset 4:51 pm for a total day length of 7 hours and 20 minutes. Tomorrow will be 4 minutes and 37 seconds longer.

Relatively mild temperatures around freezing and mostly calm winds prevailed this week, a relief after the prolonged cold snap. The forecast for next week includes a severe weather advisory starting Tuesday for bands of heavy snow with 4 to 8” in the Seward area. But with temps above freezing, this will more likely be the dreaded wintry mix and rain.

On Wednesday I spotted two hardy ROBINS and two OREGON JUNCOS foraging along the beach and in the tidelands at Afognak Beach. As the Mt Ash berry supplies disappear, the Robins have become resourceful, switching from fruit to amphipods. The resident BLACK-BILLED MAGPIES and one STELLER’S JAY loudly accompanied them from the nearby shrubs.

On Thursday at Fourth of July Beach, I found two LONG-TAILED DUCKS too far out to photograph, one COMMON LOON, and a sprinkling of HORNED GREBES. The Alaska State Ferry Tustumena is at drydock undergoing repairs; nice to see her in her former home port of Seward.

The harbor again rewarded my efforts with nice views of the YELLOW-BILLED LOON, a Common Loon, and a very dark immature BALD EAGLE with innocent, warm brown eyes. Two GREAT BLUE HERONS preened on the far side of the harbor jetty, revealing only their heads.

The ground is covered with about 4” of crusty snow and ice, yet my feeder is still not very active. Sporadically, the action picked up with six Juncos, a couple CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEES and RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES, and the resident SONG SPARROW. A DOWNY WOODPECKER flew past, but did not stop to dine at the suet feeder hanging conveniently on the outside of the exclosure.

A SAW-WHET OWL was reported around 6 pm, beeping from the mountainside on Thursday, but has not been heard since. Just checking in.

Though the birding is slow, it’s been great to get out and about to look, albeit with ice grippers. We’ll see what this storm will bring next week.

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

Sunday, January 18, 2026 Yellow-billed Loon! And Sea Ducks

Seward, Alaska

Sunrise 9:42 am, sunset 4:36 pm, for a total day length of 6 hours and 54 minutes. Tomorrow will be 4 minutes and 10 seconds longer.

The weather gods smiled beatifically today as if in apology for the treacherous rain-on-ice conditions delivered the past several days. The sun felt warm with a high of 35º, the wind snoozed; the day was indescribably lovely.

On Wednesday, before the dismal rain, I happened to spot the elusive YELLOW-BILLED LOON at the harbor entrance, apparently heading inside. Through complex computations and clever maneuvering, ie luck, I intersected with the majestic bird when it popped up just feet away from where I stood waiting on the dock. Wow! To be that close to a rock star! Click, click, click went the paparazza!

A COMMON LOON also surfaced, farther away, for a nice comparison of the head coloration, bill shape, and color. Both sported the crisp scalloping of immature birds; full adult plumage is not achieved until they are 3 years old.

Skipping over the intervening days we would all like to forget, I looked for the celebrity again today. I enjoyed the parade of gorgeous RED-BREASTED and COMMON MERGANSERS, COMMON GOLDENEYES, and HORNED GREBES paddling by, and the wary PELAGIC CORMORANT with green eyes.

Suddenly, with a soft blip! the Yellow-billed Loon surfaced nearby and just looked at me straight on for a few heart-stopping seconds and then calmly dove. Though I waited, listened, and looked, it had vanished like a mirage.

A bit later, I heard the alarm yodel of a Loon at the entrance to the harbor as a BALD EAGLE swooped low over the water. I sure hope Loon is not on anyone’s menu!

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

Friday, January 16, 2026 Harbor Beauties: Sea Ducks

Sunday, January 11, 2026 American Tree Sparrows

Seward, Alaska

Sunrise 9:52 am, sunset 4:20 pm for a total day length of 6 hours and 27 minutes. Tomorrow will be 3 minutes and 26 seconds longer.

Finally, a reprieve from the deep freeze, wind, and snow today! A more typical winter temp in the 20s prevailed by afternoon, the snow-laden clouds spit then fizzled out under sunny skies, and the gale winds calmed to 3-9 mph with gusts to 20.

I checked out the tidelands this morning in a blustery snow shower and found 20 ROCK SANDPIPERS eagerly feeding at the receding shoreline before I turned back.

Afognak Beach was sheltered from the north wind. The wild cries of two BALD EAGLES rang out from the tree tops. While walking along, I happened upon a mixed flock of song birds foraging along the beach.

To my surprise, the resident bossy SONG SPARROW accompanied a pair of OREGON JUNCOS and two AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS.

The Tree Sparrows were not found during the December 27 Christmas Bird Count; I have not seen this species for years. They all were persistent and hungry and immediately returned after being chased away.

As I was leaving, I spotted a single, wary Rock Sandpiper which flew off, perhaps to join its flock.

Before yesterday’s storm dumped 4-5” of snow in town, the frugivores easily found fallen Mt Ash berries on the mostly bare ground. Today, snow berms covered the recent hotspot on D and Third Ave by the community garden. The birds scattered.

By midday, it seemed warm in town, sunny and calm. What a delight! In the 200 block of Second, about 12 ROBINS, 5 PINE GROSBEAKS, and 2 VARIED THRUSHES hopped on the crusty snow, picking up frozen berries recently fallen from the trees. It was so peaceful watching them, fluffed up and glowing in the sunshine, calling and clucking. The two vibrant male Varied Thrushes frequently squabbled, but otherwise the birds seemed tolerant.

A little bit of sunshine sure lifts the spirits!

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter