Seward, Alaska
Sunrise 6:22 am, sunset 9:32
pm for a total day length of 15 hours and 9 minutes. Tomorrow will be 5 minutes
and 23 seconds longer.
First
day of summer! Or at least it was a remarkable imitation. It seemed much warmer
than the official 55ยบ. The
unblemished blue dome graciously allowed complimentary puffy white clouds to
adorn its perfection. The snowy mountains, gleaming in the sun, kissed the sky.
Buds swelled, vigorous green leaves shot through the brown turf, anxious to get
going. Milbert Tortoiseshell butterflies emerged in numbers, so bright and
beautiful.
Mostly
sunny is forecast for the next few days, then rain and a chance of snow by the
weekend. Go figure. It can't last.
Recently
arrived and First of Season, a pair of elegant, breeding-plumage BLACK-BELLIED
PLOVERS dared to land in Mew Gull territory, i.e. the whole beach. The mew
gulls lurked nearby, more like bouncers than bodyguards. Occasionally, a gull
nonchalantly eased closer and closer, then suddenly struck out with its bill,
making the alert plover move off. The tired migrants really had to watch out
for these tin-horn tooting bullies.
Two
ravens raced overhead, performing a high-speed chase mixed with acrobatics that
included flips, flying upside down, and 360 synchronized spins. Raven sure know
how to celebrate!
Four
BALD EAGLES, perhaps inspired by these commandos, chased each other across the
sky, throwing in a few spins and talon-to-talon flips.
Cruising
past the old pilings south of the Uplands, I spotted two large black
cormorants, yellow-faced with sea-green eyes and poufy eyebrows. FOS
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS! What a nice surprise! The nearby MEW and
GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS did not disturb their preening, nor did the newcomers
relinquish their chosen roost. It must help to be bigger.
While
scanning the mountains for mountain goats and bears, I noticed black specks
like fruit flies swarming above the rugged peaks. I counted over 30 RAVENS
soaring and sailing on the afternoon breeze. My theory is these are female
ravens on a freedom flight, all taking a break from incubating those darn eggs
while the sun kept them warm. Who knows? Why not!
Like
Mario collecting gold coins, I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings!
Happy
Birding!
Carol
Griswold Seward
Sporadic Bird Report Reporter
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