Seward, Alaska
The slushy rain ceased, the
temp rose to just above freezing, and best of all, the north wind stopped. For
two days! I felt like I was on vacation in Paradise!
The morning’s surprise was
several earthworms frozen in the street slush, caught attempting to cross the
road. The rain or melt water may have flushed them above ground, to their
dismay and probable demise. I found a Red (Interior) FOX SPARROW at my
neighbor’s home, scratching in the recently exposed dead grass. What a handsome
sparrow!
At midday while waiting for
the tide to retreat, I checked out the bay south of the Harbor Uplands. In a
distant line of 16 SURF SCOTERS, I found two slightly smaller sea ducks
paddling at the end. SCAUP, possibly GREATER, but a bit too far to be sure.
I checked Benny Benson Park
on Dairy Hill by the Lagoon. The ghost trees and live spruce in the former
horse corral were festooned with Bald Eagles like Christmas tree decorations. I
counted at least 30, half adults, half immatures. More sat on the eagle perches
above the dread power lines, and on the streetlights lining the highway. The
silver salmon that spawn in the horse corral creeks and in the unnamed creeks
paralleling the highway continue to be a magnet for all these enormous birds.
Next, I detoured to check the
Stash and Store Pond for the Hooded Merganser (male or female) but instead
found a MERLIN hunting from the tops of snags over the creek.
I arrived at the beach to do
the COASST dead bird survey just after the high tide retreated. Luckily, no
dead birds, but lots of live ones! A juvenile BALD EAGLE reluctantly gave up
his driftwood perch as we approached and stroked away on powerful wings.
A flock of NORTHWESTERN CROWS
quietly worked the tide-freshened beach, gleaning innumerable tidbits scattered
among the rocks and wrack. One found an old salmon skeleton and worked it over.
It was almost eerily silent, except for their crunching and scratching. They
didn’t seem to mind me and just watched as I slowly walked past.
A KINGFISHER rattled away
over the frozen pond. Not sure what he may have been hunting there. Five SNOW
BUNTINGS erupted from their hideaway in the beach rye grass, black and white
and a bit of brown against that immense blue sky.
Another black and white bird
zipped past and then hovered high over the tide-flattened sedges, flickering
with a rapid wing beat: a NORTHERN SHRIKE! As I fumbled with my camera, it
zoomed away.
As the tide retreated
further, I spotted a familiar winter sight: about 30 sandpipers, flashing white
and dark as they flipped back and forth in synchrony. It was as good as a
shorebird festival! They finally landed close enough for a few photos: two
DUNLIN and about 28 ROCK SANDPIPERS. So great to see these regular winter
visitors again!
Suddenly, an unusual bird
with angular wings flew past and disappeared over the beach berm. I managed to
get a tail/side shot. What the heck was that? I magnified the bad photo and saw
a bit of a shorebird-type bill. Worth checking out!
I walked slowly in the
general direction I had last seen it. So much territory! It could be anywhere. Not
a bird in sight. I just relaxed and enjoyed the magnificent scenery: snowy,
wild mountains all around, and that unreal blue sky. As I was about to turn about
and head back, a small movement along the shore of the creek caught my eye.
Aha!
The bird pecked and poked in
the silty mud in the tangle of sedges, gradually working its way TOWARDS me. I
couldn’t believe my good luck! Closer and closer, then out of the vegetation
and into the fast-disappearing sunshine. The bright rufous crown, white stripe
above the eyebrow, and buffy breast sure looked like a juvenile SHARP-TAILED
SANDPIPER!
This was a Life Bird for me
when I first found one around here on September 18, 2015. December 1 seems like a very late
date. The handsome sandpiper finally seemed to either see or hear my camera,
then flew a short ways past me and landed to continue feeding. How special to
have been able to observe it unnoticed!
As the sun sank behind the
western mountains around 2 pm, I headed back down the beach into the shadows,
full of joy at the treasures I had seen.
What a fabulous and
rejuvenating two days of birding and general gawking at the scenery!
Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report
Reporter
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