Seward, Alaska
Pacific Hooligan
arrived in mid-May in enormous numbers, feeding mammoth humpback whales, seals,
sea lions, Eagles, Ravens, Crows, Magpies, gulls, other birds, humans, and
finally microscopic bacteria. The 8-10” long anadromous fish swam up creeks to spawn
where they have never been seen before. What a bounty!
For the next several
weeks (and still continuing), clouds of gulls feasted on hooligan at the
tideline, tide flats, and in creeks. Most seemed to be BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES,
rising up like a screeching snow flurry whenever a Bald Eagle cruised nearby or
sliced through.
To my surprise, I
watched many hundreds of Black-legged Kittiwakes divert from feeding to
converge on the mud and sedges in the estuary wetlands. In a frenzy akin to a
free shopping spree, they ripped out beak-fulls of soggy vegetation and mud,
almost denuding the targeted areas.
Their nearest
nesting habitat is 17 miles to the south at Cape Resurrection. It’s incredible
that they would gather nest building supplies at the head of the bay and try to
deliver them so far away to the rocky cliff headlands. I wonder if any boats
noticed a stream of gulls with fat gobs of mud and leaves in their beaks flying
south all the way down the bay?
It also seems late
for them to be just starting to build their nests. Time will tell!
During one of these
building supply forays, an adult Bald Eagle casually flew past and without
warning, grabbed an inattentive adult Kittiwake mid-flight. The Eagle looked
fierce (as usual) and screamed with murderous intent and triumph as it stroked
powerfully home. Clutched in the powerful talons, black-tipped wings still
outstretched, the doomed Kittiwake screamed in protest, an unwilling participant
in the life and death drama. Tough to see, but part of Nature nonetheless.
Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic
Bird Report Reporter
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