61 Count Day species, 6 Count Week species, and 2,461 birds
in all.
December 24, 2011 Seward CBC
Sunrise 10:02 am, sunset 3:52 pm for a total of 5 hours 50
minutes of daylight.
Weather: 18º -
20º, brisk 24 mph north-northeast wind with gusts to 24 mph, gray skies, and
brief afternoon snow flurries. Sea smoke and six foot waves created challenging
conditions for the boat crew trying to find birds, hold binocs steady, identify
species, and count.
A small but dedicated group of twelve Field Counters, including
two young birders, and the four ever-intrepid Boat Crew, birded the Seward
Circle from 10 to 4 pm while another ten Feeder Counters kept vigil at their
feeders. The Tonsina Trail Route was not covered this year, usually a good area
for Pacific wrens, spruce grouse, dippers, chestnut-backed chickadees, and
kinglets.
Many Field Counters wondered where all the birds were,
finding few to no birds on their routes. The data showed that many birds
depended on feeders in this cold, windy weather. Town routes were very
productive thanks to several very well supplied and active feeders.
The rest of the songbirds apparently spent the day at Ava
Eads' phenomenal feeder off Nash Road. She counted 22 species and 340 birds including:
14 AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS, 160 PINE GROSBEAKS, 30 DARK-EYED JUNCOS, 10 OREGON
JUNCOS, 40 REDPOLLS, and 12 PINE SISKINS. The raptors knew all about her birds.
A MERLIN and a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK popped in to be counted and check for a
snack. Ava noted that the siskin and redpoll numbers have been increasing daily
over the past week, and this is the most American Tree Sparrows ever. The birds
are ravenous, consuming 40 pounds of sunflower seeds a WEEK! Donations are most
welcome!
The Boat Crew found an unusual species for Seward, a
RED-THROATED LOON, which was not seen before or since. Of the 50-60 PACIFIC
LOONS seen earlier this winter, only one remained. 7 COMMON LOONS were counted, but no YELLOW-BILLED LOONS,
which are usually present. Only two MARBLED MURRELETS were found, a low number,
and no PIGEON GUILLEMOTS.
Other species of note: the male HOODED MERGANSER, 7 SNOW
BUNTINGS, 1 GRAY JAY, 3 BOREAL CHICKADEES, 13 BROWN CREEPERS, 3 WHITE-CROWNED
SPARROWS, 8 GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS, and 31 GRAY-CROWNED ROSY-FINCHES.
The last bird of the day was the only GREAT BLUE HERON,
spotted at 6:30 pm by streetlight at the north end of the Lagoon.
Count Week turned up six species including: AMERICAN WIGEON,
NORTHERN GOSHAWK, SHORT-EARED OWL, NORTHERN SHRIKE, TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE, and
LAPLAND LONGSPUR.
Special thanks to Captain Mike Brittain, of Alaska Explorer
Charters for once again donating the use of the Dora, fuel, maintenance,
preparation, expertise, and time for the 23-mile ocean route. Thanks to Wendy for encouraging
her two young boys to explore nature and contribute to citizen science. Many
thanks to the folks who feed the birds and to everyone for their time, effort,
and enthusiasm counting birds on a cold, windy day.
Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward CBC Compiler
Final
Count Species * Count Week
19 Gadwall
149 Mallard
*American
Wigeon
1 duck
unknown species
5 Black
Scoter
3 White-winged
Scoter
127 Surf
Scoter
70 Harlequin
Duck
12 Long-tailed
Duck
51 Common
Goldeneye
266 Barrow’s
Goldeneye
53 Bufflehead
50 Common
Merganser
8 Red-breasted
Merganser
1 Hooded
Merganser
1 Red-throated
Loon
1 Pacific
Loon
7 Common
Loon
17 Horned
Grebe
6 Red-necked
Grebe
1 grebe
unknown sp
27 Pelagic Cormorant
1 Great
Blue Heron
26 Bald
Eagle adult
7 Bald
Eagle immature
1 Sharp-shinned
Hawk
*Northern
Goshawk
1 Merlin
1 Mew
Gull
2 Herring
Gull
76 Glaucous-winged
Gull
29 Common
Murre
2 Marbled
Murrelet
115 Rock
Pigeon
*Short-eared
Owl
1 Belted
Kingfisher
11 Downy
Woodpecker
8 Hairy
Woodpecker
*Northern
Shrike
1 Gray
Jay
49 Steller’s
Jay
59 Black-billed
Magpie
123 Northwestern
Crow
105 Common
Raven
82 Black-capped
Chickadee
73 Chestnut-backed
Chickadee
3 Boreal
Chickadee
44 Red-breasted
Nuthatch
13 Brown
Creeper
1 Pacific
Wren
6 American
Dipper
15 Golden-crowned
Kinglet
10 American
Robin
3 Varied
Thrush
*Townsend’s
Solitaire
2 Bohemian
Waxwing
14 American
Tree Sparrow
2 Fox
Sparrow
16 Song
Sparrow
3 White-crowned
Sparrow
8 Golden-crowned
Sparrow
2 sparrow
unknown species
98 Dark-eyed
(Slate-colored) Junco
15 Dark-eyed
(Oregon) Junco
*Lapland
Longspur
7 Snow
Bunting
31 Gray-crowned
Rosy-Finch
359 Pine
Grosbeak
123 Common
Redpoll
40 Pine
Siskin
Some photos from Count Week and Count Day. Click on any photo to enlarge.
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