Seward, Alaska
Sunrise 6:16 am, sunset 9:37 pm, for a total day length of 15 hours and 21 minutes. Tomorrow will be 5 minutes and 20 seconds longer.
Overnight low of 33, cloudy with sprinkles and a north wind in the morning, warming up to 42º and mostly sunny by afternoon.
More flocks of SANDHILL CRANES heard last night and seen today, purposefully heading north or circling with indecision. What a wonderful sound!
“Chip! Chip!” from about ten graceful ARCTIC TERNS fishing, courting, squabbling, and checking out nesting sites. They seem well-fed and energetic, especially for such long-distance migrants.
Two newly arrived CANADA GEESE ripped into the sedges with about 25 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE, possibly the same flock from last week.
Also FOS, several pairs of NORTHERN SHOVELERS, joining MALLARDS, GADWALL, AMERICAN WIGEON, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, and NORTHERN PINTAILS.
Four GREATER YELLOWLEGS called stridently, flying across the estuary to feeding spots. At least one LAPLAND LONGSPUR dashed through the high grasses. Only one NORTHERN HARRIER spotted, briefly.
The totally open waters of Preacher Pond at Mile 3 Seward Highway hosted 7 napping RING-NECKED DUCKS including one hen, a pair of BARROW’S GOLDENEYES, two pairs of GREEN-WINGED TEAL, several COMMON GOLDENEYES, and two TRUMPETER SWANS.
Crocuses are in bloom, daffodils and rhubarb poke their tender shoots through the recently thawed dirt. Willows wave their flowers in anticipation of insect pollinators and warblers. Joy is in the air!
Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter
PS At 10:25 pm, a SAW-WHET OWL close by on Little Bear Mt burst into a flurry of beeping, overlapping with a scolding ROBIN in a cottonwood. The Owl stopped as abruptly as it started.
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