Seward, Alaska
Sunrise 7:39 am, sunset 8:05 pm, for a total day length of 12 hours and 25 minutes. Tomorrow will be 5 minutes and 25 seconds shorter as we approach the Autumn Equinox on Monday, September 22.
Clouds continued today with temps ranging from 45-53, and occasional light showers. 100% chance of rain tomorrow and rain in the forecast for the next 10 days.
I refound the 27 LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS at the estuary pond, chittering and probing the shallows. An unseen GREATER YELLOWLEGS called. It’s getting late for these shorebirds to linger, but very nice to see and hear them. A juvenile NORTHERN HARRIER patrolled the area and flew right overhead!
I checked for FORK-TAILED STORM PETRELS and found only a few swooping around by the pullout south of the seafood processing plant on Lowell Point Road. Hundreds of Gulls, mostly BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES, and GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS paddled and dined in the calm water. A few PELAGIC CORMORANTS plowed through them. A Harbor Seal poked its head up to take a look.
As I peeked over the edge, I was surprised to see first one, then two WANDERING TATTLERS walking along the rocks close to the water, bobbing their tails. I thought these shorebirds were long gone on their way to their wintering grounds in Hawaii and other Pacific islands, or down the Pacific coast to California or farther south to South America.
Across the road, a PACIFIC WREN piped up from its hiding place in the woods, a songbird the size of a minute competing with the racket in the water and the BALD EAGLES perched above.
The seafood processing plant is scheduled to move across the bay and completely close operations by next March. The spectacle and cacophony of gulls and other seabirds, especially when stirred up by Eagles, will likely cease. Perhaps the show will relocate across the bay, but will not be as accessible to birders and photographers. Enjoy it while it lasts!
Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter
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