Seward, Alaska
Sunrise 4:33 am, sunset 11:28 pm for a total day length of 18 hours and 54 minutes. Tomorrow will be 0 minutes and 9 seconds SHORTER. Civil twilight: set at 1:17 am, rise at 2:43 am. No wonder those ROBINS, HERMIT THRUSH, and FOX SPARROWS are singing at 3 am!
The sun shone in celebration of the first day of summer today, but rain is in the forecast until next week with temps consistently in the mid 50s. June is like a firehose with more flowers bursting forth every day and frantic parents feeding their hungry newly hatched babies. With the exception of winter-dead lawn patches, everything is green, green, green.
Today I heard a grating, primal cry and followed the sound to a pair of suspicious-looking gulls. As they flew closer, I realized with joy that they were CASPIAN TERNS! It’s been quite a while since I’ve seen them here in Seward. Both Cordova and Homer have reported these large, red-billed Terns, so it’s about time they showed up in Seward again.
The resident ARCTIC TERNS and MEW GULLS did not seem to be disturbed by them as much as the numerous BALD EAGLES that dared to fly through their airspace and territories. These predators were escorted away by brave, screaming, parents. I watched the Caspian Terns plunge into the nearshore bay water, just like the Arctic Terns, likely after the same fish.
It will be interesting to see if they stick around, and observe their interactions with the other resident birds.
Of note, 12 BRANT following the tideline, feeding on Saturday, June 19. A few other Brant were also reported recently in Kasilof.
On my Exit Glacier Road bike ride today, I did not hear either the Swainson’s or Gray-cheeked Thrush. The VARIED THRUSH, HERMIT THRUSH, and ROBIN continue to sing and scold along with RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, FOX SPARROW, WILSON’S WARBLER, ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, and YELLOW WARBLER. Could be the time of day (mid-afternoon) or many birds are now busy feeding their young.
Summer just started, but the season is moving along fast!
Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter
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