Sunday, June 30, 2013 Black Oystercatchers


Seward Alaska Sporadic Bird Report

Much to my surprise, despite the increasing crowds and loose dogs at Lowell Point, I discovered two adult BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS calmly poking through the algae-covered rocks at low tide today.

No predictions on how long they will stay, but it sure was amazing to see them!

Also spotted patrolling the shoreline, were 7 SURF SCOTERS, 5 HARLEQUIN DUCKS, and several small groups of MARBLED MURRELETS.

Ava reports lots of baby birds around her yard and at the feeders: baby everything! PINE SISKINS, PINE GROSBEAKS, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES, CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEES, DOWNY and HAIRY WOODPECKERS, ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS, TREE and VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS. Also she suspects the RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD eggs have hatched as she is seeing more activity at the sugar water feeders by the hungry moms.

Unfortunately, after a catastrophic rainstorm a few years ago that collapsed all the nearby CLIFF SWALLOW nests and killed the babies, there are no longer any CLIFF SWALLOWS.

The ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS that arrived too early for our late spring, learned to feed at the suet feeder. Now they are eating sticky insects off the hummingbird feeders and have figured out how to get sugar water as well.

I received another report of this behavior: CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEES sipping sugar water from hummer feeders. Smart birds! and no teeth to rot!

Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

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