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