Seward, Alaska
Delightful, clear weather continued with temperatures in the 50s at night and 60 daytime and calm.
The distressed good dog roused me from a deep sleep at 1:30 this morning. I grumbled as I stumbled out the door in my nightie until I saw the night sky. The infinite Milky Way with its billions of stars stretched overhead; bright constellations glittered in their early winter positions. Red Mars chased the earlier appearances of Jupiter and Saturn. What a heavenly night!
I almost hated to go inside, but luckily, out we went at 5 am. Orion the Mighty Hunter now strode over the eastern mountains, forever chasing Taurus the Bull, a preview of the November sky. The Big Dipper had rotated and Arcturus had long since set behind Mt Marathon.
At 6:30 am, the stars began to dim and luminous Venus heralded the dawn. I was then finally allowed to sleep uninterrupted for a few hours.
Today turned out to be SANDHILL CRANE migration day. While I waited expectantly in town, wave after wave, thousands! flew east across the mountains just north of town. I received reports, but never saw or heard a one. With such fine weather, they just kept going.
Six TRUMPETER SWANS, likely a combo of the three resident 1-year olds and 2-year olds, fed amicably at the Airport Pond. This loose group has also been feeding in the eel grass beds near Afognak Beach, and sometimes the Lagoon. It took a while for the siblings to merge but as winter approaches, they will tolerate the presence of others.
The tide flats seemed quiet until I spied three shorebirds probing through the silt for invertebrates at the edge of an intertidal stream. With their yellowish legs, bright pattern, reddish cap, and strong white eyebrow, they sure looked like juvenile SHARP-TAILED SANDPIPERS.
I have seen this species in Seward before, but not every fall. They breed in wet Siberian tundra and winter in Australia and New Zealand. Some cross the Bering Strait into Alaska and migrate down the coast to the Pacific NW before heading out to sea on their long flight south.
http://birdweb.org/birdweb/bird/sharp-tailed_sandpiper
I checked out the Swans on the way back and then sat down to watch a family of three GREAT BLUE HERONS fishing nearby. These normally wary birds seemed unconcerned, especially the youngster, as they slowly walked through the shallow water, fishing. Target acquired, they imperceptibly lowered that mighty spear and then POW! grabbed the fish and down, down, down, the long, bulging neck. Most of the fish seemed to be small flat flounders.
The Herons gradually waded over past the Swans who continued to nap and preen. Twelve long necks! Quite a sight!
It was quite an amazing, long day but it wasn’t over yet. At 10 pm on the dog walk, I heard a little SAW WHET OWL beeping from the forest on Mt Marathon. Whooo knows if he was fooled by the day length, or just inspired by another fabulous day in Paradise. I sure was!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter
For photos, please visit my blog at https://sporadicbird.blogspot.com
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