Tuesday, May 6, 2014 MORE Hudsonian Godwits!

Seward, Alaska

Eager to see the HUDSONIAN GODWITS in better light, I returned around 10:30 am. The temp was in the 40s, with spitting rain, gray skies, and poor light. Not a whole lot better than last night. But it seemed to have rained birds overnight! I counted between 35 and 40 GODWITS feeding and fussing in the fringes of the wetland ponds. It was simply amazing to see!

When the birds flew up, I could see the distinctive black tail and white rump, black wing linings, and thin white stripe on the wings. Many were in breeding plumage with a dark reddish chest. Others seemed more gray. Even in the dim light, I could see the long bicolored bill and white strip extending from the base, up and over the eyes.

Nate Senner, who for years participated in the Seward Christmas Bird Count with his family as a teenager, grew up to focus on the little-known long-distance migration and breeding success of this large shorebird for his Ph.D. project. There are several links on-line, including <http://www.crossingboundaries.org/nates-alaska-videos-1391.php> that has videos showing his team studying and banding Hudsonian Godwits near Susitna, Alaska. One of his data-logged female flew from here to overwinter 8000 miles away in southern Chile. It's just incredible that Seward is part of the migration route for these astounding birds, even for just a brief stopover.

Also seen were about 40 DOWITCHERS, GREATER YELLOWLEGS, 4 SANDHILL CRANES, many peeps including DUNLINS, 4 GREATER SCAUP, and a male EURASIAN WIGEON, and of course, lots of active ARCTIC TERNS.

Robin C reported the FOS WANDERING TATTLER at Scheffler Creek south of the harbor uplands.

At Lowell Point that afternoon, I finally found two COMMON LOONS, one in breeding plumage, the other still in winter plumage. Overall, loons have been very scarce this winter/spring. Nearby were about 20 BARROW'S GOLDENEYES, HARLEQUINS, 2 MARBLED MURRELETS in breeding plumage, and 3 PIGEON GUILLMOTS in breeding plumage.

Cottonwood flowers littered the ground, and the sweet, pungent spring perfume filled the moist air.

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Rerport Reporter

Monday, May 5, 2014 Nest-building Robin, and migrating Hudsonian Godwits

Seward, Alaska

The sprinkler transformed the front yard into a bird magnet over the past few days. VARIED THRUSHES, ROBINS, and a FOX SPARROW hopped across the greening grass, plucking worms and other invertebrates from the thatch. A ROBIN industriously collected dried grass, filling his beak with more and more nest material until he sported a walrus moustache. Reaching his carrying capacity, he flew to a nearby spruce and expertly wove it into a lining for a lovely cup nest. Such wonderful basket makers!

Robin C the birder, reported a FOS TOWNSEND'S WARBLER in my yard, but I was unable to refind it.

Later that evening at 8:30 pm, we observed two HUDSONIAN GODWITS, 3 DOWITCHERS, 1 SNIPE, a GREATER YELLOWLEGS, and a LEAST SANDPIPER at the head of the bay under gray skies and cold south wind.

At midnight and at 3 pm, the SAW-WHET OWL was still calling on Mt Marathon.

Update: on May 13, a broken Robin egg was found under the nest. I hope the rest of the eggs are OK.

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

Tuesday, May 6, 2014 Singles Ad for Saw-whet Owl

Seward, Alaska

Steadfast, persistent, and focused single SAW-WHET OWL male seeks family-minded female ASAP. Please fly to my scenic piece of paradise on the forested shoulder of Mount Marathon in Seward. I'll be beeping for you every night, sweetie, until the stars cease to shine!

Sincerely,

Lovelorn Little Owl

Beep-beep-beep-beep!

Sunday, May 4, 2014 Peeps and hummers

Seward, Alaska

Sunrise: 5:46 am, sunset 10:04 pm for a total day length of 16 hours and 18 minutes. Tomorrow will be 5 minutes and 8 seconds longer.

The drought continues with day after day of brilliant sunny weather and temperatures into the 60s. It's summer without the leaves! Buds are bursting and rapidly unfolding their intricate, miniature origami designs complete with future flowers, and blueprints for fruit and seeds.  Showers are forecast starting late Monday evening for a few days. We need the rain for spring green up.

I have received several exciting reports of spectacular northern lights for the past several nights, if one can get up at 2 am.  Bright Saturn and reddish Mars anchor the late evening sky, trailing a waxing crescent moon. The stars are on the late-late night show now.

News Flash! 8:59 pm: 4.7 magnitude earthquake 39 miles north of Seward on the Kenai Peninsula, from a depth of 21 miles. Definitely noticed this one; glad it stopped! I did not feel the subsequent 1.12 quake at 9:37 pm, just one of hundreds that are not noticed. For more information, visit the Alaska Earthquake Information Center at

< http://www.aeic.alaska.edu/recent/macsub/>

Thursday May 1: First RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD at my kitchen window! He was just a flash of fiery orange and then gone. A neighbor reported seeing her first hummer, also a male about a half hour later, possibly the same one. She also noted her VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW female popped right into the waiting nest box. Their numbers are still low; hopefully there will be many more.

I observed the two swans at Mile 1 Nash Road. I believe they are TRUMPETER SWANS. One swan fed leisurely while the other industriously gathered grasses and sedges with its long neck outstretched, reaching in a radius all around. Sure looked like a nest in the making. Time will tell. The Trumpeter Swans at Mile 15 Seward Highway were reported to be back. Last year, they successfully raised three cygnets while hundreds of people enjoyed watching them. Finally, a reason for that boardwalk!

Also on May 1^st, I heard the Exit Glacier Road WESTERN SCREECH OWL shortly after 10:15 pm, accompanied by the whine of hungry mosquitoes and a brief message from a nearby NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL. While Terry D and I were listening, a flock of geese, possibly CACKLING GEESE flew over in the darkening sky, heading towards the fingernail moon suspended in the northwestern sky. Their excited cries were very high in pitch and rapid. The SCREECH OWL called only intermittently and briefly.

The Mt Marathon SAW-WHET continues to call, starting later every night.

May 3 brought a surge of GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS and FOX SPARROWS. The morning chorus included their delightful melodies augmented by a PINE GROSBEAK, DARK-EYED JUNCO, ROBINS, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS and the incessant, dawn-to-dusk calls of the VARIED THRUSHES. An entry in the local police log noted a worried caller reported an alarm ringing. The responding police officer found it to be a bird behind the mountainside apartments, a Varied Thrush no doubt.

Shorebirds snuck in under the northern lights last night, not in abundance, but nice to see. Mostly LEAST SANDPIPERS with a few WESTERNS, several SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, and GREATER YELLOWLEGS. I saw a DUNLIN in breeding plumage, but it could be one of the overwintering birds. Same long, drooping bill, but a complete change of feathers with the instantly recognizable black belly patch. The peeps were ravenous, plucking amphipods from the seaweed and silt. Some napped in the sunshine, exhausted from their long journey.

I finally found a WILSON'S SNIPE, or it found me. After circling overhead, it perched at the very top of a tall spruce tree and sat there, calling loudly. What an odd roost for this round shorebird with a beak longer than its legs, but I was very glad to see him.

Increasing numbers of ARCTIC TERNS plunge for small herring in the boat harbor and at the seafood processing fish waste outfall with MEW GULLS, GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS and BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES. The PIGEON GUILLEMOTS and MARBLED MURRELETS are in breeding plumage, but low in numbers.

If you are a night bird, be sure to check for those northern lights while listening for owls and migrating birds!

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

Monday, April 28, 2014 Hummer Alert and Migration Report

Seward, Alaska

Sunrise 6:02 am, sunset 9:49 pm for a total day length of 15 hours and 47 minutes. Tomorrow will be 5 minutes and 18 seconds longer. Low 37º, high 50º with a south wind. Warmer temps in the forecast up to 65º by Saturday. Wow! That's like summer!

Sprinkly squalls on and off all day today from a blue sky ringed with innocent-looking clouds. Though it "rained" it wasn't very serious and nothing really got wet. Luckily, it was just enough to light up a beautiful morning rainbow in Lowell Canyon to the west, and a full evening 'bow  over Mt Alice to the east. What a stunning pair of bookends for the day!

RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD ALERT! Sightings from just out of town were reported yesterday from Camelot, Afognak Beach, and Ava's. I thought I heard a "zip-zip-zinnnnggggg!" from Two Lakes Park in town today. I cleaned my 3 feeders with hot water and soap while 4 cups of water boiled. Though I understand boiling the water is not necessary, there is no harm and it makes the 1 cup of white granulated sugar dissolve quickly and thoroughly.  It also helps remove the chemicals from city water. Note: there is no need to add red food coloring. This could harm them, and is totally unnecessary. Be sure to keep the sugar solution fresh and the feeders clean, especially that nasty black fungus.

VARIED THRUSHES sing loud and clear from predawn to dusk throughout the area. ROBINS hop across faded lawns and sing, though not as lustily or often as their orange-breasted cousins. Last night, a sweet Robin song overlapped the steadfast beeping of the Bear Mt SAW-WHET OWL. I sure hope he finds a mate soon!

BALD EAGLES have been busy collecting monster talon-grabs of grass and even seaweed from the beach to line their massive nests. They are very enthusiastic about this task, crying loudly to one another as they score on yet another fine load.

"My" RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET returned to tumble through the budding willow in my yard this afternoon. He's so light, it doesn't seem to matter that he doesn't grip the branches. In contrast, a sturdy RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH stuck like a magnet to its branch, working methodically up to the end. A bright CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE seemed content to just sit and watch the show.

Saturday, April 26^th was a phenomenal day for migration. Wave after wave of SANDHILL CRANES, CACKLING GEESE, CANADA GEESE, and GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE flew against a strong and chilly north wind up Resurrection Bay and over Seward. What a thrill to hear their faint, excited cries then to search the gray clouds and spot the tiny specks moving steadily closer! Then the air was filled with the din of their mingled music as they passed overhead or across the snowy face of the mountains, on around through Resurrection River valley and northwards, ever north!

In between the crane waves, I heard a low, growly voice, vaguely familiar. I searched for the makers with my binocs and confirmed a flock of about 15 BONAPARTE'S GULLS, nattily attired in white with a black head and a touch of black on the wings. Such a pretty gull!

GREATER YELLOWLEGS flew overhead; their numbers continue to increase daily along with a smaller number of LESSER YELLOWLEGS. The completely thawed pond hosted NORTHERN PINTAILS, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, GADWALL, MALLARDS, AMERICAN WIGEON, one pair of EURASIAN WIGEON, 2 pairs of NORTHERN SHOVELERS, and a few GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE.

Sunday, April 27

FOX SPARROWS suddenly appeared in my yard, hop-scratching in the underbrush like they had never left. A resident SONG SPARROW lit up the morning with his cheerful song.

More flocks of SANDHILL CRANES flew over town. I spotted first-of-season SEMI-PALMATED PLOVERS (2) foraging at the beach, FOS LEAST SANDPIPERS (5) in the wetlands, a mixed flock of about 20 AMERICAN PIPITS and LAPLAND LONGSPURS in the beach ryegrass. They disappeared instantly, perfectly camouflaged in the bleached dead vegetation. FOS (for me) SAVANNAH SPARROW at Fourth of July Beach, posed calmly on a driftwood log.

Three-spine sticklebacks are a perfect size for so many birds, including the ARCTIC TERNS and YELLOWLEGS. The plucky little fish look so defeated as the triumphant birds haul them off or gobble them down, spines not-withstanding.

The two SWANS are still at the Mile 1 wetlands on Nash Road. I am currently undecided as to which species and hope to get more photos.

Spring has certainly sprung!

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

Thursday, April 24, 2014 Late Red-breasted Sapsucker Report

Seward, Alaska

I received an email today about a male RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER discovered on April 3 at Bear Lake near the Iditarod Trail. It stayed at least a few days, but has not been seen since. Keep an eye out for this showy woodpecker; hopefully it's still around. The last time I documented one in Seward was on May 1, 2005.

ARCTIC TERN numbers have greatly increased to at least 50, probably many more, parading around with hapless herring and other small fish. What a joy to watch their exuberant energy! Their wings seem to operate their riotous voices; they just can't seem to keep quiet while airborne.

The pilings off B Street by the Greenbelt are popular perches for DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS to preen and snooze. There aren't enough pilings for all the new arrivals, so many swim around nearby, fishing while they await their chance. The fancy plumes of the adults are mostly white, but close observation reveals some black plumes as well. I read that the white plumes are more common in birds of the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. This is truly an impressive and beautiful bird, especially up close.

A big storm is approaching this evening with dark clouds. Often, these fronts bring birds so we shall see!

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Sporadic Bird Report Reporter