Kenai Birding Festival

Seward, Alaska Sporadic Bird Report

I spotted two gulls standing on fucus-covered rocks at low tide this afternoon south of the Harbor Uplands. All around them, sleek and beautifully marked BARROW'S GOLDENEYES paddled and dove in the shallow water, emerging with blue mussels and small fish for lunch.

Both gulls were large with pink legs and feet, but one was quite pale. I realized it was a GLAUCOUS GULL hanging out with the default GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL, and took many photos.

When I got home and reviewed the photos, I noticed an unusual goldeneye drake with the rest. He had a greenish glossy head instead of the normal Barrow's Goldeneye purple. His crescent was not as neat or white, and the striping on his back was much whiter and less crisp. His bill is longer and his forehead more sloped. This is the first BARROW'S X COMMON GOLDENEYE that I have ever seen.

A two for one special!

For more information on gull identification, check out Steve Hampton's website at <http://www.tertial.us/gulls/gulls.htm>

Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter
for photos please go to <http://sporadicbird.blogspot.com> http://sporadicbird.blogspot.com

Seward, Alaska Sporadic Bird Report

Sunrise 8:26 am, sunset 5:57 pm, length of day 9 hours, 31 minutes; tomorrow will be 5 minutes and 25 seconds longer.

Weather: A strong north wind sprang up last night and ended the uncertainty of the past week's rain, sn'rain, sleet and snow. Today must have been housekeeping day as it vigorously swept all the loose snow into biting ground blizzards and out to sea. The temperature hovered around 25º with a windchill of around 5. The bright sunshine, however, was most welcome!

The birds continue to feed like mad at the feeders all day, replenishing their body fat to get through another cold night. Suet cakes disappear and sunflower seed levels visibly shrink over the span of just a few hours. COMMON REDPOLLS and PINE SISKINS cover the feeders and the ground below them like live feather coverlets.

An innocent Redpoll landed on Peregrine Joe's head a few days ago, while we were watching the spectacle. I wish I had a photo of that!

The little finches hop along the alleys and roads where gravel is exposed, filling their crops. It's easy to run them over but far better to lightly toot the horn and they instantly fly off. Try this on the highway; it works at high speeds too.

Driving out to Lowell Point, a flock accompanied me for quite a stretch, flying alongside the car. It almost felt like that hang glider accompanying sand hill cranes on their migration.

Erik from Healy braved the wind and ice to scour the neighborhood for the rare birds. Thanks to his diligence, he did find both the SIBERIAN ACCENTOR and the BRAMBLING feeding together on the ground under a mixed seed and suet feeder. I joined him around 2:30 just before the sun sank behind the mountain, plunging the area into shadows.

Gorgeous, bright glowing orange VARIED THRUSHES hopped around or perched cautiously in the trees. I had four in my binoculars at one time, 3 males and one slightly paler female. There are at least a dozen in this block alone. In the early morning, a wheezy sigh like a teakettle just taken off the stove, pipes up from just about every tree. They softly cluck and whistle throughout the day.

The BRAMBLING added its burnt orange color to the feeder crowd. I don't think there are any Mt Ash berries left, not even nubbins to nibble so it was on the ground scrounging for suet and seeds.

Then the SIBERIAN ACCENTOR cautiously descended from the dense woods to join the Varied Thrush and Brambling. It was quite a sight to see all three at once, such warm colors on such a cold day! The Accentor seemed to be more at home now, boldly chasing off the smaller birds and the WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS. Undeterred, the White-crowned's sweet rendition of  "zoo-zippity- zee-zee-zoo" floated down from a nearby tree.

A male DOWNY WOODPECKER flailed away on the suet, sending more crumbs below. A bright male RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH alternated with the woodpecker, delicately picking out morsels. DARK-EYED JUNCOS, including one OREGON JUNCO male joined the other SLATE-COLORED JUNCOS and a SONG SPARROW. The bright and flighty COMMON REDPOLLS and PINE SISKINS were everywhere like air, chattering and blowing raspberries. Chipper CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEES checked out the mostly open spruce cones for stuck seeds.

At one point, a bossy STELLER'S JAY flew down to the feeder. All the birds instantly fled, except one little Redpoll, trapped inside the chickenwire exclosure. The jay tried to get it and I don't doubt that he would have eaten it if he could. The Redpoll frantically tried to escape as the jay chased it around the cylinder from the outside. Finally, the Redpoll discovered there was no lid and zipped up and away. These little birds may also know that the Jays eat bird eggs and babies. Not one to ignore!

I was surprised to notice that a BLACK-BILLED MAGPIE sauntering nearby did not elicit the same response. It was tolerated fairly well, even though the magpies also predate on eggs and hatchlings.

A dark juvenile BALD EAGLE soared overhead into the wind, looking for bigger prey to eat. COMMON RAVENS dipped and played, laughing at the cold.

The 'hood was alive with beautiful birds, both common and rare, intent on survival while inadvertently providing a spectacular show for appreciative birders.  Congratulations, Erik!

Happy Birding!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter
for photos please go to <http://sporadicbird.blogspot.com> http://sporadicbird.blogspot.com






  

Friday 2/15 Kenai Flats:

Mallard  20

Common Goldeneye  40

Bald Eagle  1

Mew Gull  22

Glaucous-winged Gull  1

Black-billed Magpie  1

Northwest Crow  65

Common Raven  4

Snow Bunting  80

Common Redpoll  30

While surveying for Rock Sandpipers for USFWS…

Wednesday Kenai River Mouth (Spruce Street):

Mallard  22

Common Goldeneye  20

Bald Eagle  12

Mew Gull  45

Black-billed Magpie  1

Northwest Crow  60

Common Raven  10

Snow Bunting  70

Common Redpoll  15

Wednesday Kasilof River Mouth:

Mallard  2

Long-tailed Duck 15

Common Goldeneye  70

Bald Eagle  1

American Three-toed Woodpecker  1

Black-billed Magpie  1

Common Raven  1

Common Redpoll  30

While surveying I have not found any Rock Sandpipers this year outside of Kachemak Bay.

The Siberian accentor was in alley between 1st and 2nd, and Madison and Jefferson. Vocalizing and had several brief perches on snow-covered branches. New snow in town has localized areas of bare ground which is fun.

Sadie and Tasha
Seward

Sixty Snow Buntings from Bowpicker and Seacatch, at a great distance, too far to confirm any McKay's Buntings.

Sixty Snow Buntings from Bowpicker and Seacatch, in close, but no McKay's Buntings, also one Northern Shrike at a distance.

Kasilof Flats: 25 Long-tailed Ducks, 50 Common Goldeneye

Kenai Flats: 22 Mallards, 26 Common Goldeneye, 6 Mew Gulls, 40 Snow Buntings - from Bowpicker and Seacatch

KACHEMAK BAY BIRD ALERT INFORMATION LINE
(235-PEEP)
February 3, 2013

In between storms and the cold spells Homer manages some really wonderful, sunny, great weather to be outside.  Also, it would seem, some great birds around to keep the birders happy. And for everyone, there is nothing quite so cheerful as a large flock of Robins hopping around your yard!

There has been a HARRIS'S SPARROW in the area behind the Bidarka Inn.  The first sighting was on December 18th on Waddell St. and has been seen off and on since. It was last reported on the 3rd  in the area below Hidden Way  which is  right at the end of Chrittenden Dr., one street past Waddell.  In this area also: RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS, and AMERICAN ROBINS (50). And out on the water, COMMON GOLDENEYES  and STELLER'S EIDERS (5).

On Lee St. there were CEDAR WAXWINGS (4) in with a group of AMERICAN ROBINS (75).  This was on the 3rd.  In other parts of town WHITE-CROWNED , GOLDEN-CROWNED and AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS can be found, DARK-EYED JUNCOS, large flocks of AMERICAN ROBINS (150+).

A SANDERLING was seen on the 2nd at Mariner's Park. On the 28th there were ROCK SANDPIPERS (14) and DUNLIN (39) seen in the Harbor.  About a dozen Sandpipers were seen near Miller's Landing on the 1st.  But there seems to be no large (or even medium) group of ROCK SANDPIPERS here now nor for a very long time.

A SLATY-BACKED GULL was seen on the 2nd in with many gulls near the Ferry Dock and Land's End, (GLAUCOUS-WINGED, MEW AND HERRING GULLS).

On the 21st there was a report of a COMMON GOLDENEYE X BARROW'S GOLDENEYE drake in with some Commons off shore to the west of the Spit.  On the 3rd STELLER'S EIDERS (49) viewed from the west side of the spit at the Hockey Rink. 

On the 25th a PTARMIGAN (sp?) was flushed out on Alpine Meadows Rd., near Eveline Park which is past McNeil Canyon School.  Flushed too unexpectedly with snow flying everywhere and then couldn't be found again!

A pair of NORTHERN FLICKERS (Yellow-shafted) has been coming to a feeder on Kachemak Drive since the Christmas Bird Count and still coming regularly. There is another one being seen up on Williams St., a couple miles out East End Rd.

No update or current information on the MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD or BRAMBLING.   If we get information about either of these it will be posted immediately on the Kachemak Bay Birder's website.


  IT'S A GREAT DAY TO BIRD!! As always...