Sunday, July 31, 2016 Elderberry magnet

Seward, Alaska

Sunrise 5:36 am, sunset 10:29 pm for a total day length of 18 hours and 54 minutes. Tomorrow will be 4 minutes and 54 seconds shorter.

Misty, cloudy weather continues with temperatures in the mid 50s to low 60s and light wind. Raspberries are booming with this infusion of moisture.

Today I watched a series of birds feast on Red Elderberries. Both the shriveled fruit and ripe berries proved to be a magnet for YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, TOWNSEND’S WARBLERS, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS, and a ROBIN family. I didn’t realize until now that these tiny birds enjoyed elderberries as much as the guzzling thrushes.

Later this afternoon, I spotted two HERMIT THRUSHES in the spruce understory, still here, but very quiet. And not seen, but heard, PINE GROSBEAKS in a nearby spruce top.

A special treat was watching a momma moose strip alder leaves with her mobile lips as her single darling calf did the same. The calf looked like a pony, complete with a mane and big, inquiring ears. What a lot of alder leaves it must take to feed these two! Fortunately, Seward has plenty to spare.

I received a report from the Bear Lake area that a migrating RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD showed up and flitted around this evening, but did not feed and seemed nervous like the previous cameos on July 14 and July 24 at 7 or 8 pm. Seems like the tail end of their migration through here.

Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter









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