Seward, Alaska
Sunrise 4:32 am, sunset 11:26
pm for a total day light of 18 hours and 54 minutes. Tomorrow will be 0 minutes
and 8 seconds longer as we approach the Summer Solstice on June 20. The low
today was 41 at 5 am, and the high peaked out at 60, about half that of
Arizona. Whew!
The clouds rolled in today
after many sunny days, with a bit of rain in the forecast to keep everything
green. Flowers are in bloom from the magenta Nagoonberries inches off the
ground to the white “cauliflower” clusters covering the Mt Ash. Fragrant lilacs
and roses are starting to bloom, adding whiffs of perfume to the air.
I was fortunate today to
follow a hot tip and my ears to the nesting cavity of an AMERICAN THREE-TOED WOODPECKER.
To protect this family at this precarious time, I will not be able to broadcast
the location, but I’d like to share the story and photos.
Upon arrival at the scene, I
could hear the loud, rapid staccato, non-stop begging of a very insistent baby.
It reminded me of the circular breathing of a skilled didgeridoo player. While
searching for the source, the sound was more faint when I was behind the nest
hole, and stronger when I was in front. Finally, I narrowed it down to one or
two trees and honed in. Any predator, whether winged or furred, could be on
this nesting cavity in a trice.
I only saw one baby, an
adorable male with a perky yellow patch on his forehead. As the female lays 3
to 6 eggs, it’s possible there were more; maybe he was standing on his
complaining siblings. If so, I hope they take turns at the fast food delivery
window!
A parent flashed through the
nearby branches and then Mom was there with food, so exciting! She looked
fairly frazzled as would any parent of such a needy baby. She easily gripped
the side of the tree with her strong toes and supportive tail as she jammed her
long bill down the wide-open hatch. After a short break to look around, it
seemed she regurgitated more food and stuffed that down too. The baby’s head
just about filled the diameter of the cavity; he’s probably almost ready to
fledge.
I didn’t hang around long
enough to see if Dad was also helping to feed the family. According to the
Audubon.org field guide, he helps incubate the eggs during that 12-14 day period
and then helps feed the babies. The young leave the nest 22-26 days after
hatching, but remain with the parents for another 4-8 weeks. With that lengthy
time of hard work, no wonder there’s only one brood per year!
Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report
Reporter
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