Seward, Alaska
Sunrise 6:18 am, sunset 9:48 pm for a total day length of 15 hours and 30 minutes. Tomorrow will be 5 minutes and 16 seconds shorter.
Much-needed rain returned on Sunday, dumping 1.85” of rain then misty drizzle. Cool, cloudy and rain in the forecast for the rest of the week with temps in the high 40s to low 50s. We sure need it; freshwater levels are low everywhere.
Spring Creek continued to be a hot spot. On August 14, five BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS surprised me with their strident wheeping call as they flew past down the beach and out of sight, red legs blazing and yellow eyes flashing.
Today many 100s of Gulls screeched around the fish processor waste pipe outlet: BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES seemed to be the majority, along with GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS. A single juvenile BONAPARTE’S GULL hung out with the Kittiwakes dabbling near the shore. The crashing surf from a Gulf storm mingled with Gull cries making seaside music.
The ARCTIC TERNS linger. I could only see about 15 resting on the distant rock jetty of the harbor basin, and more were flying up and out of sight. I savored their chirping calls and even heard some begging.
On August 11, a youngster perched and preened on a nearby mooring dolphin. Only a few white feathers remained of a fledgling’s white forehead photographed on July 29. Growing up fast!
As I watched the Black-legged Kittiwakes and other Gulls bob in the waves and pick at the tidbits on the surface, I realized that I have not observed Arctic Terns float on the water. They seem to prefer resting on floating debris. How do they make it to Antarctica without landing on the water?
Also observed today were a group of four SPOTTED SANDPIPERS plus another two, a LEAST SANDPIPER, and a juvenile SEMIPALMATED PLOVER. Lots of flies on the beach for these crafty foragers.
No sign of the Rufous Hummingbird since August 6. She may be in Mexico by now!
Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter
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