Seward, Alaska Sporadic Bird Report
Sunrise 4:32 am, sunset 11:27
pm for a total of 18 hours, 55 minutes. Tomorrow will be 14 seconds
SHORTER.
After setting that high
temperature record of 88º on June 17 and another day record of 75º on June 18,
temps have dropped back down to normal, hovering in the high 40s to low 60s. A
decent rainfall Tuesday night helped revive the spectrum of greens, refreshed
by daily sprinkles. The clouds subdued and shortened the daylight on this
special first day of summer.
It's a quiet time of year, a
time for nesting and nurturing newly hatched babies. Except for RAVENS, whose
babies squawk lustily for service, heedless of any predatory attention that
might attract. Robin eggshells were found on the ground last week. On
Wednesday, I spied a HERMIT THRUSH carrying food, another sure sign of a
hatchling.
A few birds are still
singing: ROBIN, VARIED THRUSH, HERMIT THRUSH, SWAINSON'S THRUSH, YELLOW
WARBLER, ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, WILSON'S WARBLER, TOWNSEND'S WARBLER, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, FOX
SPARROW, SAVANNAH SPARROW, LINCOLN'S SPARROW, SONG SPARROW, and a single PINE
GROSBEAK.
Rich MacIntosh from Kodiak
reported WESTERN SANDPIPERS already heading south from a failed nesting season
on the western Alaska breeding grounds. Keep an eye out for sandpipers and
perhaps other birds that also experienced failure due to the late spring and
other weather difficulties.
Folks have asked me for
birding tips for their summer trips. Here's a short list:
On your way south from
Anchorage to Seward, check out Potter's Marsh and walk the boardwalk. The turn
is right at the bottom of the hill as you leave Anchorage.
Check out Tern Lake at Mile
38 for nesting terns, mew gulls, common loon, greater yellowlegs, and others. Look for golden eagles
hunting the mountainsides.
Check out the nesting
Trumpeter Swans and Red-necked Grebes at Mile 15 pullout. Listen and watch for
the Rusty Blackbirds that are probably nesting. There's also a Cackling or
Canada Goose just out of reach of the swans, and ducks including American
Wigeon.
Exit Glacier is always an
interesting place for birds; spend as much time as you can birding the trails.
Consider hiking up the strenuous Harding Icefield Trail for alpine species.
The Kenai Fjords boat tour
is a must, as is the Alaska Sealife Center.
Hard to say what's in town
as there are so many people crowding them out, and many nesting birds are quiet
at this time. That said, walk the Greenbelt trail in front of town; check the Boat
Harbor, the Lagoon and horse corral; drive out to Lowell Point, and down Nash
Road to Spring Creek Beach and Fourth of July Beach at the end on the east
side. A pair of Trumpeter Swans is often seen at the Mile 1 Nash Road wetlands,
thought it does not appear that they are nesting.
Ava has a great bird feeder
including Rufous Hummingbirds and Chestnut-backed Chickadees. She welcomes
birders. Turn left on Nash Road, turn left on Salmon Creek Road, go over the
bridge and take an immediate right. Drive to the end of the driveway past a
couple houses and park. Her house is cedar with a blue roof at the end. There
is no need to knock.
Check out these links:
download the Kenai
Peninsula Wildlife Viewing Trail Guide
Also check the AK Birding
website for more recent updates on birds in SouthCentral Alaska.
Happy Birding!
Carol
Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report
Reporter
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