Thursday, January 16, 2025 ASLC Winter Inspiration

Seward, Alaska

 

Rain, sn’rain, wind, calm, and repeat. After going through a few sets of rain gear and shoveling, it was delightful to be under a roof to watch and photograph the fascinating seabirds and other marine life at the Alaska Sealife Center.  

 

Cadet, a usually reclusive female BLACK OYSTERCATCHER, flew down from her clifftop heat lamp spa and took a dainty bath in a side pool then preened with her long orange bill. She took a nice afternoon stroll along the rocks before flying back up to the heights to warm up.

 

The male STELLER’S EIDER shepherded and bossed all the other Eiders like a pesky sheep dog, chasing after them as they paddled away. Despite his annoying behavior, I never saw the larger Eiders retaliate. The female Steller’s ignored him and took a nap with one eye half open.

 

Much to the delight of the visitors, the spectacular KING EIDERS and SPECTACLED EIDERS obligingly paddled back and forth in close range to display their finery from all angles. They know they are impressive!

 

The RED-LEGGED KITTIWAKES seemed content to sit quietly; only one took a spin around the habitat to startle the humans below, then landed with loud acclaim. Its vivid red tongue matched its red legs.

 

Today, the COMMON MURRES were the noisiest, calling their name as they swam back and forth in a tight formation towards the back.

 

I marveled at Pilot, the gigantic Steller Sea Lion, cruising past the underwater window with an effortless stroke of his long front flippers. His bellows rang out whenever he rocketed out onto the rocks. What a tremendous splash when he dove back it!

 

In contrast, the rotund HARBOR SEAL and SPOTTED SEAL quietly surfaced for a breath then looped around their pool, propelled by a swish of their rear flippers, casually swimming upside down without a care. 

 

A lovely time visiting with our ocean universe neighbors.

 

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

Tuesday, January 13, 2025 Bald Eagle Bathing

Seward, Alaska

 

Sunrise 9:49 am, sunset 4:25 pm for a total day length of 6 hours and 42 seconds. Tomorrow will be 3 minutes and 42 seconds longer. 

Temperatures today ranged from a low of 27 to a high of 36 with cooler temperatures forecast for the week.

Not much opportunity to bird since last week, except in between squalls.

A huge storm struck south-central Alaska over the weekend with high winds, heavy rain, and flooding. The Seward Highway was treacherous with black ice and hydroplaning opportunities. Power went out on Sunday early morning and Seward went on diesel generator power that just came back on-line this evening. I do so appreciate electricity!

Between the unusual winter rain squalls last week, I caught glimpses of a red, “interior” FOX SPARROW sharing the territory of a rather drab-by-comparison SONG SPARROW. Eight RUSTY BLACKBIRDS creaked and squeaked in a nearby cottonwood, glad for the reprieve from the rain.

At the Lagoon, I had the pleasure of watching an adult BALD EAGLE taking a leisurely bath in the shallow and chilly fresh water. Time and again, it completely dunked its head, water pouring down its back, then submerged one wing and then the other. When it shook off, water droplets sprayed off in a blizzard high in the air. 

Thoroughly soaked, the bedraggled National Bird finally walked back on shore and flapped its wings to shake off more water. Suddenly, an immature Eagle swooped in and displaced the adult who somehow managed, even soaking wet, to escape. The youngster then calmly took its turn in the bath as if this were the only place available. 

This weekend, there was no need for a bath during the deluge. Free showers and car wash!

Stay dry, warm, and safe!

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

 

Tuesday, December 31, 2024 Happy Birdy New Year!

Seward, Alaska

Sunrise 10:02 am, sunset 4:01 pm for a total day length of 5 hours and 59 minutes. Tomorrow will be 1 minute and 54 seconds longer with a New Year’s Resolution to keep getting longer.

 

Sunny today with a low of 20 and a high of 31, mostly calm. High tide of 12:11’ at 12:57 pm.

 

A personal New Year’s Resolution is to always pay attention to Corvids. 

This morning, a noisy MAGPIE chattered away, hidden in some spruce trees. I walked past. Suddenly, the immature AMERICAN GOSHAWK shot out past me like a missile, heading straight for some ducks in a pond. Flap, flap, flap, quick glide! Flap, flap, flap, quick glide! It banked and turned sharply, diving down on the desperately fleeing ducks, struck nothing, and kept flying off into the distance. Wow! What a show!

 

This afternoon, I refound the hardy KILLDEER as the tide began to ebb. Twelve Trumpeter Swans, including 4 cygnets fed in the ever-shrinking open water of the pond. Another nine Swans, including 4 cygnets graced the intertidal creek.

 

As the tide continued to ebb, 20 ROCK SANDPIPERS materialized at the water’s edge, chittering excitedly as they plundered the freshly exposed mud.

 

Following up on a report by Robin C, I found two more Trumpeter Swan cygnets feeding in still-open Preacher Pond west of Nash Road mile 0. I found this very unusual as normaly the cygnets are accompanied by the adults until booted out in spring. They seemed to be healthy and feeding. 

 

A few days ago, I practiced portraits of DARK-EYED JUNCOS, a CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE, a male DOWNY WOODPECKER, a STELLER’S JAY, and a RUSTY BLACKBIRD. I saw 7 RUBB but believe there are nine in the Clearview Subdivision near the high school.

 

As shadows crept up their flanks just before 4 pm, alpenglow tinged the eastern snowy mountains a delicate pink, fading to violet, purple, and indigo as the sun slipped away. What a spectacular finale to our short winter days.

 

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year and good birding wherever you are!

 

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

 

Thursday, December 26, 2024 Orcas in Bay!

Seward, Alaska

While casually scanning Resurrection Bay from Fourth of July Beach, I noticed two suspicious-looking plumes on the far southwest side. I watched in anticipation and waited. Yes! There! A huge vertical dorsal fin of a bull Orca broke through the white-capped waves, sent up another vapor plume, arched, and vanished. Then another, smaller-finned Orca surfaced, breathed, and dove. Wow! Orcas in the bay!

 

I followed them as they swam powerfully and steadily north towards Tonsina Point, sometimes turning towards me head-on, then at the next exhalation, swimming north again. Though they were very far away, I could imagine the flukes pumping up and down, the explosive breath, the towering dorsal fin slicing the surface, and their sleek bodies sliding smoothly back into the water, leaving nothing but a ripple and delicate, ephemeral mist. 

 

The Steller Sea Lion, Harbor Seal, and two Sea Otters swimming along the beach in front of me had nothing to fear from these transient Orcas, yet. The dangerous, silent mammal hunters were over two miles away and still heading north.

 

I wished I could instantly fly across the bay like an eagle, but instead drove my magic carpet all the way around the bay to Lowell Point, scanning the water without any luck. 

 

I’ll be watching tomorrow; they could be anywhere, or nowhere. What a sight!