Seward,
Alaska Sporadic Bird Report
Sunrise
10:01 am, sunset 4:01pm, length of day 6 hours, 0 minutes; tomorrow will be 2
minutes and 0 seconds longer.
Weather:
BRRRRRRR!!!! 10ยบ, north-northeast wind whipped snow off the mountains, howled
through town and down the smoking, writhing, white-capped bay. The sun
struggled to rise above the muttering dark clouds ringing the bay. Just past noon,
it escaped to cast pale shadows and illuminate the blowing snowscape before
exiting stage west. Clear and cold in the forecast with 20 to 35 mph north wind
gusting to 50 mph.
First
bird of the New Year, the indomitable RAVEN, delighted to play in the powerful
wind swirls. A short drive to Lowell Point Beach turned up frosty MALLARDS huddled together on the ice rimming the sewage lagoon, COMMON GOLDENEYES, and the usual lone
GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL.
The
wind twirled the blowing snow into snow devils and white streamers even at the
usually protected south beach. A trio of seabirds dove together in the surfing
waves: SURF SCOTER, RED-NECKED GREBE, and COMMON GOLDENEYE. The goldeneye threw
his head back in a courtship display, but no female was seen. Perhaps just
practicing. A COMMON LOON rode the waves farther out.
A
BALD EAGLE adult snuggled into the lee side of a protective spruce tree with a
view of the sea duck buffet bobbing in the waves, including HARLEQUINS,
GOLDENEYES, and PELAGIC CORMORANTS. A sea otter cruised along on its back,
possibly warmer in the water than out.
Swarms
of NORTHWESTERN CROWS mingled with GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS along the Greenbelt in search of food. Pigeons flew across town from one feeder to another, displacing
songbirds. A DIPPER dove into the frigid water of the Lagoon, untroubled by the cold, wind, and encroaching ice.
Feeder
birds included STELLER'S JAYS, BLACK-BILLED MAGPIES, GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS,
SONG SPARROW, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, BLACK-CAPPED and CHESTNUT-BACKED
CHICKADEES. All very hungry.
Keep
those feeders full of seeds and suet before you retreat back into your warm
house.
Here's
to another wonderful year full of birds and friendship!
Happy
Birding!
Carol
Griswold
Seward
Sporadic Bird Report Reporter
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