Seward,
Alaska Sporadic Bird Report
Sunrise
6:35 am, sunset 9:20 pm, length of day 14 hours, 45 minutes; tomorrow will be 5
minutes and 26 seconds longer.
Weather:
Temps in the mid to upper 40s, overcast with sprinkles, and flat calm; a quiet
day painted in several shades of gray. Imperceptibly, the snow is stealing away,
revealing more and more bedraggled ground. Crocuses (gasp!) bravely poke their
bright green spears through the cold ground, extending a sprig of spring with
the expectation of beautiful flowers.
The
noon walk produced several wonderful surprises today. TWO male NORTHERN HARRIERS
patrolled the meadows along Resurrection River, silently wafting low over the
flattened grasses, searching for voles.
A
GREAT BLUE HERON flew over the wetlands and past the bare alders, with what looked like dead grass
trailing from its large feet and outstretched long legs, just like the eagle
yesterday. Given that no one has ever found the heron's traditional and visible
huge platform nest of sticks, yet Seward has them here year round with
juveniles in the summer and fall, I think they must nest in secret underground
burrows, maybe former rabbit tunnels. Just a hunch.
Along
the tide line, a female BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER picked and poked through the mud,
all alone. What a thrill to see a plover at long last! Thanks to Buzz for
verifying her ID. The best field mark I found is the black belly extends to the
legs, then is white to the tail tips.
Farther
down the beach, a diminutive (13 ½") and classy BONAPARTE'S GULL showed
off its flashy red legs as it walked along the rocks. Then it flew off,
gracefully and lightly like a tern. Overhead, the GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS
chuckled a low, "heh, heh, heh" and the noisy MEW GULLS cried like
squeeze toys.
"Ridley-ridley-ridley!"
the cry of a GREATER YELLOWLEGS rang out. I did not find that bird, but on the
way back, I found a female along the shoreline, quietly standing at the edge of
the outgoing tide.
The
EURASIAN WIGEON, MALLARDS, PINTAILS, and GADWALL remain here in small numbers.
I
thought I heard a goose honking overhead, but saw none and heard nothing
further. It won't be long before we really do hear their excited honks and see
their long lines stroking across the sky.
Happy
Birding!
Carol
Griswold
Seward
Sporadic Bird Report Reporter
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