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!
Carol Griswold
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