Monday, December 30, 2019 King Eider female!

Seward, Alaska

Sunrise 10:03 am, sunset 3:59 pm, for a total daylength of 5 hours and 56 minutes. Tomorrow will be 1 minute and 37 seconds longer.

35º with sprinkles most of the day, and steady rain this evening. Icy and slushy. Tomorrow is forecast to be even warmer at 43º , 100% chance of rain totaling 1-2”. New Year’s more seasonal forecast is snow showers at 22º.

Just before sunset around 3:30, alert local birder Kristen spotted a female KING EIDER hanging out with three SURF SCOTERS just offshore along the Waterfront. She believes this is an adult female based on her binocular views and experience as an avian staffer who works with King Eiders daily at the Alaska Sealife Center. 

Luckily, I was nearby watching gulls, including a THAYER’S, and NW Crows. After she tipped me off I was excited to see the Eider and pleased to get some diagnostic photos in the dim light.

Never know what’s going to pop up next!

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

Friday, December 27, 2019 Seward CBC postponed again

Seward, Alaska

The Seward Christmas Bird Count is postponed To Be Announced due to very challenging winter weather and other considerations. Thanks to all for your patience, flexibility, and interest!

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward CBC Compiler

Wednesday, December 25, 2019 No Common Pochard

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

On Monday, December 23, Sulli Gibson of Anchorage drove down to do a little birding in Seward. On his way out of town, he stopped at Bear Lake, 7 miles north of Seward, to check out the Canvasback and Redhead with the Greater Scaup that Tasha had reported on Saturday, December 21.

In the failing light on an overcast afternoon with snow flurries, Sulli found the Redhead and Greater Scaup, but after confirming his digiscoped photos, corrected the Canvasback to a rare Eurasian species, a male COMMON POCHARD! This is the second record for the Kenai Peninsula, the first being in 1981 in Homer. 

I and two other local birders converged on Tuesday as the dim light grew slightly brighter around 11 am. We did refind the COMMON POCHARD actively diving with a mixed flock including one REDHEAD, 14 MALLARDS, about 30 GREATER SCAUP, 2 BUFFLEHEAD, about 6 BARROW’S GOLDENEYES, and 2 COMMON GOLDENEYES.  

Unlike the large Canvasback, with a length of 21” from the tip of the bill to the tip of the tail, the Common Pochard is a small sea duck, at only 18”. The Redhead is slightly larger at 19”. A Mallard towers over all at 23”. No wonder the Mallards could bully the Common Pochard as Tasha observed; they’re bigger!

All males of the three species have a reddish head and neck, light gray back and sides, black tail, and black breast. In addition to size, the diagnostic feature of the Common Pochard is a light gray patch in the middle of the upper bill, with a black base and tip. The Redhead bill is shorter, lacks the black base, and is tricolor: mostly pale blue with a thin white band bordering a small black tip.

Given the tough viewing conditions of dim light, distance, waves, snow (heavy at times), ice, and wind, it’s amazing that anyone even saw these ducks. But with perseverance and luck, it was actually possible to discern the small red-headed, pale diving duck with the gray saddle patch on its bill. 

This morning, the first day of the new Christmas Bird Count Week, I excitedly drove out to Bear Lake to look for the COMMON POCHARD, REDHEAD, GREATER SCAUP, GOLDENEYES, BUFFLEHEAD, and MALLARDS. To my great disappointment and amazement, all I saw was ice. Bear Lake froze up tight last night.

It's a mystery what happened to all the ducks when the ice suddenly closed in and froze in the night; did they fly in the dark? Did they know where to find open water and Resurrection Bay?

The next best hope is to look for the flock of ducks in the bay. The area south of the Seward Harbor uplands by Scheffler Creek is a good possibility, though I didn't see them there or anywhere along the waterfront from the cruise ship dock out to Lowell Point this afternoon.

After Sulli Gibson's post, it was like winning the lottery to see the mega rare Common Pochard. Two birders from Australia drove down from Anchorage to get a glimpse and another bird for his Big Year before they flew to Adak today. A birder from Arizona tried. Kenai birders arrived at the same time the snow storm hit. A handful of local birders saw it. And now it could be anywhere.

Tick tock. Time is fleeting to count this rare duck for the 2019 Seward Christmas Bird Count. Keep your eyes peeled!

Good luck!

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

Saturday, December 21, 2019 Winter Solstice Surprise!

Seward, Alaska

Winter Solstice was today at 7:19 pm, 13 hours, 4 minutes shorter than on June 21 according to https://www.timeanddate.com/sun/@5873776

Sunrise 10:00 am, sunset 3:51 pm for a total daylength of 5 hours, 51 minutes. Tomorrow will be 0 minutes and 2 seconds longer. 

Sunny but chilly today with a low of 12 and a high of 25 and a heat-sucking NNW wind with gusts to 25 mph. Whitecaps churned the bay; glad the boat crew was not out there today!  1-3” of snow in the forecast for tomorrow.

With the postponement of the Seward Christmas Bird Count, I enjoyed a relaxing day birding and photographing by car with the heater on, and walked Lowell Point Beach, almost out of the wind. Then I received a text message inviting me to see a Hummingbird in Questa Woods!

I had heard rumors of this hummer, so exciting! Sure enough, there he was, a gorgeous ANNA’S HUMMINGBIRD, perched on top of the hummingbird feeder! The lucky homeowner could not say exactly when he showed up; after the Rufous Hummingbirds left, the feeder was left up but empty. Suddenly, this little guy showed up and essentially demanded and received food service from the astonished hosts. 

Apparently, he likes to watch football on TV from his feeder. Tiny hummingbird beak/(tongue?) prints dot the window where he repeatedly tried to get inside. I don’t know anyone in Seward (or Alaska) who has hummingbird nose prints on their living room window!

Just like the overwintering male Anna’s in 2017, this male is very vocal, chatting from nearby spruce trees. He is also reportedly very territorial, especially regarding the equally handsome male intruder in the truck side mirror.

The tenacity and sheer toughness of this tiny wonder, thriving in this cold weather and through long nights, is both humbling and astounding. His presence warmed the shortest day of the year more than the sun. 

Tasha found some unusual birds as well: a SNOW BUNTING, GREATER SCAUP, RING-NECKED DUCKS, and MALLARDS stealing food from the male CANVASBACK at Bear Lake.

The shortest day of the year celebrated with a gorgeous pink alpenglow on the surrounding snowy mountains, fading to lilac and lavender. What a short but spectacular day!

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

Thursday, December 19, 2019 Count Week Day 2

Seward, Alaska

Another gorgeous, sunny day! As expected the north wind woke up and rattled around; the thermometer hovered in the mid 20s.

I cherry-picked today, hopping around different areas to nail down species for Count Week while enjoying repeats.

On the morning walk before dawn, an unexpected delight: a DIPPER fishing in the little anadromous stream burbling along Second Ave from First Lake. We detoured around so as not to disturb his breakfast. 

Not so delightful, about 260 ROCK PIGEONS packed on the powerlines waiting for the nearby homeowner to fling out a big scoop of bird seed in a big arc on the lawn for them.

A few blocks away, the handsome red (interior) FOX SPARROW scrummaged in the dry leaves near a feeder; two GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS flew overhead. Three VARIED THRUSHES gathered near a Mt Ash tree, cautiously waiting to dine. About 15 PINE SISKINS pecked industriously at the withered berries in another Mt Ash; I wondered if they eat the fruit or are finding invertebrates? Nearby PINE GROSBEAKS juiced them.

Later, at Ava’s Place, a single BOHEMIAN WAXWING bobbed in the wind on its Mayday branch. A rugged RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET clung like Velcro to the side of a peanut butter log, pecking precious calories bit by tiny bit. Both a HAIRY and a DOWNY WOODPECKER gouged big chunks out of the suet feeders, sending sprays to the DARK-EYED JUNCOS and one WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL scavenging below. RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES and BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES whizzed back and forth with their breakfast treats, chatting away.

Yesterday, I did not find any Bald Eagles. Today, I saw several flying and enjoyed watching two adults perched high on spy poles. The brisk north wind ruffled their feathers and played havoc with their regal hairdos. Both exhibited extreme patience, standing and watching to the left, to the right, to the front, to the back, below, and repeat. Watching and waiting.

A large flock of COMMON MERGANSERS lounged in the lee of the Uplands breakwater. I found a few RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS in their midst. Small rafts of BARROW’S GOLDENEYES fished in scattered groups all along the shoreline. NORTHWESTERN CROWS flew up with mussels and let them cascade to the rocks below to open. MEW GULLS and GLACOUS-WINGED GULLS soared and circled in the wind over the boat harbor.

Over at Fourth of July Beach, I found a few HARLEQUIN DUCKS, one HORNED GREBE, a few more BARROW’S GOLDENEYES, and Gulls.

On the way back from the beach, I pulled over at the north viewpoint on Nash Road, now overgrown and mostly obscured by trees. Using my binoculars, I peered between the branches to the bay far below. Yes! I counted at least 10 TRUMPETER SWANS feeding on the eel grass. The count was tricky as the wind blew the tree branches around and I had no clear view. There could have been a few more. I also checked the wetlands at Mile 1 and there, far in the back was the resident Trumpeter Swan family, still feeding in the open area between the newly formed ice.

I expect the ice to grow and seal up much of the now open water, at least on the shallower wetlands, ponds, and lakes. This will push the Swans and ducks to the open water at Bear Lake, the inlets, and to the bay. The colder weather may also push songbirds to feeders.

We shall see!

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

Wednesday, December 18, 2019 Canvasback and Scaup!

Seward, Alaska

Sunrise 10:00 am, sunset 3:51 pm, civil twilight 4:49 pm for a total daylength of 5 hours and 51 minutes. Tomorrow will be 34 seconds shorter. The forecast is for partly sunny Thursday through Sunday. Count Day on Saturday will be chilly at 16º with a NNW wind.

This morning began as usual: overcast, 39º, with continuing rain puddles reflecting Christmas lights.

First bird of the 2019 Christmas Bird Count Week was a cheerful PINE GROSBEAK, a chunky silhouette at dawn (10 am) in a Mt Ash tree with 4 others. On my morning walk I heard or saw BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES, BUFFLEHEAD, WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS, STELLER’S JAYS, DARK-EYED JUNCOS, BLACK-BILLED MAGPIE, too many feral ROCK PIGEONS, RAVENS, ROBINS, PINE SISKINS, SONG SPARROW, DOWNY WOODPECKER, and a PACIFIC WREN.

The gray sky cleared by midafternoon as the thermometer eased down a few degrees. What a treat to see a bit of sunshine on the surrounding snowy mountains! I headed to Bear Lake to refind an unusual CANVASBACK spotted by Tasha last weekend at the north end. 

I first checked the south end. I expected at least some ice but the entire lake was wide open! Very strange. Skittery BARROW’S and COMMON GOLDENEYES and MALLARDS spotted me first even though they were far away, and paddled off. Then I headed to the trail head and down the Iditarod National Historic Trail paralleling Bear Lake.

Tasha reported Crossbills, which I heard up high feeding on cones, Pacific Wrens and Pine Siskins which I did not find. I enjoyed a beautiful walk highlighted by the low sunshine igniting the lichen encrusted hemlocks and spruce trees, green mosses, and snowy mountains across the lake. Running low on daylight, I turned back just before the end of the lake and headed back.

Feeling lucky, I again scoped out the south end. Same mixed flock of Goldeneyes and Mallards, but wait! SCAUP dove between the Mallards: several females and at least one male. They were too far for me to determine which species. I scoped even farther and saw the black butt of the CANVASBACK as it dove. Color drained from the land and water, but I could almost make out a brick-red head. So exciting to get this unusual duck for Count Week!

Pushing twilight, I checked the Lagoon in town and found Common Goldeneye drakes beeping and snapping their necks backwards. A female HOODED MERGANSER cruised nearby; Bufflehead dove for one more fish before dark.

Pushing my luck and the light, I swung by the Harbor Uplands and found 4 GREAT BLUE HERONS still perched high in the rigging of the coal dipper.

Mt Alice glowed in her new snow-white cloak under the indigo sky, reflected in the calm harbor twinkling with dock lights. An enchanting finale to a wonderful first day of Count Week.

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

Sunday, December 15, 2019 Hooded Merganser pair

Seward, Alaska

Sunrise 9:57 am, sunset 3:51 pm for a total daylength of 5 hours and 54 minutes. Tomorrow will be 1 minute and 7 seconds shorter.

Unseasonably warm weather continues with a high today of 42º under cloudy skies with occasional sprinkles. Formerly frozen lakes and ponds are once again ice-free. The forecast for the Seward Christmas Bird Count on Winter Solstice, December 21, calls for temperatures to dive down to 16º with sunshine. We shall see!

Sharp-eyed Deb and Dan alerted me to two HOODED MERGANSERS at the Lagoon in Benny Benson Park yesterday afternoon. I dashed out and refound them, but at 3:30 pm, it was almost dark. 

I checked them today at 12:30 and the light was just about as dim. However, I could now see that one had the start of a drake’s white hood patch buried in the golden fringes of his crest. The female had a smaller crest and no white. I think they are youngsters and wonder if the nest was in Alaska, the Kenai Peninsula, or nearby.

They were actively diving near each other, surfacing almost every time with a small fish for lunch. The slightly larger fish needed repositioning and processing to gobble down.

A nice flock of BUFFLEHEAD, including the handsome males, a few BARROW’S and COMMON GOLDENEYES, and COMMON MERGANSERS fished nearby. A KINGFISHER flashed across the Lagoon to the other side. MALLARDS checked out the inlet at the north end.

Deb and Dan also reported the Thick-billed Murre at the same place by the Diversion Tunnel Waterfall.  I only found three PELAGIC CORMORANTS, but it’s nice to know the Murre is surviving.

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

Wednesday, December 11, 2019 Thick-billed Murre closeup, 4 Great Blue Herons

Seward, Alaska

44º today, even with a north breeze! Crazy!

John Maniscalso kindly shared a photo of the Thick-billed Murre taken yesterday from a boat. The faint white bill-line can be seen. I did not refind the Murre today.

At 10 am, I watched a GREAT BLUE HERON flying high over the Lagoon towards the bay. I wondered if it had spent the night roosting in a nearby spruce tree. A few hours later, I found four Great Blue Herons perched comfortably on the guy wires of the blue coal dipper. One was so relaxed, it was preening. Very versatile birds!

In town at the Madison and Second hot spot, I received a report of Red (Interior) FOX SPARROW visiting on Monday with 3 young GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS that have been there all fall. One has to wonder if this handsome Fox is the same bird that lingered last winter.

Yesterday, the homeowners watched 4 WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS with golden-yellow bills, hopping around the underbrush under the suet feeder. Also a VARIED THRUSH, a ROBIN, a dark SONG SPARROW, about 12 DARK-EYED JUNCOS, a DOWNY WOODPECKER, a couple of CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEES, BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES and RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES. Most of the birds swept in, grabbed a bite, and left in a loose flock. Timing is everything!

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

For a few photos, please visit my blog at https://sporadicbird.blogspot.com

Tuesday, December 10, 2019 Thick-billed Murre!

Seward, Alaska

Thanks to John Maniscalco, who spotted a THICK-BILLED MURRE this morning. It was about 200 yards offshore from the Diversion Tunnel Waterfall at the start of Lowell Point Road. A Murre of either species is unusual in the inner bay any time of year; a Thick-billed Murre is unheard of, almost. Perhaps the recent storm and strong south wind blew it in.

I dashed down and refound the Murre, floating peacefully or perhaps lethargically. I thought of the starving Murres in previous years that soon became lunch packs for watchful Eagles. Finally, the Murre dove and gave me hope that it was trying to feed. 

As I’ve never seen a Thick-billed Murre in winter plumage, I had to look it up. Uria lomvia. 

The bill is thicker and heavier than the very similar-looking Common Murre (hence the name). Nonbreeding birds have white on the throat and the lower part of the face. The Common Murre has a white cheek with a dark line descending from the eye. I could not see the thin white bill-line, if present, from that distance.

I included a photo of a COMMON MURRE in winter plumage from the Alaska Sealife Center for comparison.

On the topic of Murres, check out this Audubon article on why Murre eggs are so pointy:

https://www.audubon.org/news/why-are-murre-eggs-so-pointy-new-research-debunks-prevailing-theory

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

Sunday, December 8, 2019 Winter? Birds

Seward, Alaska

Sunrise 9:47 am, sunset 3:54 pm for a total daylength of 6 hours and 6 minutes. Tomorrow will be 2 minutes and 17 seconds shorter. 

After a short week of seasonal temperatures in the mid-20s topped by a skim of real-on-the-ground snow, the thermometer shot up to 40 F, the snow and the Lagoon ice melted. The first of several big storms blew in with a strong south wind and heavy rain. Forecast for the next few days is more winter storms with temps to 45º, ESE wind at 20-30 mph, and heavy rain, starting this evening.

With that in mind, this morning was a huge surprise: calm with clear skies (except for the clouds lurking to the south)! As I walked just after dawn, a PACIFIC WREN burst into song, albeit about half the length of a full song, but beautiful and unexpected. Another Wren piped up; seems like a lot of Wrens are still here so far.

Encouraged by the wan but uplifting sunshine, I headed to Ava’s where I had seen 2 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS, an AMERICAN TREE SPARROW and two RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS on December 5. Two PINE GROSBEAKS had carefully juiced the red Mt Ash Berries, discarding the pulp, while the Waxwings tossed down whole black Mayday Tree berries.

I didn’t see the Tree Sparrow or Waxwings today, but one or two Kinglets zipped in to feed on the freshly resupplied suet. They are tiny, but quick as a warbler and chatty as an Anna’s Hummingbird; fun to watch and hard to photograph.

Two DOWNY WOODPECKERS, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES, and BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES also feasted on the suet.  DARK-EYED JUNCOS hopped about on the ground gleaning seeds. A flock of about 50 PINE SISKINS flew in to feed on nearby alder seeds and an immature BALD EAGLE soared overhead. It’s always fun to see what’s at Ava’s Place.

Also this past week during the cold snap and brief snow, I counted 15 TRUMPETER SWANS, including the 3 cygnets of the resident Swan family at the head of the bay. What an amazing sound and sight! 

In town, a feeder-Mt Ash combo attracted 30+ ROBINS and one male VARIED THRUSH as bright as a pumpkin. 

A large flock of about 20 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS dined on successive spruce tree cones, and about 20 PINE GROSBEAKS visited Mt Ashes. So great to hear their sweet calls as they fed and flew. About 30 PINE SISKINS wheeled and swarmed like bees high above, scoping for feeders and alders.

As the familiar sound of rain returns, it will be interesting to see if any unusual birds blow in during these next winter storms like the SHORT-TAILED SHEARWATER that flew over to Aaron Lang and landed at Lowell Point last weekend. Delivered!

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter