Tuesday, December 2, 2025 Update on Anna’s, Killdeer, Rock Sandpipers, plus a Pintail

Seward, Alaska

Sunrise 9:37 am, sunset 3:59 pm for a total day length of 6 hours and 22 minutes. Tomorrow will be 3 minutes and 5 seconds shorter.

Mild temperatures in the mid-30s, light rain, and generally calm winds continued for the past several days. Yesterday, the sun broke through and lifted everyone’s spirits for a glorious day.

Even the ANNA’S HUMMINGBIRD seemed to react to the brighter dawn of a clear day, appearing at my heated feeder almost 45 minutes earlier than on the previous dark Sunday morning. 

He continued to be very suspicious, zooming in, ticking loudly as he surveilled the airspace around the feeder. Up, down, this side, and that, even hovering and staring at my kitchen window. Oops! How did he know?

When he tentatively touched down, he just as quickly zoomed away into the nearby spruce. It took several reconnaissance flights before he finally settled down to drink. I wonder how long he will remember the abduction by aliens and my complicity!

The KILLDEER flew in yesterday with a loud “dee, dee!”, last seen by me on November 22. I was happy to see that he, like the Hummer, survived the recent storm. eBird reported sightings on November 28. As the tide ebbed, he foraged along the tidelands gleaning amphipods hidden in the mud.

18 ROCK SANDPIPERS chittered excitedly as they too foraged in a tight flock along the ebbing tide line. They seemed to exclaim over every tidbit they found, like treasures at a garage sale, very fun to hear.

At the Mile 1, Nash Road wetlands, 19 TRUMPETER SWANS, including a family with two dark cygnets, rested in the sun, snorkeled for salad, or even took a bath in the open water at the far side of the otherwise frozen pond.

Also of note on Sunday, November 30, I found a NORTHERN PINTAIL with a small flock of MALLARDS, AMERICAN WIGEONS, and GADWALL at the tidelands. A drake LONG-TAILED DUCK and COMMON LOON dove at Fourth of July Beach.

After that sunny break in the huge low rolling across the Gulf of Alaska, the dark clouds and rain showers returned today, concealing the stunning beauty all around.

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter 

Tuesday, November 25, 2025 Anna’s Hummingbird banded

Seward, Alaska

Sunrise 9:22 am, sunset 4:09 pm for a total day length of 6 hours and 46 minutes. Tomorrow will be 3 minutes and 52 seconds shorter. Civil twilight start 8:30 am, end 5:02 pm.

 

The temperature hovered around 17 most of the night until 9 am then gradually rose to around 22 for the afternoon. Resurrection Bay steamed for the first time this winter as the warmer ocean released heat to the frigid air. Fortunately, the north wind mellowed out to 4-5 mph with gusts to 13. 

 

And the ANNA’S HUMMINGBIRD zipped over to my heated feeder at 9:30 am, raring to go.

 

Todd Eskelin, Kenai National Wildlife Refuge biologist and hummingbird bander extraordinaire, arrived around noon after driving 94 miles from Soldotna in hopes of banding the tiny explorer. 

 

In a short time, he set up his banding station on the tailgate of his truck and then secured his custom ¼” wire mesh cage close to the original feeder site with my unplugged heated feeder hung inside. 

 

The Pledge-oiled sliding door was held open with fishing line on a reel leading to our watching station 20 feet away. The trap was set. We didn’t know if it would be a fruitless 4-hour vigil or a success, but the time passed quickly. Fortunately, though it was chilly, it did not snow and the wind was calm.

 

A few Red-breasted Nuthatches and Chestnut-backed Chickadees trickled into the adjacent seed and suet feeders, but no hummer. Eight Robins flew overhead; Pine Grosbeaks sang from treetops and a Bald Eagle screeched, but no hummer.

 

After watching for about an hour, a flicker of green appeared, checking out this suspicious-looking contraption with his familiar feeder inside. The instant he finally went in, Todd slackened the fishing line and the door slid shut in the nick of time. That was one fast hummer!

 

Todd carefully climbed the stepladder and expertly caught the frenzied flier in his hand. He gently popped the suddenly placid hummer in a mesh bag and carried him over to the tailgate banding station and scale. 

 

Imagine how light a nickel is, only 5 grams. This immature male weighed a speck more: 5.2 grams. Todd thought he was slightly underweight but not the lightest of the six he has banded recently. 

 

After carefully transferring the quiet hummer to a soft pouch made from a cut-off pantyhose toe, Todd expertly crimped the impossibly tiny silver band, #U23487, on the toothpick-thin hummer’s right leg. Ta dah! Next was a dab of blue white-out on top of his head for easier spotting. The important data was collected and now, a scant 5 minutes after capture, it was release time. 

 

I was allowed to lightly touch the breast and feel the sharp keel bone not cushioned by fat. Then Todd laid the living jewel on my outstretched palm. He felt surprisingly warm on this cold day. His heart beat so fast, it was more of a hum than a beat. There he rested. And rested.

 

I don’t know how long he would have stayed; I would have gladly cradled him forever. Todd kindly suggested that I give him a little shake. It was time for him to rustle up some spiders, an essential food source for protein. 

Apparently, tiny spiders are abundant in the surrounding trees and shrubs but I would starve in a minute with my inability to find any. I jiggled my hand and he shot off into the nearby spruce. Wow. What a thrill!

 

The Anna’s returned for a sugar hit at 2:00 pm; I was relieved he was not too traumatized by his bizarre encounter with aliens. 

 

Thank you, Todd, for your expertise and effort to further understand the biology of the Anna’s Hummingbird and document their incredible range extension to Alaska. It was a pleasure to share this special encounter with you!

 

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

Saturday, November 22, 2025 Snow Buntings, Killdeer, and a Hummingbird

Seward, Alaska

Sunrise 9:15 am, sunset 4:15 pm for a total day length of 6 hours and 59 minutes. Tomorrow will be 4 minutes and 9 seconds shorter.

Instead of the forecasted several feet of snow, we had a week of mostly dreary rain on a few inches of crusty snow. Today, the sun triumphed and almost felt warm as it arced low across the southern sky.

The overnight high of 31around midnight gradually fell to daytime temps in the mid 20s. More sunshine with lower temps predicted for the next few days, then back to the “dismal wintry mix.”

No rarities today, aside from the sun. I spotted the KILLDEER, still hanging on after those miserable days and nights, feeding at the tideline.

Four SNOW BUNTINGS waltzed out of the beach rye grass right in front of me at the beach. They glanced at me then posed on a nearby stump to preen and fluff up in the sunshine. One ate snow off the stump while another plucked a beach ryegrass seed fresh from the stalk for breakfast. Yesterday a flock of about 40 flashed overhead in the gloom.

At high tide, a lone drake LONG-TAILED DUCK dove in the flooded estuary creek. Uncommon here, I’ve only seen LTDU in the ocean, not freshwater. Closer to the bay, two TRUMPETER SWANS plunged their long necks into the creek to feed on submerged salad.

Over in the Clearview Subdivision behind Safeway, a GREAT BLUE HERON flew over the neighborhood homes from the northwest towards the bay. I wondered where it flew from? A secret spruce tree roost in someone’s yard?

33 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS perched high in a look-out cottonwood. These are likely the same flock that was downtown a few days ago. After chirring and chiming, they flashed a block away to devour Mt Ash berries.

Two RAVENS enjoyed the frozen red berries on another tree, and a small flock of PINE GROSBEAKS feasted on yet another. Plenty of Mt Ash Berry Diners to choose from!

Along Lowell Point Road, along with the usual suspects, I found a distant COMMON MURRE and a WHITE-WINGED SCOTER diving. Two River Otters swam steadily, headfirst like smart otters, close to the rocks.

At Lowell Point Beach, a young BLACK-BILLED MAGPIE strutted unconcerned at my feet, almost too close to photograph. The sun highlighted the gorgeous iridescence of its green and blue finery.

Back home, three SLATE-COLORED JUNCOS scrounged below the sunflower seed feeder when the territorial resident SONG SPARROW allowed. A few RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES and CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEES flitted back and forth, enjoying the suet and seeds.

To top off a lovely day, the ANNA’S HUMMINGBIRD zoomed in to the warm sugar water feeder, another survivor of the lousy weather. I hadn’t seen him at all on Wednesday or Thursday. What a joy to see this resilient little green spirit!

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

Monday, November 17, 2025 Piling Cafe

Seward, Alaska

The PILING CAFE along Lowell Point Road offers a perfect dining experience for BALD EAGLES. The ambiance is casual, come as you are, with stunning views of the bay and surrounding snow-clad mountains. The menu is classy catch of the day with delivery from ocean to table guaranteed in mere minutes if there is no poaching. 

 

Reservations are not recommended; no one is willing to dispute an incoming Eagle with a fresh caught meal in its talons. Seating is limited to one or possible two, depending on the temperament of the diners and the presence of petty thieves. A convenient waiting area is provided on a nearby piling; please keep screeching to a minimum.

The Café features self-service as waiters fear for their lives. Snow is provided for cleaning blood off of one’s bill. No need to leave a tip; the leftovers are appreciated by the next customers.

 

Bon appetite!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

Sunday, November 16, 2025 Palm Warbler! Short-eared Owl, Killdeer

Seward, Alaska

Sunrise 9:01 am, sunset 4:26 pm for a total day length of 7 hours and 25 minutes. Tomorrow will be 4 minutes and 35 seconds shorter.

 

Starry sky last night featured Venus to the south then Jupiter to the east with Orion rising over the silhouetted mountains. Clouds moved in by morning. 5 am low of 18, rising to 28 by 5 pm. Five to eight inches of snow predicted this evening with more on the way.

 

This afternoon at the head of the bay, a small bird flushed from the grasses as I passed and flew about a block away towards some spruce trees. While wondering about finding this needle in the haystack, I turned back just in case. 

 

To my amazement, the warbler-sized bird popped up on top of a snag and calmly posed, bobbing its tail up and down. The distinctive, bright butter-yellow undertail coverts flashed on this otherwise rather drab bird. PALM WARBLER! A Lifer!

 

Further research indicated that this was a Western aka Brown palmarum subspecies that should be overwintering under the swaying palms of the Caribbean, not frigid Alaska. 

 

The 2025 Checklist of Alaska Birds lists the Palm Warbler as Rare.

 

Kai Reising in Halibut Cove posted photos similar to this one on November 8, 2025. Could it be the same bird? The species was also reported in Seward on October 26, 2015, and October 5, 2020 but I missed it both times. 

 

Just as I started the car, I noticed a SHORT-EARED OWL hunting in the far field. I leapt out and enjoyed watching it rise then waft lower and lower, cruising just above the ground. Suddenly it flared, dove, and disappeared. I hope it found a fat vole to tide it over the long cold night.

 

What a fabulous afternoon!

Also posted are photos from Friday, my most recent sighting of the KILLDEER.

 

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter