Friday, October 12, 2018 Bald Eagles et al at Breakfast

Seward, Alaska

Sunrise 8:31 am, sunset 6:59 pm for a total daylight of 10 hours and 27 minutes. Tomorrow will be 5 minutes and 24 seconds shorter.

A big storm moved in yesterday on a south-southwest wind with gusts to 24 mph and heavy rain. Temps ranged from a low of 44 to a high of 51. A brief respite is in the forecast for Sunday in between lows, then heavy rain returns on Monday, tapering off for the rest of the wet week.

In the dim light about an hour after sunrise today (9:30 am), I checked for wayward seabirds along the roiling bay as white-capped waves crashed into the shore and sent plumes rocketing skyward. There at the outfall of Scheffler Creek was a pair of BALD EAGLES standing in the cold rain on the exposed rocky beach at low tide.

The slightly smaller male stood astride a salmon carcass, vigorously ripping off chunks. A NORTHWESTERN CROW watched intently from a discreet distance. A short distance away, a female eagle stood in the water, also watching, but seemingly disinterested. Finally, she waded through the water past the male, soaking her leg feathers, striding along with determination, her wings up for balance. He paused to watch her go past, ready to defend his meal, then went back to business with his sharp beak.

Wading around in the shallow water but finding nothing for breakfast, she flew back towards the male. He picked up his tattered breakfast and relocated to a new dining spot just a few yards away. No sharing here!

Gutsy crows immediately flew in between the two giant birds to scavenge the tiny fishy scraps from the first spot. A GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL joined the breakfast table, watching cautiously for its opportunity. As the table grew crowded with crows, the eagle again moved another few yards with part of his prize, leaving most of a large carcass behind. The crows immediately converged, but the female  eagle made her move to the spot and scattered the unwelcome diners.

She in turn, gobbled down morsels of spawned out salmon while the male flew from one place to another with his motley remnants, seeking peace from the crows. Finally, he again landed near the female and both breakfasted at their respective plates, surrounded by a bevy of emboldened crows. The stressful breakfast continued for several minutes.

First one eagle, then the other had enough and flew off to perch side-by-side on one of the harbor entrance markers, suddenly amicable. The crows wasted no time and immediately converged to attack the leftovers.

The GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL moved in, screeching with outspread wings, temporarily scattering the cawing crows. And thus the bickering, disputed breakfast in the driving rain continued, until I presume, the tide swallowed up the table, dispersed the diners, and washed away the leftovers.

Tough birds all, just trying to make a living on a challenging fall morning.

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

Friday, October 5, 2018 Morning Mood

Seward, Alaska

Unanticipated clear skies over Seward just before sunrise launched me outside to see the wonder. Low clouds obscured the bay and mist clung to the soggy landscape. But up high, the first termination dust crowned the lofty peaks. As the sun rose groggily above the Resurrection Peninsula, the warming mist began to rise, ghostly streamers bid farewell to earthly ties and vanished. Edvart Grieg’s “Morning Mood” live-streamed in my head.

As I approached the Lagoon, I watched the nine spectacular adult TRUMPETER SWANS floating majestically in synchrony like white angels, wings outstretched, over its calm water and skim to a landing on the south end. I drove around to see them gleaming in a glorious group in the dawn light. They then spread out to enjoy breakfast.

An inquisitive River Otter popped up, creating a small wake as it swam, and then smoothly rolled back down into the water and disappeared.

Above me, an adult BALD EAGLE perched on a spruce bough greeted the sun with a wild cry, neck outstretched, pointing to the heavens. Another Eagle answered then a third from along the Lagoon. Back and forth, crying then listening. A final piercing retort, and it sprang from the branch and flew to investigate the morning mission with a determined, fierce look.

I returned in the afternoon expecting to see the nine Swans. Instead, the Swan family of eight was there! I wish I had seen the exchange! They fed voraciously, tipping up to reach the green salad, long necks outstretched underwater.

An adult and brown juvenile DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT paddled in, closer and closer as if to say hello like tiny, dark swanlets It was very odd; they don’t eat salad and would not benefit from any bits floating by like Mallards. The parent Swans paused to check them out, seemed to dismiss them as not a threat, and resumed eating. But one of the cygnets cruised over and a slow speed chase ensued, with the cygnet closing in menacingly, beak open wide. The young Cormorant finally got the hint and put a little distance between them, enough for the cygnet to break off the chase.

As the Swans drew nearer, I could see and hear them slurping the aquatic plants, making bubbles and smacking their beaks rapidly at the water’s surface, like sucking down green noodles. It was quite amusing! 

Once again the Cormorants paddled over, perhaps attracted by the giant birds and their noisy dining. The adult seemed to get wise and with a lengthy pattering finally got airborne and flew off to the bay. The juvenile kept following the Swans, at a discrete distance, and was still near them when I left.

Though the gray skies and light rain returned that afternoon, it was certainly a most fabulous day. Thank you, Edvard Grieg!

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

      

Photos do not scroll issue

Dear Readers,

When I try to scroll through the photos, they only appear one by one, which is really inconvenient and annoying, as you all know.

I have been unable to find a solution to this, though I have found it is a long-standing bug issue. 

The photos used to scroll for easy viewing and I'd sure like to figure this out!

If anyone has any solutions, please let me know!

Carol Griswold
c_griz at yahoo dot com

Wednesday, October 3, 2018 Surprise Birds

Seward, Alaska

Sunrise 8:09 am, sunset 7:26 pm for a total day length of 11 hours and 16 minutes. Tomorrow will be 5 minutes and 25 seconds shorter.

September departed with sunshine and blue skies, leaving memories of one of the finest, warm, sunny Septembers ever. October tried to continue the streak, but gave up after one day. Now we pay.  It’s raining hard now with temps inching from a low of 45 to a high of 50. Rain in the forecast for at least the next ten days with a possible peek of sunshine next Monday.

It’s been pretty quiet, bird-wise for me, except for the continuing thrill of the resident TRUMPETER SWAN family whose six cygnets continue to thrive. Nine adult swans flew in around October 1, probably migrating through, but time will tell.

Punctuating the quiet, however, were a few delightful surprises:

On September 22, a light-colored bird shot out of the beach ryegrass and flew rapidly over the tidelands. My surprised camera got off several shots, mostly bad, trying to track its erratic flight. Upon further scrutiny, it sure looked like a FORK-TAILED STORM-PETREL.  I have no idea why or what it was doing flying from land, especially when there were no other FTSP seen or reported in the bay. Very strange!

On September 23, five LAPLAND LONGSPURS flew over the tidelands, calling before diving back down into the grasses and sedges.

A few days later on September 25, four CACKLING GEESE called as they circled ever lower and presumably landed at the head of the bay wetlands. They sure seemed late!

At least a couple DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS linger in Seward. One seems to enjoy the freshwater Lagoon, preening on the shore with COMMON MERGANSERS and MALLARDS. The other likes the B Street pilings, preening and stretching without any thought of winter. Who knows? Maybe one of these will stick around for the Christmas Bird Count.

A regular resident SONG SPARROW sang sweetly from its perch among still-green Sitka Alder leaves on September 30^th.

On October 1, a mystery shorebird called plaintively as it flew high over the tidelands. The light was bad and it was far, so the photos are difficult. Nonetheless, this late migrant is of interest if any experts want to take a best guess. Sometimes, that’s all we can have.

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

Update: Thanks to Dave Sonneborn and Martin Renner for scrutinizing the mystery shorebird photos and suggesting PECTORAL SANDPIPER. I listened to the call and it was a pretty close match. This is surely the latest I've ever seen a Pectoral Sandpiper in Seward.