Seward, Alaska
After several days of dreadful heavy rain which changed to sleet, then snow, my feeder suddenly had more activity than I’ve seen all winter. A delightful surprise was the appearance of the bright, red Interior FOX SPARROW which was seen during the January Christmas Bird Count. He ate the black sunflower seeds without removing the hulls.
A beautiful pumpkin-orange VARIED THRUSH hopped in, feeding on fallen suet and possibly whole sunflower seeds beneath the flock of hungry PINE SISKINS. I heard a RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH and CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE but the aggressive Pine Siskins may have kept them away. I also saw a cautious house mouse peeking out from underneath the never-used dog house. Maybe a hungry Saw-whet Owl will find it.
February is a prime time for Owls to start courting and calling. A Great Horned Owl was reported February 17 for several successive nights, hooting from Forest Acres. A Saw-whet Owl was reported hunting by a bird feeder at 5:30 am in Camelot. Maybe there’s vole or mouse there too!
Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter
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