Seward, Alaska
Sunrise 6:20 am, sunset 9:33 pm, for a total day length of 16 hours and 51 minutes. Tomorrow will be 5 minutes and 22 seconds longer.
Squalls with light, stinging rain moved in yesterday, ending our intoxicating sunny streak. Temps ranged from a low of 34 overnight to a high of 44. A chilly wind vacillated from E to S, from calm up to 16 mph gusts.
Tuesday around 10:40 pm, I heard but could not see, SANDHILL CRANES flying overhead, seemingly heading west over Lowell Canyon. A few of the brighter stars like Arcturus were barely visible. Thursday night, about the same time, I again heard Cranes, but flying north. The night was much darker due to the clouds. I wondered where they last staged and fed, how many miles they had flown, how they knew where they were, and where they hoped to stop to rest and feed.
This morning, I heard VARIED THRUSHES and ROBINS singing in the forest on the Mt Marathon slope of my neighborhood. Did they arrive in the night?
BALD EAGLES swooped and whooped along the edge; will they nest or is this just a real estate tour? There’s been a lot of activity there recently with two pairs chasing each other, interlocking talons and spinning like a top while plummeting towards the earth in a rush of wind, releasing just in time. So exciting!
The waves of Cranes began about noon; their joyous bugling heralded their arrival as they emerged out of the dark clouds in small Vs and extended and merged flocks of 100s. Funneled up the bay, some flocks hugged the eastern mountains, flying past Mt Alice; some flew up the middle of Resurrection Bay, others followed the western mountains and turned up Resurrection River valley past Exit Glacier; and others milled and mulled high overhead, a noisy swirl of indecision, before striking north again.
By mid-afternoon, 13 landed at the head of the bay to rest and feed. These served as decoys, luring several other tired flocks to circle and land, long legs extended, and huge wings and long necks outstretched as they gracefully floated down.
Barely had they landed than a Bald Eagle lazily flew past and caused the whole lot of Cranes, Geese, and Ducks to rise up in a panic and flee. Some then decided to continue north, but most settled back down, at least for a short while. I was surprised a large bird like a Crane would fear an Eagle and expend all that energy to take off and return. They know best!
In the adjacent thawing pond, the lone continuing TUNDRA SWAN fed steadily, not disturbed by any ol’ Eagle. CANADA and GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE and a few CACKLING GEESE rested and fed among the sedges, ready to leap up in a panic with the Cranes.
Increasing numbers of ducks rested, paddled or dove in the open water: NORTHERN SHOVELERS, GADWALL, MALLARDS, NORTHERN PINTAILS, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, COMMON MERGANSERS, BUFFLEHEAD. A few ARCTIC TERNS and many SHORT-BILLED GULLS flew noisily overhead.
Out in the flats, Robin C shared the first of season BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS, two males in breeding plumage, resting quietly, so tired, and a PACIFIC GOLDEN-PLOVER perky enough to feed, stop-start-stop.
The Cranes kept coming in almost regular intervals, and by the time we left, there were more than 100 gathered at the marsh. What thrilling day and such a treat. I'll be hearing them in my sleep!
Species that I missed included a NORTHERN HARRIER, a MERLIN, a PEREGRINE, a EURASIAN and a few AMERICAN WIGEON, LEAST SANDPIPER, and one SAVANNAH SPARROW. Always something more to find as Spring generously delivers gift after gift.
Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter
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