Seward, Alaska
Taking advantage of a
beautiful summery day and convenient tides, a friend and I hiked out to Caines
Head State Recreation Area, the largest State Park unit in Seward. The trail
starts in Lowell Point State Recreation Site at the Tonsina trailhead, then
joins the tide-dependent Coastal Trail to North Beach. From there, the Fort
Trail leads to Fort McGilvray, an historic WWII site. We also hiked down to
South Beach, then back to North Beach and caught the ebbing tide back to Lowell
Point, a total of about 17.6 miles and 14 hours.
In the morning, the forest
resounded with bird song: PACFIC WRENS, GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS, RUBY-CROWNED
KINGLETS, VARIED THRUSH, HERMIT THRUSH, WILSON’S WARBLERS, YELLOW-RUMPED
WARBLERS, ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS, TOWNSENDS WARBLERS, and the “zing!” of
RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD flyby.
Young RAVENS screeched from a
distant nest, a BALD EAGLE delivered a fish to its nest, STELLER’S JAYS, songbirds
without a song, rat-tat-tatted, and GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS patrolled the beaches.
A SPOTTED SANDPIPER flew with
stiff wings along the shore, calling, then stopped to feed along the intertidal
zone. About 20 HARLEQUIN DUCKS napped along the shore. Two BARROW’S GOLDENEYE
males dove nearby.
The forest was oddly quiet on
the way back; only the sweet “woodland flute” of the HERMIT THRUSH serenaded us
as dusk descended at 11 pm.
It was a long day, but a very
rewarding hike. If you go, consider hiking one way (factor in the tides) and ride
the other way with the Seward Water Taxi, ride both ways, or paddle with one of
the many kayak companies for a round trip by water. Bring a flashlight for the Fort
as it is underground.
Happy
Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report
Reporter
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