Seward, Alaska
Overnight low of 29, daytime high of 49.
The sun burst through despite the cloudy forecast and shone mightily all day, a bright star in a surreal blue sky. A chilly south wind kept expectations low, but hopes high as I ventured to the beach.
After a long wait, I heard that sharp “chip!” and then found four magnificent ARCTIC TERNS sailing effortlessly along the bay, circling along the snowy mountain peaks, and back. One rumbled proudly while carrying a small surprised fish to impress his sweetie. No time to waste! What a deep joy to welcome these hot-rod, long-distance migrants back!
Sleek and handsome SHORT-BILLED GULLS clamored over favorite nesting spots. Some sat contentedly on recently exposed mounds of mud and leaves as if already nesting.
A juvenile BALD EAGLE tore into the remnants of a young porcupine that had drowned and washed up over the weekend. RAVENS darted in and out, barely out of reach. Plucked quills and fur littered the beach like feathers. There wasn’t much left of the sad carcass, just the grippy pad and claws of one foot remained untouched as the tide again rose to reclaim the remains.
A River Otter bounded along the beach and slipped into the creek. When I got home and checked my photos, I saw a cable or other object draped firmly across its back. It did not flap or move. I hope the dexterous Otter will be able to remove it safely, whatever it is.
I found my first-of-season GREATER YELLOWLEGS silently fishing in the wetlands. It caught and swallowed headfirst what looked like a sculpin. A GREAT BLUE HERON flushed and flew ponderously to a quieter part of the wetlands to skulk.
Many niches remain unfilled and understaffed, waiting. I filled my hummingbird feeder in expectation of the Rufous Hummingbirds’ imminent arrival. Who is next? Sandhill Cranes? Geese? Stay tuned!
Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter
PS To my faithful subscribers, I have no idea why the formatting is so weird sometimes, with random words in bold and centered spacing. Or why the photos are not on a slideshow. I hope Google will fix these bugs!
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