Friday, November 30, 2018 Pied-billed Grebe still here

Seward, Alaska

At 8:30 am, still predawn twilight, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake radiating from about 10 miles NW of Anchorage rumbled through Southcentral with an abrupt jolt, followed by east-west and rotational shaking. It seemed to last a long time, too long, but was probably less than a minute. The tsunami warning siren went off in Seward and those living in the zone beat it to higher ground or left town in a stream of traffic.  Fortunately, no tsunami was generated and life returned to almost normal, except for cleaning up the shambles.

Figuring that the earth just had a major adjustment, I decided it would be safe to venture into the tsunami zone to check on the PIED-BILLED GREBE at the Seward Harbor Z float. (I later learned this conclusion is not necessarily true.) Most of the harbor ice had melted so he could be anywhere.  After a few minutes, however, there he was! Today he was actively diving, presumably feeding, and in intervals, preened. All good signs. Hopefully, he will survive the winter here. Maybe Seward will count him for the Christmas Bird Count!

Also present, a small flock of COMMON GOLDENEYES, MEW GULLS, PELAGIC CORMORANTS, and the male BELTED KINGFISHER who apparently owns the dock by Icicle Seafoods.

I also birded in another tsunami zone, Fourth of July Beach. There weren’t many birds, but it sure was great to see a COMMON LOON in winter plumage, a few HARLEQUIN DUCKS, BARROW’S GOLDENEYES, and HORNED GREBES. Three Steller’s Sea Lions cruised along, breathing explosively as they flowed past. Frozen Northern Sea Nettles like pinwheel candies decorated the tideline. Beautiful aliens from another world.

After such a startling and humbling event, it was such a pleasure to find everything more or less normal. Seward was very lucky this time.

Best wishes to everyone, especially my birder friends. Be careful and be safe!

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

Thursday, November 29, 2018 Pied-Billed Grebe in Seward!

Seward, Alaska

Sunrise 9:31 am, sunset 4:04 pm for a total daylight of 6 hours and 33 minutes. Tomorrow will be 3 minutes and 28 minutes shorter.

Sparkling sunshine today after seemingly endless cloudy, rainy days. The tradeoff was a dip in  temperature from the recent slew of 40s to a chilly low of 17 and a high of 29. Snow is briefly in the forecast then rain as the temp rises back to the 40s.

Seward birder John Maniscalco discovered a rare juvenile PIED-BILLED GREBE yesterday afternoon in the Seward Boat Harbor. I drove all of five minutes to the harbor to seek it out this morning. Yesterday, it was warm; last night the “ice-free” harbor froze with only a few open areas, which limited the little Grebe’s range, if it was still around. 

I spent several thoroughly enjoyable hours walking up and down the floats looking for open water and birds. En route, I watched the spectacular half-moon setting behind the stunning snowy mountains, watched an enormous US Air Force jet blast overhead (probably left Anchorage ten minutes ago), admired the sleeping boats, and checked out bird-free reflections in the few open areas. 

There weren’t many birds. Five MEW GULLS flew overhead, a small flock of BARROW’S GOLDENEYES paddled serenely by Icicle Seafoods, a male BELTED KINGFISHER perched on the dock and rattled over the thin ice looking for open areas to fish.

Running out of open water areas, I decided to check the other side of the harbor by the big tugs and Z Float. As I drove up, I saw 5 BARROW’S GOLDENEYES, and nearby, the unmistakable silhouette of the PIED-BILLED GREBE. YAY! I took some bad photos with the sun almost directly behind it, then parked and tried to sneak down the walkway to get a slightly better angle. I was relieved to see that the juvenile Grebe was wary, and began paddling away when it saw me. I stopped, and it came back. 

Rare birds are vulnerable; usually alone, in a strange place, with no buddies to help them identify and track danger, find food and shelter. I didn’t linger and slowly backed away to leave it in peace.

Pied-billed Grebes are noted as residents and short-distance migrants that should be wintering/residing down the Pacific Coast from Vancouver south, and across the southern half of the US and into northern Central America. It’s quite a mystery how this bird ended up in the Seward Boat Harbor at the end of November. Maybe it’s the same bird as reported in Homer last month. Who knows? 

Meanwhile, it was a pleasure seeking this bird today, and a delight to find it.

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

Sunday, November 4, 2018 Hooded Merganser female!

 Seward, Alaska

While checking the Lagoon this morning, I found a female HOODED MERGANSER diving with a dozen BUFFLEHEAD! The TRUMPETER SWAN family of 8, and the three other adult Swans hungrily tipped up in the ever-shrinking open area. Three River Otters galloped along the shore then dove into the water. A few MALLARDS napped nearby with one eye open on the BALD EAGLE watching the menu from a spruce tree.

The handsome male Hooded Merganser usually shows up first and if we’re lucky, a female. So now I’m looking for the male. Clear Creek was moved back into its main channel this summer to control flooding, but it also lowered one of their favorite fishing areas at the Stash and Store pond. It may no longer be suitable habitat, but is still worth a look as well as Clear Creek by the bridge at the Pit Bar.

Two RED-NECKED GREBES and a HORNED GREBE spotted fishing along the Waterfront in town. 27 COMMON MERGANSERS including one dashing adult male favor the lee of the Uplands. Many Gulls waited expectantly by the seafood processing plant at Lowell Point and along Lowell Point Road: MEW GULLS, GLAUCOUS-WINGED, HERRING GULLS.

Other bird notes:

Wednesday, October 31: I caught a glimpse of a RAVEN flying with a dead STELLER’S JAY in its beak at Lowell Point Beach. A macabre Halloween feast, and unusual for the wily Jay to get caught. I tried to get a better look, but the Raven landed in some thick spruce boughs and neither were unavailable for comment.

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter