Seward,
Alaska Sporadic Bird Report
Sunrise
10:00 am, sunset 4:04 pm, length of day 7 hours, 57 minutes; tomorrow will be 2
minutes and 17 seconds longer.
Weather:
Dark, gradually brightening to a monochrome palette around noon, then dimming by mid afternoon. Slanting rain showers marched up the bay, a gray wall o'water, with
brief breaks. Moderate winds from the southeast, temperatures well above
freezing, heading towards 40ยบ.
More of the same in the forecast with slightly lower temperatures
favoring snow showers.
Streets
are slushy with huge puddles. Most of the snow is reduced to a soggy crust
except where it was piled up. Brown grass is once again showing under the
sheltering trees. Recent strong winds knocked large branches to the ground as
well as many clusters of Mt Ash berries. The fructivores will be hungry later
this winter.
Casual
birding today while repairing wind damage and on walks: BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS, PINE
GROSBEAKS, DOWNY WOODPECKER, PINE SISKINS, COMMON REDPOLLS, NW CROWS, RAVENS,
STELLER'S JAYS, ROBINS, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES, CHESTNUT-BACKED
CHICKADEES.
A
rainy day is a perfect time to visit the Alaska Sealife Center. Wednesdays are
free to Alaskan residents and a visit should encourage anyone to join on the
spot.
I was curious how the newest residents, the SMEWS, were doing and was not
disappointed. The male is now in his "cracked ice" breeding plumage
and is truly elegant. The male KING EIDER, also resplendent, puffed out his
chest and bowed his head as he "cooed" a melodiously to his
adoring females. The LONG-TAILED DUCKS in their breeding finery sang,
"owl-ome-lette!" The intricately patterned HARLEQUIN DUCKS squeaked
like little toys. It was a most amazing sea duck concert.
The
auks were overall pretty quiet: COMMON MURRES, RHINOCEROUS AUKLETS, HORNED and
TUFTED PUFFINS, preened and bathed. But the PIGEON GUILLEMOTS were in a tizzy,
flying low then plunging instantly underwater, zipping around and popping up
under some other bird, keeping things quite interesting. Overhead, the
RED-LEGGED KITTIWAKES flew in circles, sometimes quite low over visitors'
heads, perhaps trying to get a reaction. Always something to watch!
It
was hard to leave the birds, but it was getting too dark to photograph. As
twilight settled in, the sea lions and seals swam around and around, lively, graceful shadows fading into the night.
If
you haven't visited recently, make it a New Year's Resolution to check out the
wonders of our ocean world at the ASLC in 2013.
Happy
Birding!
Carol
Griswold
Seward
Sporadic Bird Report Reporter
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