Sun May 29: Alder Flycatcher, Pine Grosbeak

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Just saw some kind of hawk or falcon on Otter Trail in Sterling. I saw it just as I approaqched the pipeline road. It appeared to be a tad larger than a Grey Jay, it was difficult to identify in the shade of the daylight so I got closer to make sure that it wasn't a Grey jay. When it flew I was sure, as it has the unmistakable barred markings of a predator and agile flight. It was sleek looking.

Only birds I can find in references that come close to what I saw was a Marsh Hawk or a Merlin.

May 25, 2011

On Friday May 20th the Kenai Birding Festival Kenai River float trip was run. Though the weather was cool and quite blustery 60 species of birds were still observed during the 9.5 mile float trip.

Cackling Goose

Canada Goose

Trumpeter Swan

American Wigeon

Mallard

Northern Shoveler

Northern Pintail

Green-winged Teal

Greater Scaup

Harlequin Duck

Common Goldeneye

Barrow's Goldeneye

Common Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

Ring-necked Pheasant

Common Loon

Red-necked Grebe

Double-crested Cormorant

Bald Eagle

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Northern Goshawk

Red-tailed Hawk

Merlin

Sandhill Crane

Spotted Sandpiper

Greater Yellowlegs

Lesser Yellowlegs

Hudsonian Godwit

Short-billed Dowitcher

Wilson’s Snipe

 Bonaparte's Gull

 Mew Gull

 Herring Gull

Today I saw a Wilson's Warbler and an Orange-crowned warbler amongst other more common birds. 

I also saw the Red-throated Loons at the bird platform in Kenai. Finally!

Mon May 23: Swainson's Thrush

On May 21st and 22nd the birders at the Kenai Birding Festival had a great time.  On the Kenai Flats there were parasitic jaegers, arctic terns, red throated loons, merlin, pacific loons, dowitchers, godwits, dunlin, pectoral sandpipers, mew gulls, herring gulls, northwestern crows, ravens, Canada goose, white fronted goose, brant, scaup, red necked phalarope, lots of bald eagles, northern pintails, mallards, western sandpipers, least sandpipers, sandhill cranes and Aleutian terns were heard flying overhead.

At Kasilof River north bank at the mouth on Sunday shorebirds were out on the mud flats but the tide was a couple of hours from pushing them into viewing range for identification.  A northern flicker was heard along with a merlin.  Other birds seen were similar to above.

Most of these birds could be seen with binoculars but a spotting scope is a great advantage.

Location:     AK - KEN - Kenai
Observation date:     5/20/11
Notes:     About 20 species were taken at Moose River, the rest on the Kenai River mouth/estuarine area and Kenai Wildlife Refuge Keen eye trail.
Number of species:     43

Cackling Goose     X
Canada Goose     X
Trumpeter Swan     X
American Wigeon     X
Mallard     X
Northern Shoveler     X
Northern Pintail     X
Green-winged Teal     X
Greater Scaup     X
Lesser Scaup     X
Red-breasted Merganser     X
Pacific Loon     X
Red-necked Grebe     X
Bald Eagle     X
Northern Harrier     X
Sandhill Crane     X
Semipalmated Plover     X
Greater Yellowlegs     X
Lesser Yellowlegs     X
Short-billed Dowitcher     X
Wilson's Snipe     X
Bonaparte's Gull     X
Mew Gull     X
Herring Gull     X
Glaucous-winged Gull     X
Aleutian Tern     X
Arctic Tern     X
Gray Jay     X
Black-billed Magpie     X
Northwestern Crow     X
Common Raven     X
Tree Swallow     X
Violet-green Swallow     X
Ruby-crowned Kinglet     X
American Robin     X
Varied Thrush     X
Yellow-rumped Warbler     X
Savannah Sparrow     X
Fox Sparrow     X
Lincoln's Sparrow     X
White-crowned Sparrow     X
Dark-eyed Junco     X
Common Redpoll     X

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)

Fri May 20: Orange-crowned and Townsends Warblers and Lincolns Sparrow singing.