Seward, Alaska
Sunrise 8:48 am, sunset 4:34
pm, for a total day length of 7 hours and 46 minutes. Tomorrow will be 4
minutes and 49 seconds shorter.
After almost an inch of rain
on both Wednesday and Thursday with lashing winds, the weather tantrum subsided
to a meek, calm, overcast day. The local temperature sign said 50º this
afternoon!
I bucket-washed the road
grime off the car then washed the house windows, not my usual November chores.
A PINE GROSBEAK repurposed an upturned compartmented hatch cover as a birdbath,
so I cleaned that too and refilled it. Then I cleaned both hummingbird feeders
and refilled them. A pipe cleaner worked pretty well to scrub the tiny openings
of the yellow plastic flowers. For variety, I turned the 40w light back on.
The homeowner on the Cliff
reported seeing her male ANNA’S today; Ava’s Place has her little guy, and I
believe the ’hood male is still hanging out at my neighbor’s. They all survived
a miserably wet and windy several days. I don’t know how they do it!
First bird this morning was a
busy BROWN CREEPER spiraling up my spruce tree. Perky CHESTNUT-BACKED
CHICKADEES conversed cheerfully in the spruce branches. A PACIFIC WREN piped up
from the raspberry canes; a PINE GROSBEAK sang from the top of my neighbor’s
cottonwood tree. About 25 ROBINS flew from treetop to treetop, clucking.
Everyone seemed relieved that the rain stopped and rejoiced in the brand new
day.
Though the bay was deceptively
calm, the storm still spoke through the rhythmic surf rolling in at Fourth of
July Beach. Just outside the curling waves, a small mixed raft of sea ducks bobbed
along: SURF SCOTERS, BARROW’S GOLDENEYES, and HARLEQUINS.
The Barrow’s stretched,
chased, and a few males threw their heads back with gusto, courtship behavior
that looks like it could break their lovely necks. Three HORNED GREBES dove
just beyond, and a single RED-BREASTED MERGANSER preened, exposing its white
belly.
At the mile 1 Nash Road
wetlands, the water was really high, like high tide, but hopefully this
floodwater will soon subside. Four resident TRUMPETER SWANS stood on the old
nest site, squeezed together on the almost submerged islet. I panicked at
first, but found the third cygnet feeding a short distance away, partially
obscured by the dead vegetation. Whew!
How fun to watch these giant
birds peacefully preening, long necks looping and arcing to reach and rearrange
all the feathers. Knowing that preening often leads directly to that
magnificent angel-wing stretching, I eagerly waited with anticipation.
Yes! First one cygnet, then
its sibling, then one parent, and finally the other stood tall and unfurled
their enormous white wings. It’s a wonder they didn’t lift off to the moon with
such vigorous flapping. It was also amazing that they managed to execute this
maneuver so gracefully, without knocking anyone into the water.
I wished I could stay forever
to watch them, but instead wished them well on this remarkable November afternoon
as I drove away.
Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report
Reporter
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