Date: 10/3/26 6:27 pm From: rainyday via groups.io <c_griz...> Subject: [AKBirding] Saturday, October 3, 2026 Greater Yellowlegs, Pacific Loon, Kittiwakes
Saturday, October 3, 2026 Greater Yellowlegs, Pacific Loon, Kittiwakes
Seward, Alaska
Sunrise 8:08 am, sunset 7:23 pm, for a total day length of 11 hours, 14 minutes. Tomorrow will be 5 minutes and 25 seconds shorter.
North winds and rain squalls returned after a mirror calm, sunny day yesterday. Temps ranged from 32 to 42. More rain and wind in the forecast.
A young bull moose dissuaded me from birding at the head of the bay this morning. His freshly scrubbed and shining antlers gave him an impressive look and feisty attitude. I would rather not be on foot in his powerful company!
Instead, I sought shelter from the wind at Afognak Beach. To my surprise, a late GREATER YELLOWLEGS foraged in the shallow intertidal pools as if summer were not over and done. It was like seeing an old friend!
Two river otters abruptly changed course and bounded back to the bay as I approached, swimming away, seemingly equally at home on land or in the water.
Next, I checked out Spring Creek Beach. Tasha reported a resighting of one of two Mourning Doves hunkered down under a spruce tree. Two had been spotted on September 28, but a Northern Goshawk may have dined on the other. Or the smart Dove is happily feasting with the pigeons in town.
I did not find the wayward Dove or the two Rusty Blackbirds but I enjoyed seeing a late DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT and several HARLEQUIN DUCKS. Many Gulls clamored around the fish-waste feeder and rose in a cloud when disturbed by a BALD EAGLE.
On the way home, I checked the boat harbor and found several BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES cruising around in non-breeding plumage.
To the south of the Uplands, a raft of a dozen SURF SCOTERS, back for the winter, queued up near another Gull frenzy at the fish-waste feeder.
A small raft of Steller Sea Lions poked their noses up like triangular birds then lazily submerged.
A PACIFIC LOON surfaced in the distance, paddling, diving, and then stretching. Many loose feathers blossomed from its wings. The white scaling on the back, like a carefully embroidered design, indicated this is a juvenile.
Yesterday, I found a few BARROW’S GOLDENEYES at the SMIC sewage lagoon. Our winter residents are returning even as others migrate farther south. The sight of these resolute birds and mammals sure brightened a dreary, wet and windy, gray day.
