Date: 6/24/25 10:14 pm From: rainyday via groups.io <c_griz...> Subject: [AKBirding] Tuesday, June 24, 2025 Greater, Lesser, Least and a Hummer
Tuesday, June 24, 2025 Greater, Lesser, Least and a Hummer
Seward, Alaska
Sunrise 4:34 am, sunset 11:28 pm for a total day length of 18 hours and 53 minutes. Tomorrow will be 42 seconds shorter. Clouds lowered the temp to the mid-40s today with showers in the forecast.
Civil twilight began at 2:45 am; a ROBIN heralded the new day around 3 am, joined by an exuberant FOX SPARROW. They don’t get much sleep!
At the head of the bay, I saw 3 SNIPE winnowing and calling. A SAVANNAH SPARROW adorned a blue Large-leaf Lupine flower spike, likely nervous about its hidden youngsters. A LINCOLN SPARROW and an ALDER FLYCATCHER sang from the bushes.
Also heard in the trees, YELLOW-RUMPED and ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS, a DOWNY WOODPECKER, and HERMIT THRUSH. TREE SWALLOWS zipped up and down a creek nabbing flying insects for their babies.
Suddenly, a flock of 10 LESSER YELLOWLEGS flew over, softly calling “tu, tu, tu”. Fortunately, they landed and I was able to get a few photos. I haven’t seen Least Yellowlegs for a while and wonder if they are already starting to migrate south. Two LEAST SANDPIPERS poked along the beach with them. A GREATER YELLOWLEGS foraged nearby.
This evening, I chanced to see a female RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD feeding on my pansies under the hummer feeder. I wonder if she too has babies waiting for her?
Exciting but perilous times for fledglings as the innocents venture into the world.
