Seward, Alaska
Sunrise 8:48 am, sunset 4:34
pm, for a total day length of 7 hours and 45 minutes. Tomorrow will be 4
minutes and 49 seconds shorter.
Mostly sunny skies today with
a howling NNW wind gusting to 50 mph. White caps on the roiling bay; snow
streamers off the mountains. Low of 15º, high of 39º (somewhere out of the
wind.) Thin blanket of crusty snow from two days ago, green grass pokes
through. Lagoon, lakes and ponds mostly frozen. Forecast for mostly sunny and
temps in the mid teens for the next five days.
The first snowfall didn’t
amount to much, but pushed many birds to the area feeders. No sign of the
Lowell Point Swamp Sparrow.
Saturday, November 7:
RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER at the single Mt Ash on Benson. Seven SNOW BUNTINGS at
the head of the bay.
Sunday, November 8: SMIC
North Dock, male LONG-TAILED DUCK, and the usual suspects: COMMON MURRES,
MARBLED MURRELETS, PIGEON GUILLEMOTS, PELAGIC CORMORANTS, HARLEQUINS,
SURF-SCOTERS, BARROWS-GOLDENEYES, HORNED GREBES, RED-NECKED GREBES, BALD
EAGLES, NW CROWS, RAVENS, and a female KINGFISHER.
Monday, November 9: The homeowners
at the “Accipiter House” at Madison and Second watched the male WILSON’S
WARBLER from just a few feet away at their window feeder. Two STARLINGS zipped
across Van Buren by the Little League Field; could one be the Exit Glacier
bird?
Wednesday, November 10: A
BROWN CREEPER hopped casually up a Devil’s Club stalk, oblivious to the
exceedingly sharp spines. Then it flitted over to a nearby rocky outcrop and
exhibited phenomenal freestyle rock climbing skills, including effortlessly traversing
the underside and up the face. A PACIFIC WREN cheered from the bare shrubs. A
small mixed flock of CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEES and GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS
seeped and tweeted as they bounced from branch to branch. One male flashed his
exceedingly bright golden crown.
The feeder in the alley on
Second north of Madison, featured several OREGON JUNCOS, DARK--EYED JUNCOS, a WHITE-CROWNED
SPARROW adult and immature, a GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW, BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES, several PINE GROSBEAKS,
and several STELLER’S JAYS.
Today, I visited Ava’s Place.
About 30 PINE GROSBEAKS perched in the nearby cottonwoods then swooped down to
her yard trees, swaying in the wind before descending on the freshly filled
suet feeders and sunseed trays.
Ava has had a single BOHEMIAN
WAXWING here recently, but I did not find it today. I did find a handsome
AMERICAN TREE SPARROW, possibly two, and a GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW. They both
spent most of their time scavenging fallen seeds and suet on the ground. The
single RED CROSSBILL with his perpetual grin, was assertive without being aggressive at the porch feeders, even with the bigger Grosbeaks.
Also present, cheerful BLACK-CAPPED
and CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEES, serious RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES, DOWNY
WOODPECKERS, and a male HAIRY WOODPECKER with a broken leg. He seemed to be
managing quite well despite his handicap, thanks to Ava’s abundant feast.
I also checked SMIC North
Dock where three NW CROWS enjoyed a bath in a recently thawed puddle despite
the wind. A BALD EAGLE flew past with a COMMON MURRE fluttering in its deathly
grip. I saw that Murre earlier, just putt-putt-putting along, not particularly
wary, and even I marked it as easy pickings. The hard times for some make good
times for others.
Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report
Reporter
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