Seward, Alaska
Sunrise 7:27 am, sunset 8:21 pm for a total day length of 12 hours and 54 minutes. Tomorrow will be 5 minutes and 24 seconds shorter.
Squall after squall of heavy rain wafted through Seward today with periods of light rain in between. Tomorrow’s forecast calls for cloudy skies with a 30% chance of rain around 3 pm, winds south at 5 to 10 mph.
The continuing squalls blasting across the North Pacific from Asia carried more than rain! An incredibly rare and tough survivor arrived on Seward’s shores, the first Alaska record of a CITRINE WAGTAIL! It was spotted this afternoon and reported on Facebook Alaska Rare Bird Alert with fantastic photos.
The news of a CITRINE WAGTAIL sent shockwaves through the Alaska birding world and a few intrepid birders dropped everything, including important engagements and obligations, and shot down from Anchorage to find it. More birders are on the way. Much more accessible than a trip to Thailand or Vancouver Island!
The Citrine Wagtail is widespread and fairly common over much of Asia, according to Google. It is rare but increasingly vagrant to western Europe, NOT to Alaska! This rarity was really blown off course!
When I finally got free, it took about a split second even as dusk fell and the dark day got even dimmer, to ditch plans, grab my camera, binocs, rubber boots, bear spray, and raingear, and drive the three miles to the airport parking lot.
I arrived around 7 pm, shortly after Brad found it and split back to Anchorage. Tom had just arrived from Anchorage so he and I walked the narrow beach on an ebbing high tide and found the bird. Yahoo! LIFER! It's great to have more eyes to spot it, and heads-up from friends!
The term “citrine” refers to the yellowish color, still visible on this Wagtail, but stunning on breeding males. Even in the dim light, the bold white wingbars, gray back, long tail with white outer tail feathers, and yellowish color around the head was visible.
The lone bird seemed in good health, foraging among the wrack line. I didn’t notice the tail wagging behavior, but only got brief views as it was wary. Despite its bold markings, it easily disappeared into the adjacent beach rye grass and sedges, and flew when approached too closely.
Here’s an interesting article on the November 14th 2012 sighting on Vancouver Island https://vancouverislandnature.wordpress.com/2012/11/22/the-tale-of-the-wagtail-terry-thormin/
If you come, it's a little over a half mile walk one-way from the airport parking area at the cul-de-sac to the end of the beach. Please respect this private airport property, owned by Alaska DOT where you will be trespassing. Aircraft have the right-of-way; watch for the occasional plane or helicopter and give them space.
The soggy wetlands are fragile and are already being trampled into mud. Brown bears and momma moose with twin calves are known to frequent the area. Watch the tides; they should be manageable this week. And of course, please respect this lost bird and give it space as well so it can survive and others may enjoy it.
Good luck and Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter
No comments:
Post a Comment