Tuesday, October 31, 2023 Great Blue Herons, and Sharp-tailed Sandpipers

Seward, Alaska

Thick clouds slipped in overnight, dimming the daylight to dusk. What a contrast to yesterday’s bright sunshine!

Today turned out to be GREAT BLUE HERON day with many surprising sightings of this normally stealthy, elusive species.

First Heron of the day flew directly overhead this morning at Lowell Point Beach heading north and squawking, not so stealthy! 

I found four perched on the former coal loader “Big Dipper” while another circled and circled looking for a landing spot, long landing gear and wings outstretched. How they can perch on the guy wires with those giant feet is amazing.

As the 12.37’ tide rolled in around noon, four Herons, likely commuting from the Dipper, flew to the tidelands slough for a little slow-motion fish stalking and lunch. Eventually, one by one, they took off and flew to a nearby stand of spruce trees, landing with a small crash in the upper branches. A brownish immature Heron graced the top like a Christmas tree angel with an adult perched below. The other two chose separate trees to lurk, unlikely ornaments. 

These birds are talented acrobats, defying expectations for a long-legged, long-necked, long-billed wader of shallow waters. It’s always a treat to see them, whether flying overhead, perched like circus aerialists on the wires, fishing in the shallows, or roosting in treetops.

The two SHARP-TAILED SANDPIPER juveniles are still here, feeding and preening as if their flight to Australia or New Zealand hadn’t already left.  The current mild weather is deceptive; a big storm is forecast with below freezing temps for next week. Good luck, handsome but lost, Asian sandpipers!

Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

 

 

Monday, October 30, 2023 Bald Eagle Day

Seward, Alaska

Today did feel like Bald Eagle Day. I found a pair on the eagle perch on a remnant pole overlooking the Lagoon. Another waded in the shallows, looking for silver salmon carcasses while three others cautiously watched from nearby perches, waiting to swoop in to share (steal) any bounty.

Another pair relaxed in the sun, wings outstretched, high in a spruce at Spring Creek; Mt Alice in the background, wearing a fresh dusting of snow.

Others called from hidden perches at Afognak Beach, watching the high tide recede. 

Regal company on a glorious fall day!

Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

Monday, October 30, 2023 Great Horned Owl

Seward, Alaska

Sunrise 9:16 am, sunset 6:09 pm for a total day length of 8 hours and 52 minutes. Tomorrow will be 5 minutes and 14 seconds shorter. 

Another spectacular, sunny, fall day with temps from an overnight low of 34º to a comfortable high of 42º. No wind made it seem even warmer. What a gift!

Yesterday around noon, I received a report of a GREAT HORNED OWL at the SMIC sewage lagoon on the east side of the bay. I happened to be nearby and soon spotted the Owl, standing quietly at the base of the fence, on the inside. It was alert but did not move as I slowly approached. The wings were held normally but the breast feathers were mussed. Apparently, it hit the fence in the dark, perhaps while chasing its prey, and crashed hard enough to need lots of time to heal.

What phenomenal yellow eyes!! When the Owl blinked, thick, feathered eyelids closed from the top down like insulated blinds. The transparent third eyelid, the nictitating membrane, closed up diagonally. Specialized bristles surrounded the beak and eyes. Layers and layers of different feathers cloaked this magnificent bird of prey; even the ear tufts were incredible.

After a short time, I contacted the Alaska Sealife Center and hoped for a recovery or rescue. Fortunately, the temps were above freezing last night as the ASLC was unable to respond, and the fence provided protection from ground predators. Today, when I checked around noon, the Owl was gone, leaving no trace. 

If you see a spooky silhouette of an Owl in the moonlight on Halloween, maybe it’s this one, once again flying free.

Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter 

Tuesday, October 24, 2023 TWO Sharp-tailed Sandpipers!

Seward, Alaska

What an amazing sight! TWO juvenile SHARP-TAILED SANDPIPERS feeding companionably at the tidelands, bulking up for the next leg of their journey south. Bon voyage wherever you fly!

Of note, yesterday a flash mob of about 18 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS raced overhead past Preacher Pond, the first of the fall season. Two pairs of late GREEN-WINGED TEAL joined the diminishing numbers of NORTHERN PINTAILS (also late), MALLARDS, and COMMON MERGANSERS hunkered down in the lee of the island at Preacher Pond. 

A WILSON’S SNIPE circled around the Lagoon at Dairy Hill Lane while a dozen MALLARDS stretched for silver salmon eggs below. Two silvers spawned near the culvert inlet, a race against time. 

Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

 

Sunday, October 22, 2023 Ruby-crowned Kinglet, and Common Redpolls

 Seward, Alaska

More surprises today as spring, summer, fall, and winter birds overlapped seasons.

Preacher Pond, just north of town by the Nash Road intersection, remained ice-free and thus hosted a small raft of NORTHERN PINTAILS including one handsome drake, one female RING-NECKED DUCK, several MALLARDS, and five COMMON MERGANSERS, some dabbling, some diving, and some just napping in the sun.

At Lowell Point State Recreation Site, a curious year-round resident SONG SPARROW popped up from the beach rocks to pose. His cheerful song will brighten the short winter days ahead.

Just offshore, SHORT-BILLED GULLS and a few late BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES plunged after a herring school in a feeding frenzy accompanied by overwintering COMMON and RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS, RED-NECKED GREBES, and resident PELAGIC CORMORANTS.

After several minutes of frantic activity, the Gulls abruptly flew several hundred yards farther north and resumed surface diving while the other seabirds quickly flew and paddled to catch up.

While driving along Lowell Point Road, a swirl of small songbirds dashed ahead of me and landed in some alders by a pullout. I pulled out, and found a COMMON REDPOLL still perched among the branches giving me a good look but terrible photos. I haven’t seen Redpolls since last winter, and even then, not many.

At the next pullout, I was amazed to find a tiny RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, puffed out as round as a ball with wings and tail sticking out, flitting among cottonwood twigs. He’s late!

At Waterfall Beach next to Lowell Creek, about 80 beautiful BARROW’S GOLDENEYES bobbed in the waves near shore, paddling to the fresh water for baths. It’s always a pleasure to have these diving ducks return to overwinter in Resurrection Bay after a long summer’s absence.

Spring, summer, fall, winter, and year-round birds created a feathery collage of seasons on this sunny but chilly, windy, wintry fall day.

Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter 

Saturday, October 21, 2023 Sharp-tailed Sandpiper

Seward, Alaska 

Sunrise 8:53 am, sunset 6:33 pm, for a total day length of 9 hours and 40 minutes. Tomorrow will be 5 minutes and 21 seconds shorter. 

Incessant NNW wind continued at 7-9 mph with gusts to 21 mph (seemed stronger!). Temps dipped to 23 overnight, evidenced by a thin layer of ice on area ponds and the Lagoon. High today barely rose above freezing at 33º though it felt warmer where sheltered from the wind. Similar weather forecast for the next week with slightly warmer temperatures.

Intrigued by an eBird report of two sandpipers at the airport, I dressed warmly and headed to the tidelands, blown by the wind to the beach. There in the shelter of an oasis of three small spruce trees among the beach rye grass, I found two juvenile WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS and an immature male gleaning tiny seeds from the bounty of ripe cones. 

Of all the cone-loaded spruce trees in the surrounding forests, it seemed an unlikely diner, but maybe they popped in for a snack on their flight around the bay. Numbers of this eruptive finch are up this year.

Two adult TRUMPETER SWANS honked softly in a reconnaissance flight over the frozen pond, and left seeking open water. Ducks hunkered down at the tide’s edge, too far to ID.

On the way back, past frozen Lion’s Mane, Northern Sea Nettle, and Moon jellies, I spotted a medium-sized sandpiper! I sat down and watched, clicking away as it slowly approached. Unstreaked buffy breast, bright rufous cap, large white eyebrow: a juvenile SHARP-TAILED SANDPIPER!

This unusual Asian visitor is a late migrant: Seward records include September 28, 2022, October 17, 2022, and December 1, 2017. Before that, it was a Lifer for me on September 18, 2015. 

I didn’t find the Dunlin; hopefully it will not blow away before the Rock Sandpipers show up to keep it company over the winter. 

Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday, October 18, 2023 Dragonfly!