Seward, Alaska
Sunrise 4:39 am, sunset 11:26 pm for a total daylength of 18 hours and 47 minutes. Tomorrow will be 1 minute and 41 seconds shorter. High today 70, overnight low 54. Forecast for the week predicts temps in the mid to high 70s and mostly sunny, rising to 80 on Saturday. Whew! That’s hot for Seward!
Widespread smoke from the central Kenai Peninsula Swan Lake wildfire is forecast for Monday through Wednesday, thanks to the NW wind blowing it our way. It's been thick here for several days, completely obscuring the surrounding mountains. It's eerie. Hoping it clears for the big Fourth of July Mount Marathon Race. Ironically, with all this hot weather, rivers and creeks are rising with all the meltwater, but the land is dry, dry, dry.
A pleasant evening is a reprieve from today’s heat with temps in the 60s and a sweet breeze. HERMIT THRUSHES are singing back and forth, such a peaceful sound; a distant VARIED THRUSH piped up, and a ROBIN sang from a treetop. A male ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER trilled briefly and then went back to foraging for insects. SONG and
A RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD darted in for a sugar water drink then dashed off; also seen feeding earlier on Red Columbines. Be sure to change out the feeder solution often. Four parts water to one part white granulated sugar, preferably boiled. Reduce quantity to avoid waste. No red food coloring. Hummers can die a painful death if the water is fouled with fungus.
It’s baby bird time, some are still in the nest, others have fledged. My TREE SWALLOW family is still in the deck box, but other Tree Swallows have fledged and are being fed mid-flight. The three TRUMPETER SWAN cygnets are thriving under the watchful eyes of their doting parents.
Ava’s DOWNY WOODPECKER female fed suet to an eager fledgling; while waiting for mom to return, he pecked inquisitively at everything in reach, but found nothing edible.
Also at Ava’s, a female ANNA’S HUMMINGBIRD (!) RUFOUS HUMMERS, RED CROSSBILLS, PINE GROSBEAKS, and the usual HAIRY WOODPECKERS, BLACK-CAPPED and CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEES, PINE SISKINS, FOX SPARROW, and TREE SWALLOWS.
Of note are possible failed breeders: about 40 SURF SCOTERS and approximately the same number of HARLEQUIN DUCKS, both genders, have been feeding just offshore at Fourth of July Beach all June. Seems they should be busy raising their families now. The Surf Scoters are especially early back in Resurrection Bay.
The Swan Lake wildfire, started by lightning in early June, continues to devastate the nesting birds and wildlife; we will never know the numbers of those beautiful birds that died in the blaze.
Meanwhile, in sunny and smoky Seward, celebrate every bird!
Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter
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