Seward, Alaska
Sunrise 9:57 am, sunset 4:13
pm, for a total day light of 6 hours and 15 minutes. Tomorrow will be 2 minutes
and 56 seconds longer.
In the first week of the
year, Seward experienced the highest tide of 2018, a variety pack of strong wind,
calm, rain, a rainbow, snow, ice, partly cloudy, and mostly sunny days, and
temperatures ranging from a low of 18 to a high of 43 F. The two mostly sunny
days were calm and spring-like with temps just above freezing. Friday’s 3” of
snow on top of slick ice decided to stay, so even if the temp is mild it looks
like a real winter. Ice grippers are highly recommended.
The New Year is a fun time to
start a 2018 list with First of Year birds. Every species counts, no matter how
common or abundant. Yay! A PINE SISKIN! Time to refill the feeders! So far, I
have found 38 species.
The highlights of this first
week of 2018 were many:
The resident TRUMPETER SWAN
family materialized when the ice thawed on local ponds. Two adults accompanied
the two cygnets; I hope by some miracle one was the parent that hit the power lines
and fell, stunned, then somehow survived and rejoined the family. Six other
adult swans fed gracefully nearby for a total of ten.
The KILLDEER, continuing
unusual plover from December, somehow survived the short nights and lousy weather.
It stretched, displaying its lovely apricot-colored rump. Then it continued to
forage in a shallow tidal puddle, appearing to walk on water, accompanied by
its reflection.
ROCK SANDPIPERS and at least
one DUNLIN flickered like little lights at the edge of the tide, bobbing up and
down, then shot off like fireworks for a display of synchronized flying before
alighting to feed again.
Five GREAT BLUE HERONS
perched morosely like gloomy Eyores on top of the coal chute in the rain,
waiting for the high tide to ebb. I know they’re around, but they are so hard
to find most of the time. It was quite a treat and surprise to find five.
One continuing GLAUCOUS GULL
stood out in a flock of GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS, so distinct with its pale
plumage and bicolored bill. Many years, we have none. I’ll be looking for the
other two that were here in December.
A very handsome male ROBIN
flew into Ava’s Place, scattering the 100 or so PINE SISKINS and a smattering
of COMMON REDPOLLS. He checked out all the platters of seeds on the deck
railing, picking out the hulled sunflower seeds. Then he plopped down in the
yard to glean the last remaining Mt Ash berries from the ground. If Robins
weren’t so common, they would be revered for their beauty.
I didn’t find the tiny
Ruby-crowned Kinglet, but Ava has seen him recently.
In town, I have yet to see
the single Gray-crowned Rosy-finch or Fox Sparrow, plus several relatively
common birds. But the year is yet young and I look forward to seeing them all, then
check them off the list.
Happy New Year and Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report
Reporter
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