Monday, February 27, 2023 Swans, Bufflehead, Jellies

Seward, Alaska

Sunrise 8:14 am, sunset 6:19 pm, for a total day length of 10 hours and 15 minutes. Tomorrow will be 5 minutes and 28 seconds longer.

Sunny, windy, and chilly: 4º low, 14º high; NNW wind 4 to 11 mph with gusts to 29 mph. Out of the wind, the bright sun felt warm. Northern lights last night were incredible; the aurora forecast is high tonight as well until clouds move in.

I again checked Afognak Beach and tidelands for any sign of the Snow Buntings and McKay’s Bunting without any luck. Instead I found the small flock of RED CROSSBILLS busily scavenging among the beach rocks. No flies this time of year, but they must have found something of interest. Others sang from the nearby spruce tops. 

No PINE SISKINS today, but yesterday I found about six. One twittered nonstop like a canary. The Siskins and Redpolls have been very scarce so far this year.

A dazzling BUFFLEHEAD drake, flashing magenta, greens, and blues as the sun caught his dark head, escorted two demure hens adorned only with an elongated white patch on each side of her brown head.

At the outlet of Salmon Creek, nine TRUMPETER SWANS preened and deliberated about their eel grass lunch. Finally, with much stretching, head bobbing, and honking, two rose up, wheeled into the wind then swooped and flew south with a tailwind over to the eel grass bed. The rest soon followed, trumpeting excitedly. What a thrill, these wild, magnificent Swans!

Although I have untold numbers of Jelly photos, I could not resist the incredible light on the frozen confections displayed on the tide flats; they looked scrumptious!

Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

Friday, February 24, 2023 Red Crossbills

Seward, Alaska

Sunrise 8:12 am, sunset 6:12 pm, for a total day length of 9 hours and 59 minutes. Tomorrow will be 5 minutes and 27 seconds longer. 

Blue skies and sunshine returned today with a low of 22 and high of 30. NNW wind 3 to 8 with gusts up to 19 mph. Icicles dripped in the warm sunshine; reliable crocuses in town poked through the snow! BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES sang a spring song! More sunshine in the forecast with cooler temperatures until snow/snow showers return midweek.

I enjoyed listening to the “jipp, jipp, jipp” of a small flock of RED CROSSBILLS this morning at Afognak Beach. Initially, two were high in a spruce top, but they obligingly swooped down at eyelevel for photos. One seemed to be sipping meltwater from a branch, leaning upside down to hold that amazing crossed bill open to intercept the drops.

Red Crossbills seem to come in many assorted warm, tropical colors. According to the National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds, most Red Crossbill males are reddish though their color varies; they always have red or yellow on the throat. Most females are yellowish olive, but may show patches of red; their throat is always gray. Though one of my birds was reddish and the other yellow-gold, they both had gray throats marking them as females.

A flurry of SNOW BUNTINGS swirled across the upper tide flats, making a cameo appearance before disappearing.

Off in the distance, I heard the wild trumpeting of, of course, TRUMPETER SWANS feeding on eel grass in the bay. I counted 16 after three flew in from the Resurrection River mouth. When passing the snow-covered Nash Road Mile 1 wetlands, I did not see any Swans at the back. Soon, a pair will be staking out their claim on this valuable nesting site. 

Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

Update: Tasha reported one McKay's Bunting with the flock of 82 Snow Buntings, observed up close at 5:30 pm, foraging in the beach rye grass at about the same location past the Point at Afognak Beach.

 

Wednesday, February 22, 2023 Cedar Waxwing, Pacific Wren

Seward, Alaska

The wind died down yesterday, and birds materialized. Three BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS briefly landed and chirred at the top of a spruce tree then flew off. In the six-hundred block of Second, a single ROBIN plucked dried up, frozen Mt Ash berries from an almost depleted tree. Then another Robin flew in, then another, and another, and another until there were about a dozen hopping from branch to branch seeking fruit.

One flew to a nearby home and landed on the south-facing gutter where melting snow created a birdy spa. Soon, all twelve Robins were lined up in the gutter, splashing and sipping water in the sun. Unfortunately, I did not have my camera but it was a quite a sight!

Today, human Robin C called about a CEDAR WAXWING in the four- hundred block of Second Ave. The little lost bird perched quietly in yet another almost-stripped Mt Ash, occasionally reaching for a shriveled berry. A few Robins joined it. A STELLER’S JAY did not scare it off, nor did a passing school bus. It seemed tired, or perhaps, just quietly digesting those cold berries in its tummy.

A STARLING flew in, also without disturbing it. I was amazed at the beauty of the much-maligned Starling. Still in winter plumage, its iridescent black, purple, green, and magenta body was meticulously patterned with white chevrons like an expensive tailored suit. I could almost understand why the species was introduced to North America: smart, beautiful, and Shakespeare-approved. Despite these attributes, I hope the species does not establish itself here.

The Cedar Waxwing eventually flew across the street and landed under a spruce tree where it found something of interest, maybe a small bit of meltwater to drink. Earlier, Robin C also observed it hawking for insects, which seemed unlikely until I saw an insect fly past.

I believe this is the first winter sighting for Seward: I have reports from September 2013, October 2012, 2016, and 2020, and November 2017. 

Next stop was Two Lakes Park where I spied a very small, dark bird dashing between the lower trunks of spruce trees near the Second Lake picnic area. A PACIFIC WREN! I watched it alight effortlessly on the side of the tree trunks like a Brown Creeper and poke and probe in the potato-chip bark for invertebrates. Although the light was by now dim, I took a few documentary photos. Seward usually has a few overwintering Pacific Wrens, but this is the first for me this winter.

Earlier in the day, I refound the 34 overwintering ROCK SANDPIPERS, likely accompanied by a Dunlin or two at the head of the bay. As I was leaving, a flock of about 50 SNOW BUNTINGS flew right over my head! So beautiful against the blue sky!

Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

 

 

Monday, February 20, 2023 Moose on snowbank, Double-crested Cormorant, Western Screech Owls

Seward, Alaska

Sunny and windy as forecasted. Low of 19, high of 27. North wind 5-12 mph with gusts up to 30 mph. Out of the wind the sun felt wonderfully warm. Step away from the windbreak and it was cold! Powdery snow blew off the surrounding mountains creating swirling summit clouds.

While birding with friends from out of town, I drove around a curve and suddenly was looking up at a giant moose standing on a snowbank ramp, reaching for Mt Ash twigs. Up so high, she seemed even more enormous. 

I snatched up my camera and clicked away as she stretched even higher. I don’t often get the chance to safely see the white chin of a moose or the underside. Or note her lovely eyelashes and the many beautiful shades of brown in her living fur coat.

Another moose grazed below on the other side of the snowbank but I didn’t linger. In a minute I was gone, simply amazed by this closeup sighting of another iconic Alaskan mammal.

Of note, a DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT, likely immature, roosting with two pencil-billed PELAGIC CORMORANTS by the seafood processing plant at SMIC. A dozen other Pelagic Cormorants preened and paddled in the boat basin.

Also spotted, the usual BARROW’S GOLDENEYES, HARLEQUIN DUCKS, COMMON MERGANSERS, SURF SCOTERS, SHORT-BILLED GULLS, GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS, AMERICAN CROWS, COMMON RAVENS, BLACK-BILLED MAGPIES, PIGEONS. Yesterday in addition, I saw the continuing drake LONG-TAILED DUCK and MARBLED MURRELETS by the Lowell Point Road seafood processing plant, but did not check today. Too windy!

Although I have been listening hard, I have not yet heard my neighborhood Saw-whet Owls or Great Horned Owls. However, on Thursday night around 8:30 pm, Robin and Sam heard a pair of Western Screech Owls hooting and hunting at Old Exit Glacier Road.

Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

 

 

Sunday, February 19, 2023 Sea Otter on Snow

Seward, Alaska

Sunrise 8:26 am, sunset 5:59 pm, for a total daylength of NINE hours and 32 minutes. Tomorrow will be 5 minutes and 25 seconds longer.

Waxing new moon, high tides.

Bright sunshine on fresh snow, with an overnight low of 21 and daytime high of 29. North wind 6-9 mph with gusts to 23 made it feel cooler. Monday forecast for sunny and windier with snow showers mid-week.

Not many birds at the boat harbor today; mostly American Crows eating melting snow on the floats, and a few BARROW’S GOLDENEYES paddling away. However, a Sea Otter proved very entertaining and let me watch it take a vigorous bath.  

As flexible and fluid as water, he continuously rolled front to back, back to front, and side-to-side. Deft little paws like hands scrubbed every inch of fur (600,000-1,000,000 hairs, but who’s counting?) from tail to head and behind the ears. After several minutes, he dove and swam right underneath the dock where I was watching, and popped up in the next bay.

Now swimming on his back, he headed for another float between empty boat slips and, with a bit of effort, heaved himself up onto the snow. There he continued to preen and fluff that gleaming, luxurious fur coat in the sunshine, oblivious to the sharp wind. Even the wide back feet got into the act.

The extensive silvery-white fur cape extending down his face, head, and neck and his large size made me think he’s an old sea otter, but with the flexibility of a youngster. He’s probably a tour boat favorite in the summer, patiently posing and looking absolutely adorable as eager tourists lean over the side to snap his photo, just like me. 

I thanked him for letting me watch, then left him in peace and strolled away. 

Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

Sunday, February 12, 2023 ASLC Eiders et al

Seward, Alaska

Sunrise 8:46 am, sunset 5:40 pm for a total daylength of 8 hours and 54 minutes. Tomorrow will be 5 minutes and 19 seconds longer. The days are growing noticeably longer, especially on sunny days.

Partly sunny today (yay!); temperature dropped from an overnight high of 29 to a low of 16, offset by a NNW wind around 12 mph increasing to howling with frequent gusts up to 34 mph. The bay remains warmer at 45º. Forecast for tomorrow is cooler, sunnier, and windier, then back to snow and snow showers for the rest of the week. 

Seward received a 17” blanket of lovely snow on Friday, sifting down and swirling around like a snow globe, light enough to easily shovel between dumps. Now it’s just blowing around, stinging, and drifting up.

Finding few birds on my stroll/blow about town, I decided to get my bird fix at the Alaska Sealife Center. Fortunately, access was open to the aviary despite the strong winds, where amazing and gorgeous sea birds were close enough to see eyeball to eyeball.

The KING EIDER and SPECTACLED EIDER drakes in full breeding glory, vied for best of show with exotic combinations of colors. Their more demure yet classy hens, clad in hues of brown with subtle patterning and a dark blue-gray bill that sometimes beamed bright blue, accompanied them with justifiable pride. 

Easily missed, a pair of first-year STELLER’S EIDERS, hatched in May 2022, joined the aviary a few months ago. The young male is molting into a more mature look with white feathers splotching the brown. The dark brown female sported a long blue-gray bill and a glimmer of a blue speculum for dash. This is the smallest Eider species, only slightly larger than the nearby HARLEQUIN DUCKS.

How fantastic to watch three of the four Eider species on this blustery day! The only one missing is the largest, the Common Eider.

RHINOCEROS AUKLETS’ whiskers tangled in the wind, and sometimes the birds blew backwards in the gusts. A row of TUFTED PUFFINS, still far from breeding finery, paddled furiously against the aquarium glass, perhaps enjoying the reflections. One posed comically, as they do, watching me with warm brown eyes. The HORNED PUFFINS, were even further from changing, some still in the process of shedding their old bill plates.

The drake SMEW was elegant in black and white, especially when he raised his crest, surprised by a gust. His lady napped unconcerned, head tucked under wing, not interested in this paparazza.

High above on the cliffs perched the RED-LEGGED KITTIWAKES, enjoying the sunshine peeking over the enclosure walls. Occasionally one or two dashed overhead for a quick fly-about.

COMMON MURRES flocked and preened together, still wary of people. Shrill PIGEON GUILLEMOTS huddled on the rocks. HARLEQUINS paddled along the far side, not nearly as curious and friendly as the Eiders and Auklets.

After a while, my fingers growing cold, I reluctantly left to enjoy the many wonders awaiting in the other habitats. What a spectacular and marvelous watery world, so close and yet so mysterious!

Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter