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!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter
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