Seward,
Alaska
Spectacular
golden sunrise 10
minutes after its scheduled appearance of 8:00 am, (mountains to summit), sunset 7:33 pm for a total day length of 11 hours
and 32 minutes. Tomorrow will be 5 minutes and 25 seconds shorter.
Last
night’s hard rain and freezing temperatures resulted in a stunning new white
coat for the mountains north of Seward, and a lacy, white shawl for Mt Alice
and Marathon, but nothing farther south. We must have been just at the edge of
the big cold front and storm that hit Anchorage.
Though
the high was 43º, it was chilly in the brisk NNE wind by the white-capped bay,
where many were watching humpback whales.
As
one whale surfaced right off shore, I spotted a dark goose with a chin strap
shoot past, flying north into the teeth of the wind. Looking at my photos, I
noticed it had the short neck, stubby bill, and rounded head of a CACKLING
GOOSE, but I am unsure of which subspecies. Seward did not have any
Canada/Cackling Geese migrate through this fall, as far as I know, so this single
one so late was quite a surprise.
It
was a great day for a hike to Tonsina Point, mostly out of the wind. 15 BARROW’S
GOLDENEYES paddled in Tonsina Creek with two pairs of HARLEQUIN DUCKS. A few
pink salmon spawned in the clear water, surrounded by many carcasses of both
pink and chum salmon whose mission was accomplished. Other birds heard or seen
along the trail and beach included BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES, GOLDEN-CROWNED
KINGLETS, STELLER'S JAYS, BLACK-BILLED MAGPIE, DARK-EYED JUNCO, HORNED GREBE, BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES,
GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS, and a BALD EAGLE.
The
resident TRUMPETER SWAN family of 8 was back at the Lagoon this afternoon. The
cygnets are thriving under the attentive care of the watchful adults. Their
pink bills are gradually changing to black from the base and tip inwards, but
their overall outer plumage remains light gray.
Happy
Birding!
Carol
Griswold
Seward
Sporadic Bird Report Reporter
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