Wednesday, April 29, 2026 Semipalmated Plover, Western and Least Sandpipers, and more!

Seward, Alaska

Sunrise 6:01 am, sunset 9:51 pm for a total day length of 15 hours and 50 minutes. Tomorrow will be 5 minutes and 15 seconds longer.

Winter and Spring continued to battle out the last few days of April with hard rain, sleet showers, drizzle, sprinkles, chilly winds, then a surprise blast of warm sunshine, and repeat. Temps ranged from 27 to 38 with more rain and even snow in the forecast.

The turbulent weather did not seem to deter migrating birds and many First of Season (FOS) species arrived this week, along with more flocks of GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE, CACKLING GEESE, and ducks. ARCTIC TERN numbers increased every day, several toting Stickleback gifts for courting.

On Saturday, April 25, I heard the growly voices of BONAPARTE’S GULLS and photographed two with their distinctive black hoods looking petite next to SHORT-BILLED GULLS. One tired migrant enjoyed a well-deserved a nap. 

On Sunday, April 26, I found a single BRANT, a male and female NORTHERN HARRIER, and heard the complaint of a WILSON’S SNIPE. 

On Monday, April 27, I flushed a Snipe from the side of the road by Dairy Hill. Tasha reported five BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS at Spring Creek Beach. Ten SNOW GEESE lingered at the head of the bay.

On Tuesday, April 28, two SANDHILL CRANES continued their flight north while another pulse of AMERICAN GREEN-WINGED TEAL dabbled along the beach. A drake EURASIAN WIGEON mingled with the Teal, AMERICAN WIGEON, MALLARDS, GADWALL, NORTHERN PINTAILS, and NORTHERN SHOVELERS.  

I heard the SAW-WHET OWL beeping from Little Bear Mt around 11 pm.

This morning, I heard the haunting flight call of a COMMON LOON heading north though the clouds. A single PACIFIC GOLDEN-PLOVER called as it circled high in the sky; it was a challenge to photograph the speck! 

FOS GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS sang their plaintive “Oh, dear me” song at Lowell Point Beach.

The evening, the FOS SEMIPALMATED PLOVER arrived, hanging out with a dozen peeps including LEAST and WESTERN SANDPIPERS.

More shorebirds and songbirds are on their way. Clean and fill your hummingbird feeders for the Rufous Hummers! 

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

Saturday, April 25, 2026 Crane Day!

Seward, Alaska

Flock after flock of bugling SANDHILL CRANES streamed across the gray skies this afternoon. Most were dark specks flying high in Vs and bows and undulating transformations. They cruised along the face of the snowy western mountains cradling Resurrection Bay then veered west into the Resurrection River valley. 

 

I drove over to Exit Glacier Road and parked at the large pullout before the closed Box Canyon gate. There, I could watch them approaching head-on along the mountainsides and then turn into the valley. Wave after wave. There were easily over a 1000. It was thrilling!

 

Just before 6 pm, after a long pause, I heard Cranes calling directly overhead and close. I leaped out of the car and saw a magnificent finale as over 200 Cranes created a fantastic mountain design of overlapping Vs. This group won the grand prize for Originality and Best of Show.

 

From singles to hundreds, each and every one was a winner!

 

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

Friday, April 24, 2026 Spring Has Sprung! Sandhill Cranes, Pacific Golden-Plovers, Black-bellied Plover, Redhead, Ring-necked Duck!

Seward, Alaska

Sunrise 6:15 am, sunset 9:38 pm for a total day length of 15 hours and 23 minutes. Tomorrow will be 5 minutes and 20 seconds longer. 

 

Rain it did, 1.5” in town and snow out of town but the hard rain was mostly after 6 pm. Buckets more precip in the 10-day forecast. 

The clouds concealed the migrants until Vs and bows of SANDHILL CRANES and CACKLING GEESE pushed through, flying high and crying joyously on their way north.

 

Yesterday morning, four FOS PACIFIC GOLDEN-PLOVERS, including one female, hunted in a mowed field for invertebrates. These beautiful and incredible flyers migrated from Hawaii, a non-stop 88-hour flight, or even farther from New Zealand, Australia or even Southeast Asia and the Horn of Africa. 

 

I checked out Afognak Beach and found about 75 GREEN-WINGED TEAL dabbling in the intertidal puddles and streams. 

 

Scanning across the tidelands, I saw a line of snowballs strung out below the berm in the distance. Suddenly, they took flight and morphed into 80 SNOW GEESE! The flock split as some headed north while others circled, undecided.  One looked suspiciously small; could it be a ROSS’S GOOSE?

 

The ice on Preacher Pond was mostly gone. A very handsome RING-NECKED DUCK napped in the company of a few COMMON MERGANSERS, BUFFLEHEAD, and two BARROW’S GOLDENEYES. 

 

Much to my delight, a stunning drake REDHEAD joined them. He dove and quickly emerged with bright green pond vegetation dangling from his bill. He wolfed it down, cheeks bulging, and dove for more.

 

I took the trash I collected at the beach to the dump and in exchange got some great photos of an adult BALD EAGLE watching his buddy rummage around in the bin below. More than fair trade!

 

Today, I found my FOS BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, a dapper male with a distinguished white hairdo and white undertail coverts feeding in the intertidal zone. 

 

A bright EUROPEAN WIGEON drake paddled along the shore with Green-winged Teal, Mallards, Gadwall, Northern Shovelers, and Northern Pintails. 

 

Over at the Mile 1 Nash Road wetlands, only one pair of TRUMPETER SWANS remained, possibly the victors of a territorial struggle. The nest site was almost submerged even though the ice has not completely thawed.

 

Far back on the east side, I refound the pair of HOODED MERGANSERS that Jonah discovered yesterday. Both were actively diving and fishing. It’s wonderful that they returned again this year.

 

Around 1 pm, I stepped outside and heard the bugling of 77 Sandhill Cranes! I dashed to the street to watch them flying north in a ragged V.

 

Around 2:30 pm, 59 Cackling Geese circled high, but did not land. It’s hard to be inside while all this action is happening day and night!

 

For photos, edits, and updates, please visit my blog at https://sporadicbird.blogspot.com

 

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter