Seward, Alaska
Sunrise 5:36 am, sunset 10:13
pm for a total length of day of 16 hours and 37 minutes. Tomorrow will be 5
minutes and 2 seconds longer.
More birds and new species
are arriving daily!
April 28: First swallows (2)
reported over Nash Road wetlands, too far for ID. WILSON’S SNIPE, at least 8,
winnowing in the evening.
April 29: Last sighting of
resident TRUMPETER SWAN cygnet, without sibling. I hope they are both fine,
somewhere.
April 30: 2 TREE SWALLOWS
reported by Tasha near Alaska Sealife Center. First SEMI-PALMATED PLOVERS (3),
3 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS.
May 1: First FOX SPARROW
singing his sweet song in the ’hood, a slightly different dialect from our
local nesters. Midnight SAW-WHET OWL calling from Mt Marathon. Either I haven’t
been out late enough, or he took a break for a while.
May 2: Persistent ROBIN woke
me up with its cheerful song at 4:30 am. The males are singing past 11 pm. Long
day! First RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD, female, at my feeder. Several more reports
around town.
May 3: Last report of male
STELLER’S EIDER at Spring Creek Beach. He has disappeared for a few days before,
but his Harlequin family may be leaving soon to nest. What will this lost bird
do? Milbert Tortoiseshell butterflies sailing around in the sunshine;
bumblebees zooming around willow and blueberry flowers. Robin C reported
WHIMBRELS.
May 4: Robin C reported 2
CASPIAN TERNS!
GREAT HORNED OWL flew between
trees and hooted once, spotted by Jim H and Kerry M by Civil Air Patrol pond. 2
male and 1 female RING-NECKED DUCK in the pond. First ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER,
and YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER spotted in the willows along the pond; more singing
nearby.
9 WHIMBRELS, a few CANADA
GEESE, 3 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED, 3 SAVANNAH SPARROWS.
May 6: First TOWNSEND’S
WARBLER heard singing, almost drowned out by louder RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET. SNIPE
calling nearby. 2 VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS zipped past, chasing the growing
population of mosquitoes. LEAST and WESTERN SANDPIPER numbers are building.
11 pm: a flock of 25 SANDHILL
CRANES flew silently overhead at mid-level, heading north. One excited crane
just had to make a comment or two, alerting me to their presence. Otherwise, I
probably would not have known. I thought their migration was over.
Salmonberries and yellow violets are blooming; male cottonwood
flowers are already spent and on the ground.
May 7: GOLDEN-CROWNED
SPARROWS singing around town. PINE SISKIN numbers continue to build, perhaps
swelled by juveniles. Many RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS and FOX SPARROWS singing.
First LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS
(15), WESTERN and LEAST SANDPIPER numbers increasing. A V of 25 CANADA GEESE
flew over. GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE still here (15) with 2 CANADA GEESE,
BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS (2) and PACIFIC GOLDEN PLOVERS (3)
Jim H and Kerry M reported Violet-green
swallows (6), Long-billed Dowitchers (12), Yellowlegs (2), Least and Western
Sandpipers in large flocks of up to 25-30, Dunlin (2), GODWIT (debating Marbled
or Hudsonian) (1), Greater White Fronted Geese (10), Canada (2), Semi-palmated
Plover (4), and the many usual suspects.
Happy
Birding!
Carol
Griswold
Seward
Sporadic Bird Report Reporter
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