Wednesday, July 28, 2021 Sabine’s Gull!

Seward, Alaska

Sunrise 5:30 am, sunset 10:40 pm for a total day length of 17 hours and 9 minutes. Tomorrow will be 4 minutes and 42 seconds shorter.

 

Typical mild weather continues with cloudy skies, temps in the mid-50s and south wind. We are so fortunate, especially compared to the extreme weather elsewhere.

 

Thanks to a hot tip, I refound a juvenile SABINE’S GULL this morning, a LIFE BIRD that I’ve been trying to see for years. I love it when rare birds are delivered to Seward!

 

I carefully scanned the raft of bobbing BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES and GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS by the Diversion Tunnel waterfall near the seafood processing plant on Lowell Point Road. Where’s Waldo? It seemed hopeless.

 

Then, I happened to catch sight of a small, dark gull about a yard from shore, paddling along, picking minute food particles and at least one drowning insect from the wave-splashed surface. Three people stood nearby, casing out locations to fish. The tiny gull didn’t seem to mind their close presence; they didn’t seem to notice it and wandered off.

 

I eased my way down the shore and started clicking away. Far from the madding crowd, the rare gull paddled serenely back and forth, minding its own business. A wave back-splashed and startled the gull into a brief flight, flashing the striking white wing wedge.

 

Occasionally a giant Black-legged Kittiwake flew overhead, perhaps curious but not aggressive. One landed briefly nearby for a good size comparison: 17” vs 13.5”.

 

The Sabine’s Gull has a cool Latin name, Xerna sabini, named for Sir Edward Sabine, (1788-1883), an Irish scientist of many accomplishments. 

The gulls breed on coastal wet tundra along the rim of the arctic, including western and northern Alaska and across the top of the world. During migration to the southern hemisphere, they are pelagic and seldom seen from shore.

 

Pretty special to find this one so close!

 

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

 

Friday, July 9, 2021 Fork-tailed Storm-Petrels and Common Murres!

Seward, Alaska

Sunrise 4:51 am, sunset 11:16 pm, for a total day length of 18 hours and 24 minutes. Tomorrow will be 3 minutes and 5 seconds shorter.

 

Cool temperatures reign with a high of 54 and a low of 45. Overcast skies started drizzling by early afternoon and then a big front moved in from the Gulf of Alaska bearing heavy rain and south winds. More rain is in the forecast with temps in the 50s until next Wednesday.

 

Who but a birder would watch a storm with the car window wide open and a towel draped over the opening to mop up the rain? The good reason? The solid wall of hard rain delivered dozens (or more) FORK-TAILED STORM-PETRELS to inner Resurrection Bay. 

 

What a pleasure to watch these graceful “sea swallows” dip and glide over the water, occasionally pattering along, and even diving completely underwater. Even better was the delivery, sparing me the effort of a long and rough boat tour far out into their open ocean habitat.

 

A flock of about 22 COMMON MURRES caught my eye, flying south down the middle of the bay. This is also an unusual, storm-driven, summer sighting. Then a PIGEON GUILLEMOT flew up the bay, and a MARBLED MURRELET popped up near shore then dove. How exciting to see all these alcids from shore!

 

At least four ARCTIC TERNS flew past, a dwindling remnant as the parents lure their fledglings from the land and all prepare for their long migration south to Antarctica. I will miss them!

BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES, GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS, and MEW GULLS dashed and splashed. A Steller Sea-lion surged along in the waves.

 

With the stormy weather forecast for the next several days, there may be more and other storm birds arriving. I will have a dry towel or two handy!

 

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter