Seward, Alaska
66 species plus two for Count
Week with a total of 3241 birds just about wraps it up! But for more details,
read on:
After a stormy, windy and wet
Friday with turbulent seas, a light snow greeted birders on Count Day,
Saturday, December 16. The snow exhausted its supply after dispensing about ½”
of white stuff and sputtered out with a light rain that ended before sunrise at
10 am. Golden sunshine peeked through the clouds for some, while the Lost Lake
Trail team hiked in fog most of the day. The bay was miraculously calm all day for
the boat crew resulting in excellent counting conditions. It was a great day to
bird!
Temperatures ranged from 32
to 38 degrees with calm to variable winds. One team reported wind to 15 mph.
The Lost Lake team measured 32” of snow where all other routes reported that
scant half-inch.
A small but dedicated group
turned out for the Count: 18 observers counted in the field by, car, hand
cycle, fat bike, foot, and boat. Five observers counted their feeders, and two
field observers rushed home to count their feeders.
The boat crew had a fabulous
day on the bay with a record number of species and number of individuals of the
same species. They racked up 20 species in the first hour alone and 35 species
total.
Of note were a record 137
MARBLED MURRELETS, 7 GREAT BLUE HERONS, a notoriously secretive species; three
loon species including 13 COMMON LOONS, 4 PACIFIC LOONS, and 2 YELLOW-BILLED
LOONS; five gull species including 2 GLAUCOUS GULLS, 1 THAYER’S GULL, 59 MEW
GULLS (a low number), 13 HERRING GULLS, and 31 of the 80 GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS.
Two DUNLIN were spotted with 26 ROCK SANDPIPERS, now expected winter
visitors.
COMMON MERGANSERS were
notably not common with only 34 seen when there should have been at least
several hundred. Only 5 COMMON MURRES were found, which is low, but at least
some were found considering the terrible wreck last year.
BARROW’S GOLDENEYES at 328
took first place for the most birds, though this number is historically higher.
While motoring back to the
dock, a single BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE flew behind a boat. The other birders
waited expectantly but a Mew Gull appeared, much to the chagrin of the spotter.
Fortunately, the alleged Kittiwake followed and redeemed his sterling
reputation.
Over half the teams found a
BROWN CREEPER, for a record number of 33. A record number of 150 GOLDEN-CROWNED
KINGLETS were counted.
The town team, including an
intrepid birder who put on four miles on her hand cycle, pulled out the only
BOHEMIAN WAXWING, feeding on the few remaining Mt Ash berries at the Alaska
Sealife Center, two of the three RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS, a single GOLDEN-CROWNED
SPARROW, the handsome Rufous FOX SPARROW, six RUSTY BLACKBIRDS, 23 ROBINS, and
the third GLAUCOUS GULL.
The Tonsina Point team found
the only DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT, and the only 2 PACIFIC WRENS, a record number.
The Lost Lake Team found the only SPRUCE GROUSE. Ava’s Place reported the only
MERLIN, which has been plaguing her feeders for some time, two AMERICAN TREE
SPARROWS, a single WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, and the third RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET.
A single HOODED MERGANSER and
single GRAY-CROWNED ROSY-FINCH missed Count Day but showed up for Count Week.
No owls were seen or heard.
Overall, my impression is that of fewer birds for the majority of species. More extensive scrutiny of spreadsheets, which is not my forte, would be required to support this. Every bird counts!
Many thanks to Captain Mike
Brittain and his famous Dora for donating his boat, fuel, and time once again,
to all the dedicated participants who set aside their whole day to walk, bike,
hike, and drive around the Circle, and to Micheley who graciously welcomed the
birders to Resurrection Art Coffee House Gallery for our pre and post meetings.
Blackbird, Rusty 6
Bufflehead 64
Bunting, Snow 8
Chickadee, Black-capped 78
Chickadee, Chestnut-backed 58
Cormorant, Pelagic 49
Cormorant,
Double-crested 1
Creeper, Brown 33
Crossbill, Red 16
Crossbill, White-winged 155
Crow, Northwestern 183
Dipper, American 2
Duck, Harlequin 69
Duck, Long-tailed 3
Duck, sp 83
Dunlin 2
Eagle, Bald total 90
Eagle, Bald adult 67
Eagle, Bald immature 30
Gadwall 7
Goldeneye, Barrow’s 328
Goldeneye, Common 30
Grebe, Horned 71
Grebe, Red-necked 8
Grosbeak, Pine 118
Grouse, Spruce 1
Gull, Glaucous 3
Gull, Glaucous-winged X Herring
hybrid 1
Not counted as a species
Gull, Glaucous-winged 80
Gull, Herring 13
Gull, Mew 59
Gull, Thayer’s 1
Hawk, Sharp-shinned 3
Heron, Great Blue 7
Jay, Steller’s 18
Dark-eyed Juncos 62
Junco, Dark-eyed (Slate-colored) 55
Kingfisher, Belted 5
Kinglet, Golden-crowned 150
Kinglet, Ruby-crowned 3
Kittiwake, Black-legged 1
Loon, Common 13
Loon, Pacific 4
Loon, Yellow-billed 2
Magpie, Black-billed 81
Mallard 104
Merganser, Common 34
Merganser, Hooded CW
Merganser, Red-breasted 56
Merlin 1
Murre, Common 5
Murrelet, Marbled 137
Nuthatch, Red-breasted 63
Pigeon, Rock 180
Raven, Common 99
Redpoll, Common 199
Robin, American 23
Rosy-Finch, Gray-crowned CW
Sandpiper, Rock 26
Scoter, Surf 52
Shrike, Northern 3
Siskin, Pine 249
Sparrow, American Tree 2
Sparrow, Fox 2
Sparrow, Golden-crowned 1
Sparrow, Song 2
Sparrow, White-crowned 1
Swan, Trumpeter 11
Thrush, Varied 5
Waxwing, Bohemian 1
Woodpecker, Downy 11
Woodpecker, Hairy 3
Wren, Pacific 2
SUBTOTAL COUNT WEEK SPECIES: 2
SUBTOTAL COUNT DAY SPECIES: 66
TOTAL SPECIES: 68
TOTAL NUMBERS: 3241
Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter
Note: this list was updated to reflect two Dunlin and 26 Rock Sandpipers.
