Seward, Alaska
Sunrise 5:45 am, sunset 10:24 pm for a total day length of 16 hours and 39 minutes. Tomorrow will be 4 minutes and 58 seconds shorter. Intermittent showers today; calm, temps in the upper 50s. Might see some sunshine Tuesday and Wednesday, then back to rain.
The good dog roused me from a sound sleep at 5:32 AM. As I waited in the doorway listening to the green new day waking up, a ROBIN scolded briefly.
Then loud, piercing cries rang out overhead. MARBLED MURRELETS! It sounded like a family commuting from its forest roost to the bay to fish. Back in bed with the window open just in case, I heard another small flock calling ten minutes later. There may have been more earlier and later, but if so, I missed them.
It’s so amazing to me that this chunky seabird chooses to not only nest in the forest, but to commute every day throughout the year from the ocean to the forest, even when nesting is done.
On July 18, 1998, I found an unhurt but dazed fledgling Marbled Murrelet by the white shoulder line at the Mile 12 divide. I scooped it up and delivered it to the fledgling Alaska Sealife Center. They fed it and released it by Fox Island the next day.
No one knows how far our Marbled Murrelets commute, but at least this one family commuted 12 miles twice every day.
It also seems odd to be so vocal about it. Why advertise to predators? "Honk, honk! Coming through! Here I am, where are YOU?" Nonetheless, I’m happy to hear them. What a great day to start the day!
Other special sightings:
Tuesday night, July 28: a camper reported two GREAT HORNED OWLS screeching and hunting at the South Fork Tonsina Creek just south of Lowell Point. The reporter even got a photo of a ghostly GRHO looking at her from the bridge.
Wednesday afternoon, July 29: Robin C spotted a GREAT BLUE HERON flying across the road heading towards the abandoned coal ship loader (blue dipper). GRBH have proven as elusive as owls lately; it’s nice to know they are still around.
Friday, July 31: a hiker spotted a family of four MERLINS perched in a tree on the lower slopes of Mt Marathon.
Sunday, August 2: a PEREGRINE FALCON flashed past me at the tidelands, heading west where it quickly disappeared.
Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter
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