Seward Sporadic Bird Report
Another beautiful clear day!
Optimistic that maybe it wouldn't be windy at the head of the bay, I returned
to look for the snow buntings, hoping for better light. Wrong! While it wasn't
quite as blustery as before, it was brisk. The good dog chose the
stick-du-jour and blithely jumped in after it. After a lot of shaking off and
snow-toweling, she trotted off with it and looked back to tell me once was
enough.
I walked Frosty back to the
car, and as I turned to pick up her stick, a NORTHERN HARRIER suddenly popped
up and flew past! I watched the graceful flier swoop low over the waving
grasses, angle up into the wind, then tuck one wing to stoop abruptly down and
loop back. How I hope she (or possibly a juvenile) finds many fat, tasty voles
to fuel her through the long night!
That little expedition was
exciting but too short, so I headed for Lowell Point. Several PELAGIC
CORMORANTS dotted the bay, spread far apart. In contrast, over 200 BAROW'S
GOLDENEYES paddled in a long line like scoters, heading into the shallow waters
by the Point. I pulled over as they bunched up and swam closer. Their golden
eyes glowed in the sun and in that light, the handsome males' black heads
turned a glossy purple. A few HARLEQUIN DUCKS trailed behind.
I found 5 female/juvenile BUFFLEHEADS and the
lone first winter HARLEQUIN male at Lowell Point Beach while the good dog
warmed up enough to swim again.
Then I joined Doug and Debi from Eagle River and Robin C. The
rest of the short afternoon was mostly a study of JUNCOS when they could be
found, and of alders and spruce cones when they disappeared.
The WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW
sang its cheerful winter song, the FOX SPARROW, SONG SPARROW, and
GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS all popped up. Streaky PINE SISKINS probed the spruce
cones. Colorful male WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS and CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEES
ignited hope whenever they appeared, followed by disappointment. After several
hours, it seemed this would not be an epic Life Bird day for D&D.
As the sun sank behind the
mountain around 2:30 pm, the light faded and the temperature instantly dropped. Dave pointed excitedly
at a bird in an alder. YES! He found it! It was bright, orange and white and black, patterned, and very unique. Robin refound it as it flew to the top of a nearby
spruce and ate the tiny seeds. The light was abysmal and he was far away, but
we did get some documentary photos.
Congratulations to Doug and
Debi!
Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report
Reporter
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