Seward, Alaska
Sunrise 4:49 am, sunset 11:04 pm for a total daylength of 18 hours, 15 minutes. Crazy amount of daylight! Tomorrow will be 3 minutes and 21 seconds longer.
Temps in mid-40s to 50s. Welcome rain returned today to water Nature’s booming garden. More showers in the forecast for the next few days.
SAVANNAH SPARROWS now proclaim territories from driftwood, last year’s beach rye stalks, and even dried cow parsnip flower umbels. They sing, pause to listen and receive, then lustily sing again. Beautiful sparrows!
After many weeks without success, I chanced to refind last year’s three resident cygnets, now almost a year old and very wary. Overall, their plumage is now mostly white but their heads are still dark gray. It’s great they have all survived their first year and these past two months solo together. The 2020 cygnets should be hatching any day now. I wonder how many?
A single GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE joined the 10 CACKLING GEESE spotted yesterday. I thought the GWFG had all migrated through too, but one never knows with birds!
I witnessed an endearing moment between a pair of ARCTIC TERNS. He, justifiably very proud, landed near his waiting lady love with a prized herring. With much excited chatter between them, he gallantly offered it. She graciously accepted it, and flew off, hopefully sealing the bond between them. Or not. Either way, the gift was very generous and well done.
The glorious month of May brought the excitement of migration, the return of local residents, sweet birdsong, nest building, and the eruption of leaves and flowers.
Stand by for June and babies!
Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter
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