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
No comments:
Post a Comment