Seward Sporadic Bird Report
Cold no more! A massive front
moved in late Friday evening, bringing clouds and about 4" of snow over
the weekend. Then the thermometer rose to 35ยบ, changing the snow to light rain.
Seward was spared the drama of the high wind and blizzard warning for Turnagain
Arm and Portage to the north on Saturday. Though it has been calm in Seward, the rhythmic surf breaking at Lowell Point Beach spoke of a rough sea out in the Gulf
of Alaska.
On Saturday, a SHARP-SHINNED
HAWK materialized in the neighborhood after many weeks of no sightings.
According to the startled viewer, it attacked and pinned a young STELLER'S JAY.
The jay screeched, attracting mom and dad, siblings, cousins, aunts, and
uncles, and MAGPIES. The hawk dropped lunch, ruffled but OK, and disappeared, discouraged and
hungry. All that training this fall by the jays and magpies playing chase with
the hawk almost worked. Needless to say, it was very quiet in the 'hood the
rest of the afternoon.
I took the good dog to Lowell
Point Beach around 12:30 today. As it was raining lightly and dark, I left the
big lens in the car. As soon as I got to the beach, I regretted it. A
YELLOW-BILLED LOON floated regally just off shore. A RED-NECKED GREBE dove
nearby. I hustled back to the car, but by the time I returned with the camera, the loon had paddled farther out, too
far to photograph. Nevertheless, it was thrilling to see a yellow-billed again. The loons have
been very scarce so far this winter.
Two PELAGIC CORMORANTS swam
together; the younger had a much smaller head and thinner bill. A few BARROW'S
GOLDENEYES and one BUFFLEHEAD dove near Pinnacle Rock. Some other Barrow's Goldeneyes flew from
farther south around the beach, perhaps to join the large flock of about 200 on
the north side of the Point. A single MARBLED MURRELET paddled and dove. It is
easily identified as the little black and white bird that dives as soon as it's
seen.
Two HARLEQUIN DUCKS, an adult
drake and a juvenile male, snorkeled as they paddled steadily along, close to
the beach and the breaking waves. My guess is the ducks were peering underwater
and snapping up amphipods (beach fleas) stirred up by the surf and near the surface. Every so often,
they plunged and lunged to grab the tidbit. They could certainly dive if they
wanted, but chose to stay at the surface where the food was. Whatever it was,
it was small as I never saw them wrestle it around or slurp it down headfirst.
The young male ended up by
itself, really, really close to shore. He didn't seem to be bothered much by
the dog or me. Fortunately, the BALD EAGLE quietly perched high in a nearby
spruce, faced the other direction. That duck would have nowhere to dive should
the eagle swoop down and pin it to the sand.
It was neat to watch the water
roll off the duck's back. Just like the saying, it really does. The
adult white patterns on his head are gradually becoming more distinct. Compare the two photos to see. I hope
he lives through this first tough year. It would be interesting to watch the
complete make-over to a handsome Harlequin drake.
Happy Birding!
Carol
Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report
Reporter
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