Seward, Alaska
Sunrise 6:18 am, sunset 9:35 pm for a total of 15 hours and 17 minutes. Tomorrow will be 5 minutes and 21 seconds longer.
Overnight low of 24ยบ turned the calendar back to winter with twice the daylight as puddles and ponds refroze. Again. Daytime high of 38 still felt like standing in a freezer with a fan blowing chilly air. Snow squalls lazily strolled across the landscape alternating from the north and south, scattering fat snowflakes like confetti. More snow in the forecast, from 1-3” tomorrow through Thursday, then sunny for several days and warming up to the low 50s as MAY arrives.
While everyone waits in eager anticipation of new arrivals, I can’t help but hope they wait until winter is done. On Friday, April 19, Seward received 4-5 inches of snow, followed by 1-2” on Saturday, and another two inches today. Pretty crazy!
This evening, I was lucky to find a beautiful SHORT-EARED OWL hunting through another snow globe squall. This can’t be easy!
The TRUMPETER SWAN pair at Nash Road are now settled in, the pen sitting stoically on her nest piled high above the surrounding wetland, the cob heroically guarding. Or not. I’ve caught them both far from the nest several times, feeding and preening without a care. I suspect they will soon be more serious about brooding. Meanwhile, their six cygnets have disappeared from the area. A single Trumpeter Swan adult frequents the Lagoon now and then.
Lisa H shared this helpful link from Sibley Guides to help distinguish Cackling from Canada Geese: https://www.sibleyguides.com/2007/07/identification-of-cackling-and-canada-goose
Of note: a pair of HOODED MERGANSERS was reported at the Mile 14.7 wetlands and pond by the boardwalk. This is a first for the pond and worth monitoring for possible breeding.
Quick summary:
April 13, FOS GREATER YELLOWLEGS first heard, but then, as I began to doubt my ears, found in person.
April 15: many RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS seem to be the most common migrant and most easily heard from town to Exit Glacier. Tiny but loud and tough!
April 17: 5 LESSER CANANA GEESE, 7 magnificent FOS TUNDRA SWANS with one TRUMPETER SWAN, FOS male NORTHERN HARRIER, many NORTHERN PINTAILS, MALLARDS, GADWALL. 11 pm, GREAT HORNED OWL hooting serenely from mountainside.
April 18: VARIED THRUSH yard birds singing from spruce and cottonwood, “my” RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET in side yard.
April 19: FOS 8 GREEN-WINGED TEAL
April 21, FOS 13 SANDHILL CRANES, ~60 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE plus a few LESSER CANADA GEESE, did not linger. ROBINS scolding, VARIED THRUSHES singing.
April 22: FOS SHORT-EARED OWL, clouds of KITTIWAKES, GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS, MEW GULLS.
Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter
No comments:
Post a Comment