Seward, Alaska
Sunrise 7:57 am, sunset 6:25 pm for a total day length of 10 hours and 28 minutes. Tomorrow will be 5 minutes and 29 seconds longer. Wow! So much light!
Severe weather did indeed slam into Seward starting on Wednesday as temps plunged to a low of minus 8 and the wind kicked up to 20 mph with gusts to 45. Temps remained in the single digits, minus and plus, with strong north winds the rest of the week. NOAA issued severe weather advisories for wind chill alerts as low as 15 to 35 below.
And the brilliant sun did nothing but deceive and charm, beaming on the dramatic wind-scoured mountains and seascape.
Whitecaps churned the bay, the spray flattened by the wind and twirled into sea rainbows. Ghostly steam released from the warmer water streamed downwind, hugging the surface.
A fishing boat slowly but steadily chugged up the bay, listing with heavy ice. Powerful tug boats escorted ice-clad barges around the bay, waiting for the Gulf gales to subside.
Birding was tough, but the weather was tougher on the birds. Some sea birds sought shelter in the lee of breakwaters and the harbor, paddling to stay in place with their beaks tucked into their wings. Others braved the surf, forced to feed regardless.
Friday highlights included a GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET flitting among the branches of a spruce tree at Afognak Beach (kinda sorta out of the north wind). As the wind briefly died down that evening, I heard a distant SAW-WHET OWL beeping from Mt Marathon. Other nights, either he gave up or the wind snatched his voice.
Today, five noisy STELLER JAYS visited the ground under my feeder for any escaped sunflower seeds. I finally saw the resident SONG SPARROW inside the exclosure, a single CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE, and a RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH. Exciting numbers for an otherwise mostly quiet feeder.
I ventured out to Lowell Point Beach this morning, (somewhat sheltered), where a pair of beautiful and wary HARLEQUIN DUCKS snorkeled and dove in the shallows by the shore. A GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL grabbed a floating chunk of something and flew off with its prize. BARROW’S GOLDENEYES hunkered around ice-coated Pinnacle Rock, feeding on mussels.
Birding from the protection of the car, I enjoyed watching a COMMON LOON preen and stretch in the harbor. Then he dove and popped up as closely as possible, swimming through vibrant reflections of nearby boats. That was fun!
And what have we here? Why, it’s yet another Cold Weather Advisory for very cold wind chills as low as 15 to 20 below zero from 9 tonight to 11 tomorrow. Yawn. That actually seems normal by now. Maybe it will truly warm up by April.
Happy Brrrrrrding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter
