Sporadic Bird from Seward, Alaska

Seward, Alaska

Sunrise 8:11 am, sunset 6:13 pm for a total day length of 10 hours and 2 minutes. Tomorrow will be 5 minutes and 27 seconds longer.

Mild April-like weather continued today with calm wind and temps between 28 around sunrise and a high of 36 by mid-afternoon. New ice glittered on puddles, a reminder that it is actually still supposed to be winter, then melted before noon. The pewter-gray clouds tossed down a few sprinkles that didn’t amount to anything, not even an annoyance. The ground remains snow-free and soggy.

While scanning the flat-calm waters with my binoculars for whales, I noticed two dark shapes about a mile away, appearing and disappearing, about in the same place. Otters playing? No, the pattern kept repeating like waves hitting a shoal but not quite. Intrigued, I took photos and zoomed in. To my amazement, I made out the tiny white head and dark wings of an adult BALD EAGLE steadily stroking, far from shore. Far, far from shore. O my! Poor thing! Would it make it or die from hypothermia? No rescue for this bird!

Slowly, ever so slowly, stroke by ponderous stroke, it inched its way closer to shore, fighting the out-going tide as well. A hundred AMERICAN CROWS watched with interest from the nearest spit of emerging beach. What an irritating welcome! As the Eagle finally swam closer, several Crows launched to harass it, sounding the alarm and nose-diving without touching it.

Onward, ever onward, until finally its feet touched the submerged ground. Then it hopped through the gentle waves, flapping its wings. As it emerged from the water,  I saw one foot firmly holding a fish! It dragged the fish with it, what a prize! to higher ground, and immediately began tearing into the hard-won lunch. Wow! What a champion! No apparent stress from the exhausting swim in 40º water.

No one seemed impressed by this feat except me. The Crows hovered nearby, cawing and carrying on, hoping to snag a morsel. Then an immature Bald Eagle flew in and tussled with the fisher who shrouded the catch and kept ripping into it. More Bald Eagles flew in until there were eight angling for a chance to steal the fish or grab a bite. What a sight! What a racket!

From then on, dining turned to defending. I lost sight of the fisher and fish in the flurry of wings, screeching, and cawing. Then suddenly, the party was over and all the Eagles flew off towards the trees, leaving the Crows to scavenge and brag about their bravery.

Whew! Tough job getting a bite to eat!

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

 

 

Seward, Alaska

Sunrise 8:33 am, sunset 5:52 pm, for a total day length of 9 hours and 18 minutes. Tomorrow will be 5 minutes and 23 seconds longer.

Winter tried to snow on Thursday but the flakes never hit the ground. On Friday, Winter tried again but only managed a scant 2” on the ground. Then the temps rose back above freezing and bare ground showed once again. Today’s temps ranged from 31-35. It’s been a crazy winter so far, but overall, folks are glad they don’t have to shovel. The voles and other life that depend on insulating snow may not be so chipper. Rain is in the forecast until next week.

After trying unsuccessfully since February 9 to refind the KILLDEER and locate the ROCK SANDPIPERS, I got a tip from Robin when he hit the jackpot. With the 35 ROSAs was one DUNLIN, chittering and squabbling as they expertly probed the mudflats for small clams (Baltic Macomas) and invertebrates.

The KILLDEER popped up nearby, stop-starting like the plover it is, picking up tidbits. After a time, it faced away from me and began to preen. The unfortunate pose then revealed the rich, reddish-brown hues of its rump and tail coverts, usually concealed from view.  

Over at the Nash Road wetlands, the whole resident TRUMPETER SWAN family with four, 8-month-old cygnets rested on the ice near the road. A pair of adults napped nearby, one demonstrating a graceful one-legged yoga pose. In the back of the frozen wetlands, open water attracted a dozen or more Swans, including at least two cygnets. They blend in perfectly with their snowy surroundings, almost invisible in the distance.

Also spotted today, about 30 SNOW BUNTINGS in the distance off Afognak Beach. An unidentified predator spooked them and kept them flying back and forth over the grassland. Then a hundred-strong AMERICAN CROWS left their lunch spot at the tidelands and flew over in great excitement, cawing loudly and carrying on. 

They turned a cottonwood black as they perched and called, sounding the alarm. Owl? Hawk? The five BALD EAGLES sitting casually on driftwood and perched in nearby trees were probably glad they were not the target of the mobbing. The Crows noisily flowed over the area on the alert, but I never saw the villain. Pretty interesting!

Daylight is leaping back, gaining more than five minutes every day. Whoo-whoo!

Happy Birding!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

Seward, Alaska

I had the pleasure of marveling at a very active female Giant Pacific Octopus at the Alaska Sealife Center this afternoon: the fluid motion of her eight mesmerizing tentacles with their fascinating array of circular suckers diminishing in size to minute at the curling, probing tips; her rhythmic breathing as the two funnels/siphons opened and closed, waving back and forth; her enormous, shape-shifting mantle; and her mysterious, slitted eyes. 

All this in a mollusk!

As she jetted across her habitat, long tentacles trailing behind, staff explained that she would be released into Resurrection Bay in a few days. Her behavior indicated that she is ready to get on with mating and raising a family. 

I appreciated this opportunity to watch this incredible, intelligent being up close.

Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird/Octopus Report Reporter 

Seward, Alaska

10:15 pm, calm, overcast, no precip.

Finally! I heard the steady and hopeful backup-bell beeping of a SAW-WHET OWL in the distance in the forest on Mt Marathon’s lower slope. So excited! I didn’t hear one all last year.

Happy Owling!

Carol Griswold

Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter

Seward, Alaska 

A beautiful morning! Reflection-calm, temps in the low 30s, and no precipitation. I even forgot my warm gloves and didn’t miss them.

Sunshine like a spotlight on snowy Mt Marathon, then three wild TRUMPETER SWANS.

The usual wall of clouds rolled in from the Gulf as I enjoyed watching and photographing the antics of the seabirds at the Alaska Sealife Center in the afternoon. A wild Steller's Sea Lion rested on the old ferry dock bulwark just outside the Center, high above the water. I wonder if the four “Kodiak Killer" Orcas spotted in the inner bay yesterday had anything to do with this safe perch.

On the way home, I stopped to marvel at the swarm of ROBINS with Robin C; they looked like bees in the surrounding trees. There were at least 35; Tasha counted 47 recently. 

Among them were several PINE GROSBEAKS, a male and female DOWNY WOODPECKER, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES, CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEES, STELLER JAYS and a couple BLACK-BILLED MAGPIES. We all appreciated the break from the rain, which arrived without invitation a few hours later.