Sunrise 8:39 am, sunset 6:45
pm, for a total day length of 10 hours and 5 minutes. Tomorrow will be 5
minutes and 23 seconds shorter.
After a few days of blustery north wind, and lows hovering around 40, the wind died away and it once again
seems balmy at 50ยบ. Gray rainclouds merge sky, sea, and earth into a monochrome
vista. Clouds march across the 10-day forecast with occasional glimpses of sun.
A huge storm out in the Gulf
of Alaska pushed at least a dozen or more FORK-TAILED STORM PETRELS into the inner bay
recently. Flitting lightly like swallows
over the calm water, they wove wide loops around and through the loose flocks of
GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS, MEW GULLS, and BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES. COMMON MURRES
and PELAGIC CORMORANTS fished nearby.
Tasha reported the Alaska Sealife
Center got their first Fork-tailed Storm Petrel of the season on October 13.
Fortunately, they were able to refuel it and release it on the same day. Tasha
also reported a male LONG-TAILED DUCK in the boat harbor, and a juvenile
NORTHERN GOSHAWK hunting BARROW’S GOLDENEYES at high tide in Tonsina Creek.
The numbers of SURF SCOTERS
and BARROW’S GOLDENEYES are increasing with small rafts of 18-24 each spotted
off Fourth of July Creek, and another 20-30 goldeneyes off Lowell Point beach.
Only a few HORNED GREBES have returned to overwinter in the bay.
It was a pleasure to see and
hear BELTED KINGFISHERS rattling overhead at Lowell Point, the Lagoon, and
Fourth of July beach, often in twos.
Unusual numbers of PACIFIC
WRENS continue; I heard or saw 3 in my neighborhood, with reports of others
around town.
The humpback whales sightings
have diminished, with only one whale reported feeding along Lowell Point Road today.
Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report
Reporter
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