Seward,
Alaska VERY Sporadic Bird Report
Sunrise
6:15 am, sunset 9:46 pm, length of day 15 hours, 30 minutes; tomorrow will be 5
minutes and 16 seconds shorter.
Weather:
A mixed bag of spectacular blue-sky sunny days followed by sulking gray skies
and scattered showers, with little wind; temperatures remain mild, hovering in
the 50s. Mostly cloudy with chance of rain until the middle of next week is
forecast with a 90% chance this will be wrong.
The
Seward Silver Salmon Derby is in full swing as boats crammed with fishing gear
and coolers buzz all over Resurrection Bay; hopeful fishers cast endlessly
from shore. It's a tough time to bird with all the shore action, and an even
tougher time for hungry shorebirds and seabirds to feed and rest. Local streams
swirl with spawning salmon, a fascinating wonder to behold. Bald eagles, gulls,
crows, and ravens enjoy observing and then dining on the bounty of salmon as
well.
The
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter has been very, very busy this past month
and apologizes for not posting. Peregrine Joe spotted some wonderful sandpipers
yesterday at the tidelands which I must share. I photographed and verified them with Buzz
(thanks!) as juvenile BAIRD'S SANDPIPERS. These birds are a bit larger
(7.5" than the WESTERN (6.5") and LEAST SANDPIPERS (6"), and
have remarkably long primary wingtips that extend far past the tail. The
juveniles have very well-defined pale fringing on the back, giving them a scaly
appearance. They are migrating primarily from the tundra of the north coast of
Alaska to South America without assistance from their long-gone parents.
Peregrine Joe also spotted a BLACK TURNSTONE overhead, which immediately disappeared. Other birds of note: SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, LEAST and WESTERN SANDPIPERS, 2 WILSON'S SNIPE, GREATER and LESSER YELLOWLEGS, SAVANNAH SPARROW, FOX SPARROW, SONG SPARROW, MALLARDS, GADWALL, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, RAVENS, BALD EAGLES, GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS, BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES, and DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS.
Peregrine Joe also spotted a BLACK TURNSTONE overhead, which immediately disappeared. Other birds of note: SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, LEAST and WESTERN SANDPIPERS, 2 WILSON'S SNIPE, GREATER and LESSER YELLOWLEGS, SAVANNAH SPARROW, FOX SPARROW, SONG SPARROW, MALLARDS, GADWALL, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, RAVENS, BALD EAGLES, GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS, BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES, and DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS.
Baird's Sandpiper with a Least Sandpiper for comparison.
Greater Yellowlegs have been migrating through the past several weeks.
No longer singing, but still curious!
A little parade of shorebirds led by a locally raised
Spotted Sandpiper juvenile (a little frowsy) with a
Least Sandpiper in the middle, and a Baird's Sandpiper at the tail
cruised along a rivulet, picking up amphipods like candy.
The leader of the parade of sandpiper juveniles, a
Spotted Sandpiper without any spots.
A Lesser Yellowlegs seems to be eating a
Least Sandpiper (NOT). Check out its tongue!
Nap time for the Lesser Yellowlegs.
A Greater Yellowlegs notes the spawned out
Chum (Dog) salmon and Bald Eagle feather.
Greater Yellowlegs' white rump and long legs.
A little series of Lesser Yellowlegs.
Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward
Sporadic Bird Report Reporter
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