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!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter
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