Seward, Alaska
Sunrise 5:56 am, sunset 9:55 pm for a total day length of 15 hours and 45 minutes. Tomorrow will be 5 minutes and 13 seconds longer.
Spring is well underway! A whole week of sunny weather with temperatures inching up to 56 melted most of the remaining snow. Night-time temperatures in the low 30s ensured “breakup” was slow. The lovely weather, however, meant many migratory birds skipped Seward as a rest stop and appeared on eBird reports in Kenai, Anchorage, and Fairbanks.
A most amazing event stopped me in my tracks this morning, the wild, thrilling, flight calls of COMMON LOONS! I looked up in astonishment to see a pair stoking powerfully with their long, slender wings, legs trailing behind, heading to Resurrection Bay. After not seeing any Loons since last fall, I only recently found one far out in the bay on Tuesday. Now two, flying! I watched and listened in awe until they vanished.
Seven CANADA-type GEESE nibbled at the new shoots of beach rye grass. One CACKLING GOOSE with a white neck ring balanced on one leg in a yoga pose. They glanced up, but soon resumed breakfast.
Ahead, a loose flock of a dozen gold-spangled PACIFIC GOLDEN-PLOVERS methodically roved through the dead grasses and rocky beach, gleaning invisible nutrition. Glancing down, I saw nothing edible. It is fortunate I am not dependent on my inadequate foraging skills.
In a shallow intertidal puddle, I spied my first-of-year Sandpipers. A dozen WESTERN and LEAST SANDPIPERS slowly waded along, paired with their reflections. One snapped up an amphipod, likely their preferred prey. Some probed almost up to their eyeballs, feeling underwater with their sensitive bill tips.
After such a long winter, it was fun to verify the yellowish legs of the Least Sandpiper, and the black legs, chevrons, and rusty patches on the Western.
Five LAPLAND LONGSPURS called from the beach rye grass then shot up and away. After hearing snatches of songs, I finally saw two SAVANNAH SPARROWS picking off beach flies.
I heard a familiar “Chew-EET!” I’m looking forward to seeing my first-of-season Semipalmated Plover.
So many gifts this spring, and so much to look forward to!
Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter
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