Seward, Alaska
In the twilight, about a half hour before dawn at 9 am,
I glanced over at a small, nearby Mt Ash tree. Three birds clung to the
wind-shaken branches, watching me. Two were PINE GROSBEAKS. The other smaller
bird had a crest and a light belly: an immature CEDAR WAXWING! A few waxy,
yellow-tipped tail feathers glowed in the dim light; the tail looked very
stubby, barely extending beyond primaries.
Looking back at my records,
Seward hasn’t had a Cedar Waxwing since September 11, 2013, with scattered
sightings since 2005.
Nearby Mt Ash trees had a few PINE GROSBEAKS and four ROBINS. Yesterday I counted 12 Robins in the same tree.
Many Mt Ash trees are already
completely stripped of berries, concentrating the Pine Grosbeaks, Robins, and
other fruit-lovers including the Cedar Waxwing. It will be interesting to see how
long this one stays.
I also found an adult
WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW and a first winter GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW. I’m still
looking for a Chipping Sparrow first reported by Toby Burke on Wednesday,
November 8. Who knows what else this incessant, belligerent wind has blown in from
afar?
Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report
Reporter
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