Friday, September 5, 2025 American Pipits, Black Turnstones, Pectoral Sandpipers, Short-billed Dowitchers

Seward, Alaska

Sunrise 7:04 am, sunset 8:51 pm for a total day length of 13 hours and 46 minutes. Tomorrow will be 5 minutes and 23 seconds shorter.

Mostly cloudy this morning with a northwest breeze, temps in the low 50s. A tiny blue sky-window opened wide by the afternoon and the sun beamed, raising the temp to 58º. Rain in the forecast and temps hovering around 50 for the next week.

After so much rain and fog, it was great to hit the beach. I immediately flushed a WILSON’S SNIPE that flew low from its hiding place in the yellowing sedges, dove into neighboring sedges and disappeared. 

About 7 SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS fed in the ever more shallow pond. A GREATER YELLOWLEGS walked across and didn’t even get its belly wet. PECTORAL SANDPIPERS and a few peeps foraged by a lush green stand of Mare’s Tails. 

Dozens of GREEN-WINGED TEAL, AMERICAN WIGEON, MALLARDS, and NORTHERN PINTAILS preened and dabbled nearby. A BELTED KINGFISHER rattled past and then a majestic GREAT BLUE HERON.

But the best was yet to come!

As I strolled along the beach, I encountered a pulse of SAVANNAH SPARROWS chasing flies. These had dwindled to just a few, but now they seemed everywhere, with their bubblegum pink legs and fancy yellow eyebrows.

As if conjured, suddenly I saw about 6 AMERICAN PIPITS chasing flies in the mud and on the sandy beach with the Sparrows! I’ve been wanting to find Pipits! As they walked along, they gently bobbed their tails. The white outertail feathers flashed when excited or when they flew in pursuit.

A mob of screaming (do they even have a volume control?) GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS, HERRING GULLS, and SHORT-BILLED GULLS feasted on pink salmon carcasses and even live ones still spawning in the intertidal streams. The splashing of the salmon mingled with the ruckus of the Gulls. BALD EAGLES seemed to enjoy raising the decibels as they cruised low overhead, temporarily scattering everything in their path.

A dark shorebird caught my eye: BLACK TURNSTONE! I watched it forage among the green algae-covered rocks, deftly flipping rocks, sticks, and other items out of the way. It flew across a finger of water and landed, holding bright white wings up high like a banner. The count rose to three Black Turnstones towards the end of the beach.

A cooperative PECTORAL SANDPIPER provided excellent views as it foraged along the beach. A few WESTERN and LEAST SANDPIPERS poked and prodded among the rocks and in the mud.

The birds are on the move; I’m thrilled to have been allowed to watch.

What a great morning!

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter