Seward, Alaska
Sunrise 9:31 am, sunset 4:03 pm for a total daylight of 6 hours and 32 minutes. Tomorrow will be 3 minutes and 26 seconds shorter.
Ahhhhh. After single digit overnight temperatures and minus wind chill over the past week, today warmed up from an overnight of 9º to a pleasant 30º if one got out of the 23-mph north wind. Snow is forecast for the next few days, (did I read 7” correctly?) and the north wind extended its booking for the whole week to blow it around.
In the predawn, dim light today in Two Lakes Park, I heard an urgent mewing sound and surprised a small raptor trying to subdue an even smaller bird for breakfast. Unfortunately for the hungry raptor, my dog investigated and the fight broke up. The relieved breakfast entrée escaped into nearby undergrowth minus a few feathers and its dignity. What a breakfast drama! I wish I knew who they were but the light was bad and the action brief.
This afternoon, I found a relatively calm spot at Afognak Beach. Flash- frozen jellies lay where the tide abandoned them, plump and surprised. The beautiful striping of the northern sea nettles reminded me of striped peppermint candy spilled from a bag.
I looked for the female RUSTY BLACKBIRD that I found on Friday, November 26, preening in an alder, creaking now and then, apparently at ease in the bitter cold. No sign of her today.
Scattered along the falling tide, six adult TRUMPETER SWANS paddled along, feeding and preening. I peeked around the point and discovered the resident Swan family with four cygnets hunkered down in the snow. Several more pairs of adults napped in the wind and snow, heads tucked deep into their warm feathers. I counted 21 Swans in all! Tough birds!
Two adult BALD EAGLES perched in the trees out of the wind, watching and calling. I walked right under one who peered at me myopically, then resumed its conversation with a more distant Eagle.
It’s magical to be so close to that wild cry.
On Wednesday morning, November 24, a WILLOW PTARMIGAN shot across Second Ave in front of me and flew into the spruce on the mountainside west of Madison Street. Its black outer tail feathers flashed against its snow-white body. What a wonderful surprise!
On Saturday, November 27, the bay streamed billowing clouds of steam; the water temperature dropped a bit to 49.6º, much warmer than the air at 15º. The writhing swirls hid intrepid fishing boats, smashing their way through the waves to port, ice coating the deck and windows. Do consumers appreciate the effort and skill of the fishermen who deliver their crab and fish?
And who would be reveling in the cold wind while all else is hunkered down? RAVENS, of course. Only they seem to truly enjoy playing in the cold and wind, cruising the updrafts from the snow dump on the Uplands, spinning acrobatically, laughing and soaring.
They will certainly enjoy this next windy week; an inspiration to us all.
Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter
