Seward. Alaska
Sunrise 7:52 am, sunset 6:30 pm, for a total day length of 10 hours and 37 minutes. Tomorrow will be 5 minutes and 20 seconds longer.
March came in like a lion, roaring, with NNW winds 14-18 mph, gusting up to 40 mph. Temperatures continued chilly with a low of 9 and a high of 17. Out of the wind, if one could find such a spot, the bright sun felt warm and promising. In a surprise move, the forecast predicts rising temperatures of 32 on Sunday, 37 on Monday, and 40 on Tuesday!
This afternoon at Afognak Beach, 17 TRUMPETER SWANS, including cygnets, hugged the cobbled, wave-dashed south shore, at times standing on the beach. Tossed by the wind, thirty-some ROCK SANDPIPERS blew up and fluttered down at the edge of the ebbing tide, feeding furiously. A dozen MALLARDS huddled nearby may have provided windbreaks as they too sought calories.
Somewhat sheltered in the boughs of spruce trees, two BALD EAGLES rested, always watching, in the sunshine. A chatty MAGPIE supervised one, just out of reach. Four RED CROSSBILLS bravely perched at the tips of the spruce, feathers blowing in the wind.
It all seemed normal for this blustery winter day until a friend alerted me to a dead BOREAL OWL, discovered at the base of a large spruce tree around 12:30 pm. Shocking! I refound the little owl, a handful of fluff with a yellowish beak, white dots all over the head, and larger white spots on its back and wings. Her feather-clad feet were soft as a cat’s, but the black talons on the business side were sharp and the soles heavily textured for grip.
Owls have zygodactyl feet, with the second and third toes in front and the first (like our big toe) and fourth behind. Unlike woodpeckers, owls can rotate the outer fourth talon from the rear to the front.
Her eyes were sunken, the head tilted to the side, and the tail was bent upwards; otherwise, she seemed uninjured in regards to an attack. She may have lain there for a day or two. I wondered at her fate. Did she starve, unable to find enough voles with the weather challenges of deep snow, wind, and cold? Weighed with a postage scale, she was just over 4 ounces, which did not seem too abnormal. A normal female is much heavier at 4.6 to 6.3 oz compared to a male at about 3.8 oz.
Boreal Owls are uncommon for this coastal area; more likely found north of the Mile 12 Divide. NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWLS are expected here instead. They have been calling at Bear Lake and other areas north of town. I haven’t heard any in town yet.
This winter has been tough for Owls. I’m still hoping and listening (whenever the wind stops) for my neighborhood Saw-whets. Now I know there might be a Boreal around too.
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter
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