Seward, Alaska
Sunrise 8:57 am, sunset 5:39 pm for a total day length of 8 hours and 32 minutes. Tomorrow will be 5 minutes and 13 seconds longer.
Mid-winter mild temperatures reached to 37ยบ today, with a promise of spring when the snow showers stopped and the warm sun peeked out from an eerily blue sky. Good time to wear waterproof boots for the 8” of slush that was recently fluffy snow. Southerly winds forecast to shift back to the north with a more seasonal dip into the high 20s as the winter washer cycles from clouds to sun to snow to snow-showers to showers and back.
I spied some BALD EAGLE and RAVEN action at the Harbor Uplands this afternoon and drove up through the slush to check it out. A giant wall of dumped street-snow lined the south side, completely blocking the view of the bay and the brisk south wind. Perched on top were two adult Bald Eagles and a youngster. Another Eagle perched on a nearby street light.
A gang of Ravens mercilessly taunted the young Eagle, swooping past, dive-bombing, landing just out of reach, poking even pulling its tail feathers, and generally enjoying themselves. The undignified Eagle, obviously rattled, fended them off as best it could, beak open wide, screaming unprintable remarks. The more he reacted, the bolder the Ravens.
The two adult Eagles sitting on the snow wall not far away seemed to avoid persecution by simply ignoring the Ravens. One or two shot past, and even landed nearby, but did not linger. No fun to tease a stoic adult when much livelier prey was handy.
Not that the adults didn’t notice everything with their yellow high-beams, turning their regal wind-blown white heads up to observe the squadron of Pigeons sailing overhead, down to check on any unobservant ducks swimming below, to the left to watch the show, to the right for pedestrians walking a block away, and over the shoulder to view paparazzi.
After a while, I drove closer to the Mariners’ Memorial where NORTHWESTERN CROWS busily polished off scraps of handouts.
An empty, flattened and torn cracker box lay on the dirty ice near the snow wall and all the action. This, I deduced by all the tracks, had also attracted the Ravens; it doesn’t take much. I scooped it up.
That simple gesture seemed to say, “Game Over” for the Ravens. They soared off in search of another novelty freed by the breeze.
I left the Eagles in peace at last, ever watching, watching, watching.
Meanwhile, Jonah L scored a fabulous yard bird this afternoon, a female CASSIN’S FINCH at his home in Moose Pass, feeding with a flock of PINE GROSBEAKS. Good score!
Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter
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