Seward, Alaska
Sunrise 7:10 am, sunset 8:43 pm for a total day length of 13 hours and 33 minutes. Tomorrow will be 5 minutes and 24 seconds shorter.
High today in the low 60s, low in the mid 40s. Continuing rain in the forecast for the next 10 days, making up for the drought this summer. It won’t resurrect the dead trees, shrubs, and forbs, but half-dead plants seem to be reviving. Rain is the color green!
I tuned into the continual Nature show at the Lagoon this afternoon. Eight splendid adult TRUMPETER SWANS napped at north end. I assume six are last year’s resident cygnets, now 15 months old, plus two extras, also possibly older residents.
A surprise adult GREAT BLUE HERON, normally so shy and secretive, fished in the nearby water and walked among them. Two DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS dove for fish in deeper water. A DIPPER sailed past heading for the culvert and feeder creek. Pink salmon and one very old king salmon splashed, spawned, and swam up the creeks.
After a time, the Swans began preening and stretching. Suddenly, three RIVER OTTERS rolled into view and stirred up everyone. They bounced up onto shore, displacing the Great Blue Heron who flew up and landed behind them. The Swans, alert now, watched warily. The Otters instantly evaluated the risk of the eight powerful bills and 16 strong wings, and wisely flowed back into the water, disappearing as quickly as they came.
Wide-awake, some of the Swans slowly and majestically waded into the water. I was amazed to watch one Swan reach down and repeatedly pull up a salmon carcass, grabbing bits of the loose skin and soft flesh before it sank again. Several times, it grabbed enough of the salmon to shake it vigorously, bits flying, then resumed eating.
Two, then three Swans paddled up the little creek, long necks looping down, sucking up salmon eggs like vacuum cleaners. A Mallard loitered behind, gobbling down more salmon eggs. Live salmon swam past, intent on completing their mission of spawning, their bounty and bodies unintentionally providing nourishment for many food webs.
The two outlier Swans paddled off. After more stretching, preening, and egg gobbling, the six followed, leaving the Great Blue Heron in peace. I looked forward to watching it fish, but suddenly it took off, cleared the highway, aiming for the head of the bay.
I know the show continued with many variations and cameos and I hated to leave my favorite channel, but my time was up.
Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter
Seward, Alaska
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