Seward, Alaska
Sunrise 10:00 am, sunset 3:51 pm, civil twilight 4:49 pm for a total daylength of 5 hours and 51 minutes. Tomorrow will be 34 seconds shorter. The forecast is for partly sunny Thursday through Sunday. Count Day on Saturday will be chilly at 16º with a NNW wind.
This morning began as usual: overcast, 39º, with continuing rain puddles reflecting Christmas lights.
First bird of the 2019 Christmas Bird Count Week was a cheerful PINE GROSBEAK, a chunky silhouette at dawn (10 am) in a Mt Ash tree with 4 others. On my morning walk I heard or saw BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES, BUFFLEHEAD, WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS, STELLER’S JAYS, DARK-EYED JUNCOS, BLACK-BILLED MAGPIE, too many feral ROCK PIGEONS, RAVENS, ROBINS, PINE SISKINS, SONG SPARROW, DOWNY WOODPECKER, and a PACIFIC WREN.
The gray sky cleared by midafternoon as the thermometer eased down a few degrees. What a treat to see a bit of sunshine on the surrounding snowy mountains! I headed to Bear Lake to refind an unusual CANVASBACK spotted by Tasha last weekend at the north end.
I first checked the south end. I expected at least some ice but the entire lake was wide open! Very strange. Skittery BARROW’S and COMMON GOLDENEYES and MALLARDS spotted me first even though they were far away, and paddled off. Then I headed to the trail head and down the Iditarod National Historic Trail paralleling Bear Lake.
Tasha reported Crossbills, which I heard up high feeding on cones, Pacific Wrens and Pine Siskins which I did not find. I enjoyed a beautiful walk highlighted by the low sunshine igniting the lichen encrusted hemlocks and spruce trees, green mosses, and snowy mountains across the lake. Running low on daylight, I turned back just before the end of the lake and headed back.
Feeling lucky, I again scoped out the south end. Same mixed flock of Goldeneyes and Mallards, but wait! SCAUP dove between the Mallards: several females and at least one male. They were too far for me to determine which species. I scoped even farther and saw the black butt of the CANVASBACK as it dove. Color drained from the land and water, but I could almost make out a brick-red head. So exciting to get this unusual duck for Count Week!
Pushing twilight, I checked the Lagoon in town and found Common Goldeneye drakes beeping and snapping their necks backwards. A female HOODED MERGANSER cruised nearby; Bufflehead dove for one more fish before dark.
Pushing my luck and the light, I swung by the Harbor Uplands and found 4 GREAT BLUE HERONS still perched high in the rigging of the coal dipper.
Mt Alice glowed in her new snow-white cloak under the indigo sky, reflected in the calm harbor twinkling with dock lights. An enchanting finale to a wonderful first day of Count Week.
Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter
No comments:
Post a Comment