Seward, Alaska
Sunrise 9:19 am, sunset 6:05 pm, for a total day length of 8 hours and 45 minutes. Tomorrow will be 5 minutes and 12 seconds shorter.
Unbelievable weather this week! A major storm hit Southcentral Alaska on Wednesday and Thursday as a giant low moved across the Gulf of Alaska. Seward experienced NNE winds gusting 35 to 45 mph and over 4” of rain with temps warming from 30 to 39º.
A rare thunderstorm rumbled in around 8 pm on Wednesday night, the roiling clouds ignited by lighting. The flashes and booms came fast and loud like fireworks, echoing off the surrounding mountainsides. Stinging hail, heavy rain, and angry wind accompanied the phenomenal show for the next 5 hours, which finally diminished after a final flash and boom around 1:30 am. Wow!
Not to be outdone by the sky, at 9:33 am on Thursday, the earth shook with a 5.4 magnitude earthquake, centered 44 miles southwest of Seward. The quake started slow, jiggling anything loose, then one big jolt that made me jump, followed by several smaller jolts, then faded. It seemed to last about 10 seconds, hard to say. Fortunately, that was it. Whew!
After this challenging week of rain and wind, the ANNA’S HUMMINGBIRD materialized at my feeder today shortly before noon, a resilient storm survivor. Where and how did he shelter through that long, hard night? He sipped for several minutes, flashing his magenta jewels when startled by a Nuthatch or Chickadee in the adjacent sunseed feeder. I managed to get a few through-the-window photos before he zoomed off. I did not see him again today. What in inspiration!
At the head of the bay, two more CACKLING GEESE joined the three-some. Will the five finally migrate together?
Tuesday was my last sighting of a SHARP-TAILED SANDPIPER when it serendipitously flew over the marsh and landed at the edge of the shallow pond in full view. Maybe they’ll leave with the Geese before it snows next week.
Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter
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