Seward, Alaska
Sunrise 9:03 am, heralded with gorgeous pink clouds, sunset 6:21 pm, for a total day length of 10 hours and 45 minutes. Tomorrow will be 5 minutes and 18 seconds shorter.
Blessed calm today after such a ferocious beating by the north wind this past week! 26º this morning seemed mild though the sun was soon swallowed up by snow-bearing clouds. The first snowfall of the season began around noon with a forecast for less than an inch accumulation today. More snow for tomorrow and the return of the north wind.
I seized the chance to bird the tidelands this morning before the snow arrived. My wish list was ambitious and hopeful, but all was quiet. A thin layer of ice covered most of the pond and shallow puddles, pushing the ducks out to the bay. Two NORTHERN SHOVELERS flew in to join complaining MALLARDS dabbling at the tide’s edge.
Among them, dwarfed by comparsion, I noticed 8 ROCK SANDPIPERS busily probing and chatting. These are the First-of-Season for me. A bit farther along the beach, I found the two continuing DUNLINS steadily feeding in a shallow pool. One Dunlin hopped as it fed, its recently injured right leg held tight to its body, poor thing.
I randomly chucked a ball into the beach rye grass for the good dog and out popped a SNOW BUNTING! “Tew! Tew!” it called as it flew out of sight. Definitely, First-of-Season!
In the distance, two TRUMPETER SWANS descended to the open water by the pond. I suspect the Mile 1 wetlands is at least partially frozen.
The tide quickly rose, closing the intertidal grocery store, and soon the snowflakes wafted from the mountains to the sea. At the parking lot, the high call of a BROWN CREEPER drew my attention to a nearby spruce where the little one was fearlessly hopping along the underside of branches, dropping to the trunk, and flitting to the next gravity-defying feat.
I was thrilled to find one species on my wish list, the Snow Bunting, and was very happy to find the others. Birding is such that just one bird can make one’s day. Today, despite what began as a very quiet, dim morning, I again found much inspiration and wonder.
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter
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