Sporadic Bird from Seward, Alaska

Sunday, July 14, 2024 Red-necked Phalaropes

Seward, Alaska

Sunrise 5:01 am, sunset 11:08 pm for a total day length of 18 hours and 7 minutes. Tomorrow will be 3 minutes and 41 seconds shorter.

Seward’s outstanding sunny streak ended on July 4 in time to provide perfect racing conditions and a new race record for Seward’s world-famous Mt Marathon Race. In the successive two weeks of sullen skies, sprinkles, drizzle, and actual rain, the temperature stalled with lows in the mid-40s and highs in the low 50s.

I checked the tidelands this afternoon just as the sprinkles ceased, the south wind rolled the clouds away, and the sun shone in a surreal blue sky.

The ARCTIC TERNS, so ever-present and raucous since their arrival around April 23, were notably scarce. I saw only 5 flying along the shore; the families have moved offshore in preparation for their long migration south to Antarctica. Only a few SHORT-BILLED GULLS, also local nesters, remained in the tideflats. So quiet without them all!

A surprise flock of 16 adult and juvenile RED-NECKED PHALAROPES paddled about the estuary pond, dainty and improbable shorebirds, plucking tiny morsels from the water’s surface. They too, are finished with nesting and are headed to South America for the winter.

A few SAVANNAH’S SPARROWS popped up among the beach ryegrass, chipping. Then I heard a loud chittering. I whipped out Merlin, wondering what it could be. No bird was identified. I realized it was likely an ermine, mightily unhappy about my presence, so I moved on.

Another surprise was a single WHIMBREL feeding along an intertidal stream. I saw a Whimbrel on June 23 here as well.

A handful of LEAST SANDPIPERS, one SPOTTED SANDPIPER, and two GREATER YELLOWLEGS were all I found.

The TRUMPETER SWAN family at the mile 1 Nash Road wetlands is thriving. All four cygnets are growing and busy feeding in the water horsetails with their attentive parents.

In town, an occasional HERMIT THRUSH and FOX SPARROW still sing. Frowsy baby ROBINS, VARIED THRUSHES, STELLER'S JAYS, NORTHWESTERN CROWS and others have fledged. Chirping VIOLET-GREEN and TREE SWALLOW families swoop overhead and perch on power lines. RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRDS are feeding ravenously at the feeder, wild geraniums, and lilacs, tanking up for their long migration; the males long gone.

Time is surging along, and with it, the birds.

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

Friday, June 21, 2024 Trumpeter Swan cygnets, Brown Creepers

Seward, Alaska

Sunrise 4:33 am, sunset 11:28 pm for a total day length of 18 hours and 54 minutes, imperceptibly shorter than on yesterday’s Summer Solstice. Tomorrow will be a miniscule 12 seconds shorter.

Glorious summer day today! Blue sky with puffy white clouds, a high of 69 and a lovely breeze. A bonus is a full moon tonight!

The nesting TRUMPETER SWANS at the Nash Road wetlands are the proud parents of four tiny, adorable, white cygnets. I first briefly saw them on Sunday, June 16, heading to the nest for a nap after going out to eat.

Their little necks already seem be a bit longer after just a few days in the world. They are curious and alert, and seem very capable of imitating their magnificent parents, paddling around, pecking at horsetails and plucking up stirred-up salad greens. It will be fun to watch them grow this summer.

I again heard an ALDER FLYCATCHER at the edge of the wetlands, and saw a gigantic bull moose foraging in the water past his belly at the back of the pond.

In town at Two Lakes Park, I happened upon a “seeeee” of BROWN CREEPERS. Serendipity is the best way to find these highly camouflaged and uncommon little tree creepers. Fortunately, one descended from the treetop where I could watch it hop effortlessly along the bottom side of a spruce branch in a gravity-defying search for spiders and insects.

It obligingly flew to another tree at eye level and scoured the trunk bark all around. I could hear at least one or two others calling in their ventriloquist voices.

BROWN CREEPER

So close!

In the sun,

More than one.

No camera!

Happy Summer Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

Sunday, June 16, 2024 Black Oystercatchers, Gray-cheeked Thrush!

Seward, Alaska

In contrast to yesterday’s brilliant sunshine, thick fog rolled in by morning, shrouding everything in mystery. No blue sky, no scenic mountains, no blue-green water, nothing but gray. The incessant announcements from the docked cruise ship wafted through the fog as did the disembodied voice of a desperate tour boat captain bravely heading out with expectant guests.

By midday, the south breeze picked up and shredded the fog into scurrying ghosts. Ah! Back to summer!

I headed to Fourth of July Beach, past the packed parking lots of anglers here to snag red salmon from Afognak Beach and Spring Creek Campground. Whitecaps now topped the roiling bay.

A line of about 30 SURF SCOTERS rode the waves up and down and then dove in synchrony just offshore; now you see them, now you don’t. They were also here on Wednesday, June 12, with a surprise COMMON LOON in non-breeding plumage.

It seems strange that these Surf Scoters are here instead of nesting in lakes or ponds in the boreal forest. I think of them as an overwintering species, not summer residents.

Suddenly, “Wheep! Wheep! Wheep!” Two BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS flew down the beach calling stridently. Just like on June 1, another very unexpected sighting!

Around 5 pm, after allowing time for traffic to thin out, I headed to bike Exit Glacier Road. About a half-mile into the national park, I heard my target species: the elusive GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH. Finally! I even saw him in the distance perched on top of a snag, singing away.

Farther down the road, I heard a SWAINSON’S THRUSH singing and several HERMIT THRUSHES, and watched a ROBIN hunting invertebrates along the creek. Although I listened hard, I did not hear a Varied Thrush to complete my quintet.

ORANGE-CROWNED, YELLOW, YELLOW-RUMPED, WILSON’S, and TOWNSEND’S Warblers, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS, Hermit Thrushes, and FOX SPARROWS serenaded me with their beautiful songs all along the road.

Nootka Lupines are blooming, magenta River Beauty is just starting, and the sun-seeking Yellow Mountain-Avens nodded from their compact mats along the warm edge of the pavement in the national forest.

I saw a few Arctic White butterflies, but no Milbert’s Tortoiseshell butterflies, which should have flown in May. The long, cold, wet spring may have impacted them and bumblebees, whose numbers are way down.

On a brighter "note", when I returned home a Robin sweetened the early evening with his clear, lovely melodies. Ah, spring, soon to be summer!

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

Friday, June 14, 2024 Swainson’s Thrush, finally

Seward, Alaska

Sunrise 4:34 am, sunset 11:24 pm for a total day length of 18 hours and 50 minutes. Tomorrow will be 1 minute and 4 seconds longer as we approach Summer Solstice on June 20.

After a chilly and damp spring, today truly felt like summer with sunny skies and temps rocketing into the high 60s, possibly even 70º. The brisk north-northwest wind felt good for a change.

I biked into the wind along Exit Glacier Road this morning, listening for birds above the rustling of the leaves. I tried once again to conjure up a Swainson’s Thrush by imagining its upward spiraling song. About a mile into Kenai Fjords National Park, I screeched to a halt (one of the perks of biking.) A SWAINSON’S THRUSH, hidden in the thickets nearby, called several times, a very distinctive sound described as a low, liquid “quip” or “pwip.” Then it sang, just as I had imagined. Yay! My First-of-Season Swainson’s Thrush!

At the Exit Glacier parking lot turnaround, I spied a male ROBIN hunting in the gravel near the last vestiges of snow. In the distance, I heard a VARIED THRUSH, several HERMIT THRUSHES, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS, FOX SPARROWS, and a RAVEN. I listened hard for a Gray-cheeked Thrush without success. Maybe next time.

As the north wind propelled me effortlessly back down the road, I heard all six common warbler species: YELLOW-RUMPED, YELLOW, ORANGE-CROWNED, WILSON’S, NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH, and finally a TOWNSEND’S. Also, COMMON REDPOLLS calling overhead.

Against all expectations, BALD EAGLES again returned to their giant nest in a cottonwood that was spared from the clearcut in the campground along Exit Glacier Road. Nest fidelity is strong. Seeing the regal adult perched on the nest with the blue sky and snow-draped mountain backdrop was a lovely finale to my bike ride.

More sunshine is in the forecast for the next three days. Enjoy this pre-summer special!

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

Saturday, June 1, 2024 Predawn chorus

Seward, Alaska

Sunrise 4:46 am, sunset 11:08 pm for a total day length of 18 hours and 21 minutes. Tomorrow will be 3 minutes and 6 seconds longer.

Only a very few small patches of stubborn snow remain in secluded shady spots while the rest of the world is green, green, green and still unfurling. The overnight low dipped to 38 and the high reached 47. Slightly warmer temperatures in the low 50s and showers are in the forecast for the coming week.

Coincidentally, I admired civil twilight this morning at 3:20 am, lured outside by the good dog who decided to lounge on the green lawn instead of returning inside. So calm, peaceful, and too light to see stars.

I don’t know how long they’d been up and at ‘em, but I heard a RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD zing past, the sweet melodies of a FOX SPARROW, ROBINS, VARIED THRUSHES, HERMIT THRUSHES, the trills of a YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER and ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, and the chatter of PINE SISKINS. Birds do not get much sleep in the breeding season!

An hour later at 4:40 am, I was awakened by an earthquake that gently rattled the house and quickly subsided. I learned later that it was 4.2 magnitude, centered 19 miles north-northwest of Anchor Point in Cook Inlet. Exciting morning!

At low tide at Fourth of July Beach on May 28, I heard the strident “wheep, wheep!” of BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS and looked up in time to see two flying overhead. Wow! Oystercatchers are an unusual sight on our beaches due to human and dog disturbance. But a short time later, I was startled to hear them again, but this time FOUR Black Oystercatchers flew overhead, also heading west. What a treat!

On a May 29 bike ride along Exit Glacier Road in Kenai Fjords National Park, I finally heard my FOS YELLOW WARBLER. Many more NORTHERN WATERTHRUSHES sang from hidden perches in the brush along creeks. I first heard them on May 25, as well as my FOS WILSON’S WARBLER busily stitching away. Still no Swainson’s or Gray-cheeked Thrushes heard. I'm listening!

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

Sunday, May 12, 2024 Hummer in the snow, more migrants

Seward, Alaska

Sunrise 5:26 am, sunset 10:24 pm, for a total day length of 15 hours and 58 minutes. Tomorrow will be 4 minutes and 48 seconds longer.

Chilly, windy, and rainy spring weather continued this past week with actual snow on the ground on Wednesday. Overnight temperatures hovered around freezing and daytime highs barely scraped 40. Showers mixed with sunshine today for a welcome change. Slightly warmer daytime temps in the forecast, still in the 40s.

Migratory birds can’t wait for balmy weather. On May 6, I saw my first female RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD at Ava’s, first VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS (2) in town, and first BLACK OYSTERCATCHER at Spring Creek.

I heard my FOS YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER on May 7, and saw my breath that evening before it snowed. The next morning, “my” male Rufous Hummingbird fed ravenously in the snowstorm, then sat on a handy driftwood perch nearby, quietly watching the giant flakes fall all around. Tough little guy!

May 8, my first SURFBIRDS, 6, first spotted by Robin C yesterday at Spring Creek. ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS flitted through bare but budding alders. Just offshore, a nice raft of about 20 SURFSCOTERS, 3 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS, and 20 HARLEQUIN DUCKS.

I heard a COMMON LOON calling as it flew. At least 40 BARROW’S GOLDENEYES dotted the plugged and flooded wetland pond, perhaps staging for nesting. A BELTED KINGFISH rattled across the pond.

May 10, first DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS, some sporting flouncy white eyebrows.

May 11, a mixed winter-spring feeding frenzy in my yard: RED CROSSBILLS, 1WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL on suet, PINE SISKINS, GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS, CHESTNUT-BACKED and BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES, and the female RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD.

Aggressive Pine Siskins landed on the hummer feeder and chased her away. A PACIFIC WREN sang in the rain at Two Lakes Park; skunk cabbage brightened wet areas with their yellow candles.

Today at the tidelands, I saw my first SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, so dapper, another PECTORAL SANDPIPER, more WESTERN, LEAST, and SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS, DUNLINS, lingering HUDSONIAN GODWITS and SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS, WHIMBRELS, and CACKLING and GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE, GADWALL, MALLARDS, AMERICAN WIGEON, NORTHERN SHOVELERS, and GREEN-WINGED TEAL, nesting ARCTIC TERNS and SHORT-BILLED GULLS, and marauding RAVENS and BALD EAGLES. WILSON’S SNIPE winnowed high in the sky.

Birding by bike along Exit Glacier Road in showers and sunshine this afternoon, I heard or saw RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS, FOX SPARROWS, GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS, COMMON REDPOLLS, VARIED THRUSHES, HERMIT THRUSHES, ROBINS, 2 BLACK-BILLED MAGPIES, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS, and a TOWNSEND’S WARBLER.

The gate remains closed at Box Canyon which makes walking and biking a pleasure for at least a few more days. The road is plowed all the way to the Nature Center and parking lot, with several feet of snow still blanketing the ground. Trees are leafless and stark, contrasting with the blooming willows. Exit Glacier gleamed under a fresh coat of snow; it was wonderful to see it again after a long winter.

Happy Spring Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter