Sunday, September 13, 2015 Spencer Glacier/ Lake raft trip

South of Portage, Alaska

On the second to last day of the Alaska Railroad passenger service and Chugach Adventures’ Spencer Glacier raft trips, a friend and I became tourists. After driving the 80 miles to Portage, we took a short detour down Portage Valley and found a beautiful, bright VARIED THRUSH and then a SPRUCE GROUSE hen in one of the campgrounds. What an intricate pattern embroidered on her feathers!

Hated to leave, but had to catch the train at Portage, so back we went. On the way to Spencer Glacier, I spotted a NORTHERN HARRIER floating over the wetlands adjacent to the tracks. Unidentified ducks flew off in the far distance, otherwise it was fairly quiet. All the nesting ARCTIC TERNS have migrated, and the MEW GULLS moved on.

After a short train ride, we disembarked at Spencer Glacier. The guide told me that while this is not a major flyway, SANDHILL CRANES flew overhead yesterday. I did not expect to find a lot of birds this time of year, but I think it would be very interesting birding in the successional willow-alder-cottonwood-spruce forest and up into the alpine from May through August.

The rafting trip past icebergs, growlers, and bergy bits to Spencer Glacier 1 ½ miles away was fabulous. We lingered in front of the blue ice face of the mile wide glacier, a safe distance away, then landed on the right side for a short walk on the edge of the glacier. Except for the water dripping off the ice into puddles and the breeze, it was very quiet. Our guide told us that at night, when it is especially calm and quiet, campers hear pops, groans, and growls as the glacier moves ever forward.

All too soon, it was time to leave. Our friendly, informative, and very strong guide rowed us back across the lake to the beach. As the train was already waiting, we shucked our life jackets, thanked the guide, hustled back in the van and loaded up. The scenery rolled past the windows, gold and green cottonwoods and wetlands with maroon and red mountainsides above, white fingers of glacial ice in the valleys. Spectacular!

We got back to Portage shortly after 5, loaded back into the car, and drove home. Three adult TRUMPETER SWANS swam in the wetlands at the base of Turnagain Arm and two more were spotted in Tern Lake.

What a great way to enjoy a beautiful Alaskan fall day!

For more information check out Chugach Adventures at <http://alaskanrafting.com> and the Alaska Railroad at <https://www.alaskarailroad.com>

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Saturday, September 12, 2015 Sandhill Cranes!

Seward, Alaska

Another squally day with bouts of hard rain and peek-a-boo sky.

In a downpour around 2 pm in town, I heard the stirring cries of SANDHILL CRANES flying overhead in the clouds. I raced to the head of the bay for a possible better view, but was again thwarted by the clouds. From the east side of the bay, through a break, Kerry reported at least 100 cranes flying south in a large V with stragglers tagging along. For the next several hours, more cranes passed overhead in intervals, heard but not seen. Around 7 pm, I received a call from just north of town of a tremendous flock of many hundreds of cranes flying very high, urgently heading south. It was a banner day for cranes in Seward, the first and possibly the last migrants.

It was an exciting day for birding overall. The regal TRUMPETER SWAN family of 6 cygnets had flown from their nest site at Nash Road to the salt marsh pond to feed. Opportunistic PINTAILS, WIGEONS, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, MALLARDS and GADWALL surrounded them, profiting from the swans’ long-necked efforts to dredge up pond plants. Molted swan feathers floated on the calm surface; more wafted out every time a cygnet stretched and beat its massive wings.

A brown juvenile or possibly a female NORTHERN HARRIER steadily looped around the gold and green salt marsh in the light rain, its white rump flashing. Suddenly, an overly ambitious MERLIN gave chase, but soon broke off. At one point, the HARRIER chased a RAVEN, a RAVEN chased another RAVEN, and two BALD EAGLES went after each other. Everyone chasing somebody!

In the distance, a GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL pursued a juvenile BALD EAGLE, flying past several other eagles perched in the trees. I started counting eagles, many with their wings hanging out to dry, for a total of at least 75 adults and juveniles! That’s a lot of eagles for Seward!

Two unidentified peeps flew out of the wetlands. A short time later, two DOWITCHERS circled around. (Any ID on those?) A second HARRIER, also brown, materialized and both hunted low over the marsh. Several SAVANNAH SPARROWS popped in and out of the beach rye, perching momentarily on top of the golden stalks before sinking back down.

Through a break in the clouds I caught a glimpse of termination dust on Mt Alice before the clouds regrouped to conceal Nature's little surprise.

To top it off, as I was leaving, I spotted a splendid cow moose feeding on alders at the edge of the clearing. That a moose can survive and thrive eating faded alder leaves and other plants, including bark in winter, is impressive.

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

Monday, September 7, 2015 Northern Shrike and Rusty Blackbirds

Seward, Alaska

Sunrise 7:06 am, sunset 8:43 pm for a total day length of 13 hours and 36 minutes. Tomorrow will be 5 minutes and 24 seconds shorter.

Outstanding weather today: sunny with a light southerly breeze and a surprisingly warm high of 64º. A waning crescent moon sailed across the blue sky, playing peekaboo with the puffy white clouds. The mountainside alpine blueberry and bearberry patches recently switched from summer green to fall maroon and red, a visual clue that freezing temps are not far away. Rain is forecast for the rest of the week; look for termination dust on high.

I heard a distinctive “keck, keck” at the head of the bay this afternoon and found a female RUSTY BLACKBIRD in the wetlands. She flew to some spruce trees, followed by one other. It was exciting to see them; maybe there are more, as they seem to travel in larger flocks.

While watching the blackbird, another bird flew up and hovered, wings beating furiously, then landed on a nearby snag. A beautiful NORTHERN SHRIKE! I think it was hunting dragonflies, not Blackbirds. The Shrike had the sharp black mask of an adult, but retained the fine barring of an immature bird from the neck to its unusual lovely, butter-yellow undertail coverts. Another large butter-yellow spot marked the underside of the long dark tail. I could not find any references to this yellow color. Any thoughts?

BELTED KINGFISHERS are feasting on small fingerlings as noted at the Lagoon in town and at Bear Lake. While kayaking today at Bear Lake, I spotted at least 5 chattering along the shore, chasing each other, and diving into the clear water. A few spawning sockeyes, as red and maroon as the mountainsides, swam through the pondweed (Potamageton sp) and water horsetails.

A COMMON LOON paused briefly and dove with a soft splash. I haven’t seen a loon in a very long time, so it was a real treat. The loon family hatched one chick this summer, the first in many years. It was spotted by locals on June 21, swimming between the parents but by June 28^th, it was no longer with them. Eagle predation is a huge factor in the low survival rate, as is disturbance of the nest site and swamping by boat wakes. A loon nesting platform with a canopy, and restricted access might help reduce some of these dangers.

As expected, a juvenile BALD EAGLE strode along the beach with many salmon carcasses to choose from, and others chortled from the trees or soared overhead. GLAUCOUS-WINGED and MEW GULLS, and BLACK-BILLED MAGPIES also enjoyed the easy feast.  Small family groups of COMMON GOLDENEYES, one RED-BREASTED MERGANSER, and RED-NECKED GREBE paddled nearby, attracted by the salmon, big and small.

A RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET sang its loud, long, spring song from the forest edge, while its cousins, the GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS called in their high little voices. The first will soon migrate, the second will remain to face winter.

Later in the evening I caught a glimpse of a MERLIN chasing STELLER JAYS and BLACK-BILLED MAGPIES around the yard. Wish I could have seen more, but it was a fast chase scene.

After a fairly slow August, it was a very exciting September day.

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

Tuesday, September 1, 2015 President Obama visits Seward!

Seward, Alaska

It was an extraordinary time in Seward today, covered extensively by the media. I was fortunate to see the President as he left the Seward Boat Harbor en route to tour Resurrection Bay and view Bear Glacier. My photos of the Coast Guard Cutter Mustang and the rest of the “water-cade” are posted on Seward City News at sewardcitynews.com.

This blog will soon return to birds!

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter