Sunday, April 15, 2018 Arctic Terns! and Dusky Canada Goose!

Update: The ID of the goose is in question and being researched. According to a goose researcher in Oregon, it could be a female Dusky. Mid-size geese are hard! 

According to Tasha DiMarzio, the Dusky Geese are a sub-species that ADFG is currently studying. They nest on the Copper River Delta and also on Middleton Island, but before nesting, during molt, and wintering, they can show up all over Prince William Sound, down the coast, along the Snow River and sometimes in Seward. They are not common and their numbers are not as high as Lessers and Taverners. 


Thank you for this information, Tasha.

Thanks to Ed for reminding me of Sibley's discussion at <http://www.sibleyguides.com/2007/07/identification-of-cackling-and-canada-goose/>

Based on this information, I'm pretty sure it's a Dusky.

Seward, Alaska

Another bright, sunny, blue-sky day with a high of 50ยบ. A chill in the air and clouds rolling up the bay by late afternoon spoke of the impending week of rain/showers/snow. 

MALLARDS are good birds, GADWALL are wonderful, NORTHERN PINTAILS are fabulous, but expectations are very high. I was resigned to be disappointed with the scarcity of any new birds when I heard a distant “chirp, chirp!” I instantly stopped and scanned the bay, not breathing. YES! Two then three then five ARCTIC TERNS swooped and sailed over the bay, chirping and razzing with excitement. Welcome back, amazing travelers!

A short time later, I scanned the area south of the Uplands for more. Instead, I watched a heavy-set dark bird chased by gulls land at the Uplands. It landed at the grassy edge, its distinctive white chinstrap visible through binoculars. A CANADA GOOSE! I watched and took distant photos, then decided to drive around to chance a closer look.

Fortunately, the Goose, though wary and alert, did not seem to mind me clicking away in my car. As a few other vehicles pulled up, it walked closer and even closer, grazing hungrily on the tiny new green grass shoots. Occasionally it stepped over to take a drink from one of the many puddles of melt water. How fun to observe its behavior from my car-blind!

When I got home, I got out the bird books, knowing there are a zillion subspecies of Canada-type Geese. The best I can figure is a LESSER CANADA GOOSE (parvipes), though the size seemed only slightly larger than the nearby pesky GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS. The relative size of the bill and length of the neck was hard to judge, and the breast didn’t seem particularly pale. If anyone can verify the identification from the photos, I’d appreciate your help.

Out on Exit Glacier Road, at least three VARIED THRUSHES were heard singing. Although several Varied Thrushes overwintered, it is possible that these are newly arrived. In a few weeks, every tree should have a Varied Thrush in residence.

As for the Western Screech Owls at Lost Lake, the pair has not been heard this past week. Hopefully, these secretive owls are now nesting.

I’m hoping the clouds will deliver more migratory birds this week, with or without the rain.

Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter









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