Thursday, February 16, 2012 Seward Field Trip Preview

Seward, Alaska Sporadic Bird Report

Sunrise 8:34 am, sunset 5:50 pm, length of day 9 hours, 16 minutes; tomorrow will be 5 minutes and 23 seconds longer.

Weather: Thermometer stuck on 34º most of this week with overcast skies and intermittent snow/rain showers. Despite the various blizzard watches for points north, the wind has mercifully stayed away this week.

Jim H kindly drove Kerry M and me to preview the east side of the bay for Saturday's Anchorage Audubon-Seward field trip. After a few hours of birding at North Dock, Ava's, and a feeder in town, we saw plenty to entice visitors, weather permitting.

Kit D got the prize of the day, 5 BLACK BRANT at the tidelands, verified by Robin C. It is very unusual to have these geese here so early.

Other perks: a large bull Steller sea lion lounged near shore, two more patrolled along the beach, and a sea otter happily munched on delectable seafood.

While scanning the bay, I watched a COMMON MURRE putzing along. A BALD EAGLE noticed it too and swooped down, grabbed it like a lunch box, and flew to a power pole to dine. Murres are in trouble all over the bay.

Dead, intact murres are dying and floating to shore; slow, starving live ones are easy prey for eagles and ravens. The other seabirds seem to be doing fine. It's a mystery!

Hope to see you at 10 am at the Harbor Master's building on Third Ave on Saturday. Help us find more birds!

 

BLACK BRANT

MALLARD

BLACK SCOTER

SURF SCOTER

HARLEQUIN DUCK

LONG-TAILED DUCK

COMMON GOLDENEYE

BARROW'S GOLDENEYE

COMMON MERGANSER

RED-BREASTED MERGANSER

PACIFIC LOON

COMMON LOON

YELLOW-BILLED LOON

HORNED GREBE

(RED-NECKED GREBE spotted yesterday)

PELAGIC CORMORANT

(GREAT BLUE HERON reported earlier in town)

BALD EAGLE

(SHARP-SHINNED HAWK reported earlier at Ava's)

(MERLIN reported earlier at Ava's and yesterday in town)

MEW GULL

GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL

(BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE spotted yesterday)

COMMON MURRE

ROCK PIGEON

DOWNY WOODPECKER

STELLER'S JAY in town

BLACK-BILLED MAGPIE in town

COMMON RAVEN

NORTHWESTERN CROW

BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE

CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE

RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH

DARK-EYED JUNCO

SNOW BUNTING reported by Kit and Robin

PINE GROSBEAK

COMMON REDPOLL

PINE SISKIN

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter