Sunday, March 6, 2022 Beautiful day and boat harbor birds

Seward, Alaska

 

Sunrise 7:42 am, sunset 6:38 pm for a total day length of 10 hours and 55 minutes. Tomorrow will be 5 minutes and 29 seconds longer.

 

Ahhh, sunshine! So welcome after the many days of successive storms and sn'rain. After an overnight low of 25, the high today reached a balmy 41 that actually felt warm. As per usual, the north wind couldn't resist demanding some attention too, and ripped around at 12-18 mph with gusts to 26.

 

Nature whipped off her secretive grey shroud to reveal her masterpieces: brilliant white snowscapes on the surrounding spectacular mountains. Snow devils and streamers danced off the summits for a final artistic touch. 

 

I wandered around the boat harbor floats, where the warm sun neutralized the wind. Sheltered between the rows of vessels, the water was remarkably calm. Singly and in small flocks, sea birds quietly dove for fish. 

 

HORNED GREBES, red-orange eyes aglow, popped up and watched warily before diving under the floats to reappear many yards away. A flotilla of BARROW'S GOLDENEYES wove in and around boat hulls as if on inspection. Among them, young males, still brown like females, sported developing white face crescents. A few COMMON MERGANSERS, normally present in large numbers, paddled about.

 

I heard a distinctive "BEEP" and crept up on displaying COMMON GOLDENEYE drakes. How fun to watch these handsome sea ducks at work, trying to impress each other and the ladies! 

 

I know I was impressed when one after the other drake threw his head flat on his back, beak to the sky, and uttered a dry rattle. Then back up for the "Beep!" and the neck extended fully at an angle (probably felt good to balance out that neck throw). The boys followed each other around, showing off, ladies or not, then preened to perfection.

 

The mountain shadows crept over town and finally reached the harbor around 4:46 pm. As the sun slid over the side of Mount Marathon, the slope edge ignited in a dramatic farewell, loose snow billowing over the scattered, iced alders. 

 

I caught the reflection of Mt Alice, still alight across the bay, in the large windows of a tour boat office at the edge of the harbor. Summer visitors miss our mountains' blue snow shadows, low angle light, long, sometimes starry nights, and the harbor with overwintering, beeping sea ducks. What a sweet pleasure!

 

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter