Seward, Alaska
Sunrise 5:44 am, sunset 10:06 pm, for a total day length of 16 hours and 21 minutes. Tomorrow will be 5 minutes and 6 seconds longer.
The pattern of gray, overcast skies with light showers continued today, with temps ranging from 34 to 41. Thanks to the long hours of daylight, green spears poke ever higher among the dead grasses, pussy willows popped, and buds are swelling, but it’s still early Spring.
The songs of VARIED THRUSHES and ROBINS greeted me this morning; recent arrivals to the ’hood.
Robin reported two Surfbirds and two Black Oystercatchers at low tide at Spring Creek Beach. I failed to refind them in the drizzle, but found two FOS DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS at Fourth of July Beach and an impressive surf.
The rain lifted at the head of the bay where I enjoyed watching four gold-spangled PACIFIC GOLDEN-PLOVERS stop/start as they plucked invertebrates from the mud. A stealthy GREAT BLUE HERON cruised past. Skydiving WILSON’S SNIPE winnowed eerily, trying to impress hidden females.
A single SNOW GOOSE joined small flocks of continuing voracious GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE and CACKLING GEESE, even as more Geese arrived and others continued their narrated migration north.
To my great delight, two small flocks of SANDHILL CRANES bugled and circled before ultimately deciding to move on. HUDSONIAN WHIMBRELS trilled from the dead grasses, blending in perfectly.
In the shallows of the estuary pond, 7 FOS HUDSONIAN GODWITS and 7 smaller FOS LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS prodded and poked in the water.
The long bi-colored Godwit bills remained mostly submerged, but emerged briefly as if to take a breath before plunging underwater again. When they flew, their black tail and bright white rumps flashed and they revealed the diagnostic black underwings.
A flock of bright WESTERN SANDPIPERS swooped and swerved in synchrony to feed among the Godwits in exposed mud.
Pesky RAVENS roused the ire of SHORT-BILLED GULLS and ARCTIC TERNS, perhaps amused by the acrobatic challenge to avoid their sharp bills as they repeatedly invaded the nesting territories.
Back at the parking lot, a FOS RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET belted out his chipper song.
Later, around 11 pm, I again heard a NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL beeping from Little Bear Mountain.
Though possible snow is still in the forecast, Winter is doomed with these beautiful and vocal harbingers of Spring.
Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter
