Seward, Alaska
Nothing like a totally wrong weather report to start the day with a smile! This morning’s unexpected sunshine and blue sky propelled me back to the tidelands to seek any new migrants.
At first it seemed very quiet, then something startled two TRUMPETER SWANS into flight, a path that circled overhead and in wide loops. I believe they were two of the three resident 1-year olds. They landed in the bay and began preening and nibbling on something: algae? Such resilient waterfowl, at home in fresh and salt water year-round.
No sign of the Pacific Golden-plovers. One local shorebird popped up, a SPOTTED SANDPIPER, in winter plumage without any spots. In addition to the usual MALLARDS (including a hen with a late brood), AMERICAN WIGEON, GREEN-WING TEAL, PINTAILS, and GADWALL, a few NORTHERN SHOVELERS have arrived.
Still lots of gulls, mostly GLAUCOUS-WINGED and MEW, and of course, RAVENS and BALD EAGLES. I found one SAVANNAH SPARROW. A SHARP-SHINNED HAWK circled over the spruce and disappeared against the mountains. A lovely, bright morning indeed.
In the afternoon, I checked on three Trumpeter Swans at the Lagoon. Like gorgeous vacuums, they were sucking up sockeye salmon eggs in the shallow north end. The Mallards tipped up to reach the pink eggs as well. An old-timer friend once told me that if you shook a Mallard upside down, salmon eggs would come tumbling out. I believe it!
A BELTED KINGFISHER dove in with a noisy splash then rattled off. WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS chattered from the cone-laden spruce trees. They have been especially widespread this summer. Hope they stay the winter.
The sunny weather window gradually closed as the dark clouds returned. By 5 pm, the forecasted torrential rain and strong wind began. I sure appreciate the delay.
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter
