Tuesday, May 18, 2021 Northern Waterthrush and other Exit Glacier birdsong

Seward, Alaska

Sunny! High of 63 with a SSW wind. Beautiful spring day!

 

Exit Glacier Road (Herman Leirer Road) was open to the second gate on Resurrection River at the boundary of Kenai Fjords National Park. I was amazed at the jam-packed and overflowing parking lot at the nearby USFS Resurrection River trailhead, especially on a Tuesday. Lots of visitors hiked the 1.5 miles to the closed Nature Center on a clear road and then on to see the glacier. 

 

I biked, gliding along effortlessly past the plodding pedestrians, listening to the chorus of birdsong: VARIED THRUSHES, ROBINS, HERMIT THRUSHES, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS, FOX SPARROWS, a DOWNY WOODPECKER drumming, and first-of-spring NORTHERN WATERTHRUSHES. 

 

At the parking lot, two MAGPIES were already on duty, cleaning up crumbs. A beautiful pair of PINE GROSBEAKS cautiously flew down to the snow berm at the edge. The female appeared to be eating gravel. I thought the male was doing the same, but a closer inspection of my photos showed a beakful of invertebrates or insect larvae that were hiding in the snow. The female then flew up to a spruce and seemed to be eating spruce needles. It’s hard to find them away from town feeders so that was another treat. 

 

I glassed for brown bears and black bears on the brown mountainside without any luck. It’s always easier to spot bears and mountain goats before the leaves emerge.

 

Aside from the elusive Northern Waterthrush, my other two target birds were Swainson’s Thrush and Gray-cheeked Thrush. I didn’t hear them or the Wilson’s and Yellow Warblers yet. I thought I would hear Common Redpolls as they overwinter here and nest in the park, but didn't find any. The bird list is filling out nicely; it’s always fun to anticipate finding more species and surprises.

 

Park staff was busy snow blowing around the mostly clear parking lot, installing speed bumpers, and working in the Nature Center. I think the gate will be open soon. Meanwhile, it was a pleasure on this beautiful afternoon, to linger in the road, looking and listening for birds.

 

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter