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
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