Seward, Alaska
Sunrise 5:42 am, sunset 10:08 pm for a total daylight of 16 hours and 25 minutes. Tomorrow will be 5 minutes and 4 seconds longer. Temps remain stuck in the high 30s overnight and 40s daytime, but warm enough that every bud is unfolding and expanding in Nature’s incredible origami explosion.
Tough migrants continue to trickle in, after battling countless storms and hazards. Rufous Hummingbirds are officially late, as according to Ava, they “normally” arrive by April 27. Only a few have been reported. Greet them with fresh sugar water, 4:1 ratio, no food coloring please.
May 1: FOS SWALLOW reported, unknown ID. BLACK BEARS are emerging to feed on the greening mountainsides; I spotted my first from the Exit Glacier parking lot. Also received a report of a MOUNTAIN GOAT kid, about ten days earlier than usual. Report from the ‘hood of a small and determined raptor (MERLIN or SHARP-SHINNED HAWK) “chugging along, clutching a STELLER’S JAY” flying about 5 feet off the ground. I’ve been hearing said raptor for several days, but as all I could find was a Steller’s Jay, decided that I had an excellent imitator in my yard. Now, I’m not so sure. Maybe the real raptor didn’t like what the Jay said…
May 3: FOX SPARROW singing in the ‘hood. Lots of ARCTIC TERNS ricocheting and rabble-rousing around the boat harbor, easily dodging sailboat masts and catching small fish (herring?) What a joyful sound of spring! I watched one expectant female waiting on shore for her beau to deliver the goods. He had one all right, a nice fat fish of which he was immensely proud. He circled around her, bragging loudly about his expertise, professing his undying love and devotion. But after a time, I could almost see her tiny red webbed foot tapping impatiently. He seemed to be more infatuated with the gift than the girl, so she ditched him and went fishing.
May 4: FOS 3 AMERICAN PIPITS, 5 WHIMBRELS, 1 PACIFIC GOLDEN-PLOVER, 2 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS, 3 GREATER YELLOWLEGS, 50+ GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE with a few CANADA/CACKLING GEESE, GADWALL, SHOVELERS, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, MALLARDS, PINTAILS. MEW GULLS sitting on nests. 7 Peeps, species undetermined. Pile of Green-winged Teal feathers from a raptor strike: Peregrine?
May 5: 5 GODWITS, possibly HUDSONIAN, hungrily feeding in the spitting rain in the dim distance.
May 6: 8 WHIMBRELS, 50+ GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE still feeding at tidelands, 2 VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS, 1 NORTHERN HARRIER female, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER flying overhead, calling, ARCTIC TERNS courtship continuing, hopefully with fresh fish.
Fourth of July Beach: first COMMON LOON of the year for me, a handsome loon in full breeding plumage, fishing and preening. Also, a single WHIMBREL walking up and down the rocky beach, gleaning tidbits from amongst the rocks quite a way above the high tide line. So fun to have it walk towards me, closer and closer! Off shore, two BALD EAGLES launched from their perch together; one swooped down and grabbed a talon-full of small fish. The other was unsuccessful.
I checked Scheffler Creek for Wandering Tattlers and instead found a RIVER OTTER swishing downstream as fluid as a fish, right under the bridge and out into the bay. So cool to see it swimming underwater, bubbles trailing behind! I was surprised it was all alone, as usually the family swims together. Maybe it was a displaced dad as the moms usually hang out with the pups.
I topped off the afternoon with a visit to the amazing Alaska Sealife Center. The highlight was two spectacular KING EIDERS males in full breeding plumage. Both cooed their beautiful musical song, courting a very interested female. Happy spring!
Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter
No comments:
Post a Comment