Seward, Alaska
PELAGIC CORMORANTS like to
rest and preen on some old pilings at the back of the SMIC boat basin at the
end of Nash Road. Today, I decided to take a closer look. I noticed at least
three had a light-colored bill that was thicker than the thin, dark bill of the
Pelagic. The birds were also a bit larger. Could they be RED-FACED CORMORANTS?
There was no red on the face,
however, like a winter plumaged adult RED-FACED CORMORANT. Unlike a brownish
juvenile, the birds had very glossy greenish and purple iridescence like
adults. It takes two years to develop adult plumage; could this be a second
year Red-faced Cormorant?
Which characteristics are
more important: the light-colored thicker bill of the Red-faced vs the thin,
dark bill of the Pelagic? Or the reddish face patch of the Red-faced vs dark,
dull face of the Pelagic in both winter adult plumages?
Could size variations account
for the differences in the birds I saw today? Were they all PELAGIC CORMORANTS?
I'd be interested to know, if
anyone would like to comment.
Also spotted: 1 male
LONG-TAILED DUCK, several SURF SCOTERS, 4 HORNED GREBES, 2 COMMON LOONS, and a
smattering of HARLEQUIN DUCKS.
Yesterday at dusk around 4:45
pm at Lowell Point, a GREAT HORNED OWL hooted from the spruce near the lower
parking lot.
Ava reported 5-6 AMERICAN
TREE SPARROWS under her feeders a few days ago.
Happy Birding!
Carol
Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report
Reporter
I saw a bird that looked EXACTLY like these in San Francisco (yes, San Francisco, California) in Sept. 2012. It was never conclusively identified, despite posting on ID-Frontiers (where I got an uncertain 50-50 split of opinions between the two common local sea cormorants, Pelagic and Brandt's). Your photos have encouraged me to submit photos of my bird to the CA records committee as a Red-faced Cormorant.
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