Date: 11/16/25 7:49 pm From: rainyday via groups.io <c_griz...> Subject: [AKBirding] Sunday, November 16, 2025 Palm Warbler! Short-eared Owl
Sunday, November 16, 2025 Palm Warbler! Short-eared Owl
Seward, Alaska
Sunrise 9:01 am, sunset 4:26 pm for a total day length of 7 hours and 25 minutes. Tomorrow will be 4 minutes and 35 seconds shorter.
Starry sky last night featured Venus to the south then Jupiter to the east with Orion rising over the silhouetted mountains. Clouds moved in by morning. 5 am low of 18, rising to 28 by 5 pm. Five to eight inches of snow predicted this evening with more on the way.
This afternoon at the head of the bay, a small bird flushed from the grasses as I passed and flew about a block away towards some spruce trees. While wondering about finding this needle in the haystack, I turned back just in case.
To my amazement, the warbler-sized bird popped up on top of a snag and calmly posed, bobbing its tail up and down. The distinctive, bright butter-yellow undertail coverts flashed on this otherwise rather drab bird. PALM WARBLER! A Lifer!
Further research indicated that this was a Western aka Brown palmarum subspecies that should be overwintering under the swaying palms of the Caribbean, not frigid Alaska.
The 2025 Checklist of Alaska Birds lists the Palm Warbler as Rare.
Kai Reising in Halibut Cove posted photos similar to this one on November 8, 2025. Could it be the same bird? The species was also reported in Seward on October 26, 2015, and October 5, 2020 but I missed it both times.
Just as I started the car, I noticed a SHORT-EARED OWL hunting in the far field. I leapt out and enjoyed watching it rise then waft lower and lower, cruising just above the ground. Suddenly it flared, dove, and disappeared. I hope it found a fat vole to tide it over the long cold night.
Date: 11/13/25 10:56 pm From: rainyday via groups.io <c_griz...> Subject: [AKBirding] Thursday, November 13, 2025 Rock Sandpipers, Common Loons, Grebes, Sea Ducks, and a Hummingbird
Thursday, November 13, 2025 Rock Sandpipers, Common Loons, Grebes, Sea Ducks, and a Hummingbird
Seward, Alaska
Sunrise 8:53 am, sunrise 4:33 pm for a total day length of 7 hours and 39 minutes. Tomorrow will be 4 minutes and 45 seconds shorter.
Partly cloudy and cold with a low of 20 and a high of 27, north wind 4-6 mph with gusts to 15. The low sun, when it peeked out, shone like a spotlight on this winter day.
17 First of Season ROCK SANDPIPERS materialized this morning at the tidelands, feeding at the edge of the ebbing tide. Rock Sandpipers generally overwinter in Resurrection Bay in small numbers up to around 40; may their numbers soon increase.
The boat harbor bustled with activity today: two COMMON LOONS, a juvenile and adult RED-NECKED GREBE, nine HORNED GREBES, a large raft of COMMON MERGANSERS, COMMON GOLDENEYES and BARROW’S GOLDENEYES, a few PELAGIC CORMORANTS, BELTED KINGFISHER, SHORT-BILLED and GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULLS, and BALD EAGLES.
The Mt Ash berries in the 500-block of First again attracted ROBINS, BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS, and a VARIED THRUSH. The birds flew back and forth from the shelter of the dense spruce forest in the backyards, or perched high in a cottonwood across the street.
Best of all, the ANNA’S HUMMINGBIRD survived another 16-hour cold winter night!
Date: 11/12/25 10:47 pm From: rainyday via groups.io <c_griz...> Subject: [AKBirding] Wednesday, November 12, 2025 Bohemian Waxwings, and Robins
Wednesday, November 12, 2025 Bohemian Waxwings, and Robins
Seward, Alaska
The 500 Block of First and Second Avenues were hopping today with the First of Season BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS and lingering (or newly arrived) ROBINS!
I first saw about a dozen Bohemian Waxwings perched high in a cottonwood tree, silhouetted against the cloudy sky. A neighboring tree hosted about as many Robins. Individuals and twos and threes shot off the branches and sailed to nearby Mt Ash trees to pluck and gobble the juicy red berries whole.
The Waxwings chimed their tiny bell-like songs, a sound I did not have the pleasure of hearing at all last winter. Robins clucked and a few unleashed a full spring-time song, so marvelous to hear on a cold winter day.
Counting these active foragers proved difficult as they zipped between First Ave, the alley, and Second, but I’d estimate about 20 each, maybe more.
The Mt Ash trees in town are loaded with berries for their dining pleasure. I hope they stick around for a better count and further search for a Cedar Waxwing or other uncommon companions in their midst.
Sunday, November 9, 2025 Snow Buntings, Killdeer, Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, Anna's
Seward, Alaska
Sunrise 8:43 am, sunset 4:42 pm for a total day length of 7 hours and 59 minutes. Tomorrow will be 4 minutes and 56 seconds shorter.
Clear, cold, and windy conditions continued today with a low of 23 at 8 am and a high of 28 at 2 pm. Creeks and ponds were mostly frozen. The north wind, gusting to 24 mph, blew away the loose snow on the ground then reached to the mountain tops to shoot snow streamers to the moon.
Yesterday, I rejoiced to find that the KILLDEER survived the recent winter storms as well as at least two SHARP-TAILED SANDPIPERS. No Cackling Geese seen since Tuesday; maybe they finally did blow south.
The juvenile male ANNA’S hummingbird also survived the winter storms and another long, cold, windy winter night, appearing at my heated feeder at 9:33 this morning and again in the twilight around 4:30 pm.
I checked but did not find the Killdeer or Sharp-tailed Sandpipers today. Instead of one SNOW BUNTING, a flock of about 20 rose up from the beach rye grass and as quickly vanished into the grasses. One called and rose above me, its pure white body and bold black wing tips flashing against the brilliant blue sky. He was close and o so beautiful but the wind wrestled with my camera, leaving me with only the fleeting memory.
Date: 11/7/25 9:25 pm From: rainyday via groups.io <c_griz...> Subject: [AKBirding] Friday, November 7, 2025 Crested Auklet!
Friday, November 7, 2025 Crested Auklet!
Seward, Alaska
Sunrise 8:38 am, sunset 4:47 pm, for a total day length of 8 hours and 9 minutes. Tomorrow will be 5 minutes and 0 seconds shorter.
Yesterday’s winter storm hit with ground blizzards, howling north winds gusting to 32 mph, and temps ranging from a low of 27 to a high of 29. After all that, only about 2” of snow fell in town. The north wind continued today with a low of 23, a high of 31 and scattered snow showers. Saturday is forecast to be partly cloudy with similar temps and north wind.
While trying to avoid the ground blizzards where exposed to the north wind, I found several ROBINS and one VARIED THRUSH eating Mt Ash berries on Second Ave. I heard a few PINE GROSBEAKS as well.
Then I headed out Lowell Point Road where the king tide of 13.55 feet peaked at 1:41pm, bringing the seabirds close to the road. On the way back from Lowell Point Beach, I spotted a small, dark seabird that was not a Murrelet. Two plumes stuck up from its forehead marking it as either a WHISKERED AUKLET or a CRESTED AUKLET!
I pulled over, grabbed my camera, opened the window, and tried to get some shots from inside the car. The wild auklet didn’t hang around to pose. Pattering along the surface and stroking mightily, it finally lifted off and veered out to the bay.
When I checked my photos, terrible as they were, the Crested Auklet winter adult most closely resembled the description and underside pattern shown in the National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America. Thanks to Tasha for the verification!
The recent storms must have blown this plump seabird from the North Pacific Ocean or from around Kodiak Island where they are reported to overwinter regularly.
Who knows what else may have blown in with these winter storms? Keep looking!
Date: 11/6/25 9:44 pm From: rainyday via groups.io <c_griz...> Subject: [AKBirding] Tuesday, November 4, 2025 Snow Bunting, Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, Dunlins, and Cackling Geese
Tuesday, November 4, 2025 Snow Bunting, Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, Dunlins, and Cackling Geese
Seward, Alaska
Calm today with a low of 26 and a high of 32. Though the snow line is descending on the mountains, there is still no snow on the ground. (Yet.)
Tides this week were among the highest of the year (king tides) thanks to the influence of the stunning Beaver Moon, the closest, largest, and brightest supermoon of the year.
This morning, I refound two of the SHARP-TAILED SANDPIPERS feeding in shallows of the estuary pond with the two DUNLINS. The five CACKLING GEESE foraged on the edges until flushed by a BALD EAGLE.
Two NORTHERN SHOVELER hens filtered the water with their amazing large, orange, spatula-shaped bills. All these birds (except the Eagle) seem late and might consider booking the next flight south, first class.
The highlight of the day on the ebbing tide was a single, handsome, nonbreeding male SNOW BUNTING, foraging along the high tideline. Normally found in flocks, I wondered if his buddies would soon join him.
A dozen PINE SISKINS flittered through the alders by the road, hanging upside down on the cones and feasting on the tiny seeds. Siskins and Redpolls have been scarce this past winter; it’s nice to see them again.
Over at the harbor uplands, an enthusiastic Steller’s Sea Lion ripped into a large silver salmon, flinging fish scraps for the equally frenzied Gulls. Quite the show!
Date: 11/5/25 1:35 am From: Toby Burke via groups.io <kenaibirder...> Subject: [AKBirding] Kenai River Common Murre
Today we observed a lone COMMON MURRE in the lower Kenai River. We have not seen any Common Murres there since the big "Blob" related seabird die-off of 2015. This is likely coincidental but it makes one wonder about the huge warm water "Blob" currently sitting in the north Pacific now.
Date: 11/3/25 5:28 pm From: Toby Burke via groups.io <kenaibirder...> Subject: [AKBirding] Kasilof River 11/3: BRANT'S CORMORANT
As we were finishing up our birding at the Kasilof River mouth we took one last look at Cook Inlet from the parking lot viewing platform before heading home. With naked eyes, we could see a cormorant flying low over the water headed north. This far north in the Inlet any cormorant species is notable, with nearly all being DCCOs. The flyby cormorant was large and heavily built so we presumed it was likely a DCCO, as 99% of all upper Cook Inlet cormorants are, but upon closer look with our optics we did not see a yellow-orange gular patch nor was the neck sharply kinked, though it was slightly kinked. The bird continued flying north but fortuitously landed two-thirds of a mile to the north and was swimming toward shore. We hiked north to where the bird was actively foraging in the surf. Several times the wave action actually threw the bird on the beach but the bird quickly returned to the water each time and resumed foraging in the narrow, rough surf zone. As we approached, the bird retreated further offshore but did not depart, continuing to forage in deeper water among flocks of GRSC and COGO.
Again, the cormorant was heavily built with a thick neck and blocky head (unlike a PECO), no yellow-orange gular patch (unlike a DCCO), and no light colored bill (as in RFCO), the bill was significantly longer and thicker. The bird did exhibit a light tan chin area and a brownish neck in better light. The skies were nearly completely overcast so colors were muted. This bird exhibited the very same notable "jiz" as two BRACs we observed in Resurrection Bay in October 2019. Later this evening we will post other supporting photos on eBird.
Date: 10/31/25 11:32 pm From: rainyday via groups.io <c_griz...> Subject: [AKBirding] Friday, October 31, 2025 Anna’s Hummingbird, Cackling Geese
Friday, October 31, 2025 Anna’s Hummingbird, Cackling Geese
Seward, Alaska
Sunrise 9:19 am, sunset 6:05 pm, for a total day length of 8 hours and 45 minutes. Tomorrow will be 5 minutes and 12 seconds shorter.
Unbelievable weather this week! A major storm hit Southcentral Alaska on Wednesday and Thursday as a giant low moved across the Gulf of Alaska. Seward experienced NNE winds gusting 35 to 45 mph and over 4” of rain with temps warming from 30 to 39º.
A rare thunderstorm rumbled in around 8 pm on Wednesday night, the roiling clouds ignited by lighting. The flashes and booms came fast and loud like fireworks, echoing off the surrounding mountainsides. Stinging hail, heavy rain, and angry wind accompanied the phenomenal show for the next 5 hours, which finally diminished after a final flash and boom around 1:30 am. Wow!
Not to be outdone by the sky, at 9:33 am on Thursday, the earth shook with a 5.4 magnitude earthquake, centered 44 miles southwest of Seward. The quake started slow, jiggling anything loose, then one big jolt that made me jump, followed by several smaller jolts, then faded. It seemed to last about 10 seconds, hard to say. Fortunately, that was it. Whew!
After this challenging week of rain and wind, the ANNA’S HUMMINGBIRD materialized at my feeder today shortly before noon, a resilient storm survivor. Where and how did he shelter through that long, hard night? He sipped for several minutes, flashing his magenta jewels when startled by a Nuthatch or Chickadee in the adjacent sunseed feeder. I managed to get a few through-the-window photos before he zoomed off. I did not see him again today. What in inspiration!
At the head of the bay, two more CACKLING GEESE joined the three-some. Will the five finally migrate together?
Tuesday was my last sighting of a SHARP-TAILED SANDPIPER when it serendipitously flew over the marsh and landed at the edge of the shallow pond in full view. Maybe they’ll leave with the Geese before it snows next week.
Sunday, October 26, 2025 Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, Yellow-billed Loon, Killdeer, Dunlin
Seward, Alaska
Sunrise 9:07 am, sunset 6:18 pm for a total day length of 9 hours and 11 minutes. Tomorrow will be 5 minutes and 17 seconds shorter.
Seward basked (relatively) in a brilliantly sunny weekend though the temps dipped to a low of 30 overnight. The skim of ice on the Lagoon and frost soon melted with highs of 36-38. Cooler temps and mixed snow/rain are in the forecast for the next few days.
A trio of phenomenal birders descended on Seward on Saturday and pulled out a fantastic number of species (over 50!) I felt fortunate to tag along in their wake for a bit. The weekend headliner featured five juvenile SHARP-TAILED SANDPIPERS, a new local record.
A single DUNLIN accompanied the wayward Asiatic sandpipers in the salt marsh while a second Dunlin foraged solo in the tidelands. They found a seasonally expected surprise KILLDEER that split time between the tidelands and the pond, and the immature NORTHERN SHRIKE far out on the tide flats, harassed by a BLACK-BILLED MAGPIE.
Two CACKLING GEESE, subspecies minima, joined the lonely juvenile in the salt marsh. Maybe they will be able to migrate together and figure out the way?
Bristling with scopes, sharp eyes and radar hearing, they pulled one bird after the other out of the ether. I was especially impressed with their sightings of Loons, apparently all over the place: two Common Loons and one Pacific Loon at Fourth of July Beach, a Pacific Loon at Spring Creek Beach, a Common Loon along the Waterfront and along Lowell Point Road, two more Pacific Loons along Lowell Point Road, and a very uncommon Red-Throated Loon along Lowell Point Road.
They even found the 16 STARLINGS in town that flew over my car on October 19 and have proved elusive and camera-shy since.
While looking to refind a few of those fabulous Loons today, I found a YELLOW-BILLED LOON at Spring Creek Beach! Too cool!
The moral of the story is to bring a sherpa to carry your scope. Or just get lucky and tromp along with these birders.
Date: 10/25/25 11:02 pm From: rainyday via groups.io <c_griz...> Subject: [AKBirding] Friday, October 24, 2025 Anna’s Hummingbird update
Friday, October 24, 2025 Anna’s Hummingbird update
Seward, Alaska
In the dusk around 5 pm on Tuesday, October 21, I spotted the distinctive silhouette of the elusive ANNA’S HUMMINGBIRD quietly perching on a bare branch of an aspen tree near the feeder. I did not see it feed.
On Wednesday, it rained so hard during a big storm, I needed windshield wipers on my kitchen window. I leaped up, camera in hand when the hummer zoomed in to the feeder around 9:30 am.
Though the light was dim and the rain ran in rivulets down the window, I snapped a photo though the glass as he turned and flashed his scattered magenta speckles. The minimal spangles lead me to think he is an immature male. I wonder if youngsters are extending their range from BC, or if he was a born and raised Alaskan?
I did not see him on Thursday, but after another dreary, dim, rainy morning, the sun peeked out around noon and the hummer returned. He seemed a bit jumpy, flitting up then back, maybe wary of the Nuthatches and Chickadees zipping in and out of the big-bird exclosure. But he soon settled back down to rest on the handy feeder perch while he sipped the cold sugar solution.
He's a toughie! As the word spread, other neighbors were considering putting up their hummingbird feeders too. Spread the joy! Nothing like the sight of a tiny hummingbird to cheer one up on these otherwise gloomy days.
