Seward, Alaska
Sunrise 7:12 am, sunset 8:41 pm, for a total day length of 13 hours and 29 minutes. Tomorrow will be 5 minutes and 24 seconds shorter.
The forecasted rain held off until Wednesday, when we got dumped with heavy rain for several days. Yesterday, however was a dazzling beauty. The greatly anticipated sunshine this afternoon did not materialize, but at least it only misted. More rain until Friday with temps ranging from lows in the mid-40s to highs in the low 50s.
The afternoon walk at the tidelands began with a little excitement at seeing two young SEMI-PALMATED PLOVERS, five WESTERN SANDPIPERS, one SEMI-PALMATED SANDPIPER, and three SPOTTED SANDPIPERS. They all seem to be lingering late.
After a lull, a PEREGRINE FALCON shot over the beach rye grass and zoomed across the flats, stroking powerfully. Too fast to even think about a photo. It landed far out on a snag to plot and plan for its supper. Two AMERICAN PIPITS, possibly startled in the backdraft, cried out their identity and flew erratically away.
Then another little break, until…what’s that? A brief bugling? Sure enough, six fabulous SANDHILL CRANES circled lower and then flew right past my hurried hiding place behind a piece of driftwood. O, so magnificent! That, to me, means Fall has officially begun. I hope I’m in the right place at the right time to hear and see more on their journey south.
On the way back to the car, two SAVANNAH SPARROWS flitted between the lupines laden with gray, furry seed pods, and a LINCOLN’S SPARROW darted nervously though an alder’s branches. Such a handsome bird.
Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter
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