Monday, July 31, 2023 Loons and other rock stars

Seward, Alaska

Sunrise 5:36 am, sunset 10:34 pm for a total day length of 16 hours and 57 minutes. Tomorrow will be 4 minutes and 49 seconds shorter.

This morning the gauzy gray clouds mirrored the calm gray ocean, only distinguished by horizontal wavelet lines. By afternoon, the south wind blew away most of the clouds and let the sun shine in. The temp rose from a low of 51 to a high of 63. More sunshine in the forecast and temps in the very pleasant low 60s for the rest of the week.

Though there weren’t many birds at Fourth of July Beach this morning, the ones I saw were all rock stars. 

Two star-spangled adult COMMON LOONS leisurely patrolled along the beach just before the high tide. One had a noticeably longer and larger bill, the better to catch fish. They seemed to float between the sky and sea, there was so little definition. 

Two MARBLED MURRELETS vigorously chased prey near shore; surfacing briefly before diving down again and again. I followed their swirls and bubbles revealing hints about the underwater chase. 

A dozen peeps erupted from parts unknown and circled over the Loons, then flashed back and forth over the water before deciding en masse to head north over the trees. I refound them at Spring Creek an hour later. At least one was a SEMI-PALMATED SANDPIPER.

Nearer the silty creek mouth, six HARLEQUIN DUCKS dove with two male SURF SCOTERS. A PIGEON GUILLEMOT took flight as a DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT flew past. A KINGFISHER rattled overhead. 

I heard a loud peeping call over the rush of the creek and found a SPOTTED SANDPIPER looking for lunch, maybe chilled flies hunkered down.

Searching the forest along the shoreline, I spotted a BALD EAGLE perched in a spruce. It never moved or called, just quietly watched the evolving tableau below.

Another very special day at the beach!

Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

Monday, July 31, 2023 IT Integrity

Seward, Alaska

An impressive, gleaming white and blue ship festooned with antennas, radar, and a deck cable-laying apparatus, docked in Seward at SMIC.

Built in 2001, at 216 feet long, 48 feet wide, and 3200 tons, the IT Integrity was recently acquired by International Telecom and fully retrofitted for submarine cable repair/maintenance, installation, marine route surveys, ROV support, and more.

https://www.ittelecom.com/en/equipment/vessels/it-integrity

https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/details/ships/shipid:2200/mmsi:314511000/imo:9239343/vessel:IT_INTEGRITY

 

Monday, July 31, 2023 Squirrel Ticks: Ixodes angustus

Seward, Alaska

The first I’d ever heard of native ticks in Alaska was in early June when a hiker on the Tonsina Trail shared a photo of a red-backed vole plagued with ticks. Today, I surprised a red squirrel loaded with them at Spring Creek Beach uplands. 

The poor thing just crouched quietly in the grass as if paralyzed and did not move as I took a few photos and then quickly veered away before the good dog saw it. It was spooky to see a red squirrel with blood-sucking ticks, and even spookier to see a normally frisky and cheeky red squirrel that looked so defeated and immobile.

In case the dog had inadvertently picked up some unwanted hitchhikers in the tall grasses, I hope the subsequent ball retrieves in saltwater washed them off.

According to Google, this species, Ixodes angustus, ranges across the majority of Canada, the United States, and even parts of northern Mexico. It is fairly common in Alaska and is the only species of tick native here. 

It is considered to rarely bite humans or domesticated animals and primarily feeds on squirrels, hares, mice, voles, and occasionally shrews and rats. Typically, it lives in cool, moist habitats including forests, particularly coniferous forests, and along the edges of rivers. 

https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=wildlifenews.view_article&articles_id=829#:~:text=The%20tick%20species%20included%20the,to%20Alaska%2C%20the%20squirrel%20tick

https://extension.umaine.edu/ticks/maine-ticks/ixodes-angustus/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ixodes_angustus

Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter 

Friday, July 21, 2023 Exit Glacier

Seward, Alaska

Sunrise 5:13 am, sunset 10:56 pm for a total day length of 17 hours and 42 minutes. Tomorrow will be 4 minutes and 14 seconds shorter.

Yesterday’s welcome sunshine valiantly held off the clouds until mid-morning today. Sunshine is forecast for Saturday and part of Sunday. Temps ranged from a low of 49 to a high of 64 with a breezy morning north wind shifting to south.

After waiting all summer for this gorgeous blue-sky morning, I drove out Exit Glacier Road with one focus: the still-impressive fissured frozen river of ice flowing from the Harding Icefield. 

Seward is surrounded by spectacular scenery; Exit Glacier is one of the jewels. Visit YOUR National Parks and celebrate public lands near you!

Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter 

Friday, July 14, 2023 Rufous Hummingbird female preening

Seward, Alaska

After a long absence, a female RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD finally reappeared at the waiting feeder. I felt pleased to get stealthy photos through the unwashed kitchen window. A few days ago, another female showed up; they bickered briefly then blasted off on a merry sugar-powered chase.

This afternoon, as I was carrying some lawn chairs to the back of the house, I spotted a hummer perched on my clothesline, about the height of a clothespin. I gently set the chairs down and quietly walked back to get my camera. “What are the chances,” sez I, “that this pocket rocket will still be sitting there?”

As it happened, much to my amazement, the chances were pretty good. The little lady let me slowly approach, snapping away, as she demonstrated how one preens with such a short neck and long bill. The neck proved tricky, and she finished the unreachable section with her tiny foot.

This way and that, stretching her wings, her neck, shaking off, spreading her tail; her toilette was a wonder to behold and very impressive. Finally, a second Hummer whizzing overhead proved irresistible and she took off in pursuit.

A few minutes later, I refound one of them feeding on the lilac flowers, hovering midair or resting lightly on a blossom. Her negligible weight didn’t even bend the fragile footrest.

I hope I will get a chance to admire fledgling Hummers before they all head south. I suspect the dazzling males have already left. Time flies as will these miniature marvels!

Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

Wednesday, July 12, 2023 Sound Check Exit Glacier Road

Seward, Alaska

Seward received a present today: no rain, scattered sunshine with a high of 60, and a brisk north wind. Great day for a bike ride!

Last week on July 8 while birding by bike on Exit Glacier Road, I screeched to a stop to listen to two ethereal GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSHES singing back and forth, 4.7 miles from the Box Canyon Bridge. Today, none.  

Both rides I heard a few HERMIT THRUSHES, 1 VARIED THRUSH, 1 ROBIN, 1 RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, 3 WILSON’S WARBLERS (only 1 today), 1 YELLOW WARBLER, 3 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS, (only one today), 1 FOX SPARROW, and COMMON REDPOLLS. 

By far the most productive spot today was the USFS Resurrection River Trail parking lot just before the Kenai Fjords National Park boundary. On the steep mountainside in the forest, the long, chatty song of a PACIFIC WREN penetrated the noise of the wind and passing vehicles. 

I heard a “seet, seeet” call near two young spruce trees between the parking lot and road that reminded me of a Brown Creeper or Golden-crowned Kinglet, but the trees seemed too small for either, and habitat too open. 

This was a perfect opportunity to test the free Merlin Bird app. I chose “Sound ID” and held the phone up to listen for birds. The app correctly identified the distant Wren, a Hermit Thrush, and Wilson’s Warbler. Then it suggested both a Brown Creeper and Golden-crowned Kinglet; I didn’t believe it. 

I phished briefly and a very worried female Ruby-crowned Kinglet flew over to check out the warning. Hmmm. That “seeet” sound moved around the lower branches of the trees without flying or ratcheting up or down the trunk. I slowly walked around the trees and suddenly found the source: a fledgling Ruby-crowned Kinglet, still begging! Mystery solved, I backed away and hopped back on my bike. 

The Merlin Bird app is amazing; it picks up distant birds and nails most songs and chips. Having an expert in my hand, even one that is not infallible, to help solve some of the mysteries of bird sounds is really fun! 

Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

 

Tuesday, July 11, 2023 Violet-green Swallows, Savannah Sparrows, Cygnets

Seward, Alaska

Sunrise 4:54 am, sunset 11:14 pm, for a total length of day of 18 hours and 20 minutes. Tomorrow will be 3 minutes and 16 seconds shorter. 

Cool, foggy then cloudy, rainy weather continues, though the high finally reached 53º today after an overnight low of 46º. The forecast calls for some sunshine midweek then back to showers.

Sound check on bird songs this week reflected a significant decrease in species and numbers as busy parents tended to their babies, or have already left. Last night’s walk was totally quiet; I missed the sweet neighborhood HERMIT THRUSH serenade.

My Chestnut-backed Chickadees and Violet-green Swallows have already fledged, so I was happy to again hear the excited begging of baby VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS in a nest box at the salt marsh. The parents gracefully swooped overhead in dizzying loops up and down the sky aisles, returning in minutes with shopping bags full of insects. 

Taking turns, they skillfully landed in the entrance, popped inside, and dispensed the fast food into gaping beaks. Then the inquisitive head poked out and they swiftly returned to continue their tireless aerial shopping, accumulating rewards and airline miles. Would that we could be as elegant and efficient with carbon-free, locally sourced shopping!

Nearby, anxious SAVANNAH SPARROW parents chipped from the dense grasses concealing their nests and babies. Several popped up to investigate this passerby, precariously perching on lupines and grasses with wriggling caterpillars and other insects in their beaks. Also heard but not seen, a singing LINCOLN'S SPARROW.

Sadly, in all the lupines, I did not hear or see even one bumblebee. The flowers should have been droning with their activity. I did find one bumblebee working the beach pea flowers. Bumblebee populations have really plummeted this year with the cold, wet spring. I had none on my crocuses or other yard flowers including willows.

 At the Nash Road Mile One pond and wetlands, I was fortunate to find all three TRUMPETER SWAN cygnets enthusiastically dining with their parents. Now about one-month old, the babies have noticeably taller necks and longer bodies; they are thriving. 

A lone adult, unchallenged at least when I observed it over several days, quietly shared the pond but at the extreme opposite side, or paddled around the pond on the east side of the road by itself. 

Hard to know what’s going on, but it’s always intriguing to get glimpses into the lives of these busy, beautiful birds.

Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter