Seward RBA
May 7, 2003
Date: Wed, 7 May 2003 07:13:39 -0800
Reply-To: wshuster <bshuster@PTIALASKA.NET>
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From: wshuster <bshuster@PTIALASKA.NET>
Subject: [BIRDWEST] 5_7_03 RBA Seward Alaska
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This is the Seward, Alaska Rare Bird Alert for Wednesday May 7, 2003.
The migration is well along with continued numbers of waterfowl and shorebirds
arriving daily.
On May 6, 3 Tundra Swans were seen at the ponds at the end of the airport. The
Brant, first seen on the 5th, continue to be present at Preachers Pond, along
Seward Highway, just north of Nash Road. Red-necked Grebes are now at Lily Pond
lake at mile 14 of the Seward Highway. Flocks of White-fronted Geese were
again landing at the ponds at the end of the airport. Also making a presence
was a Great Blue Heron, a rare but resident species for Seward5
On the 5th, Whimbrel and Bonaparte's Gull first were reported at the head of the
bay. Also, particularly large numbers of Bald Eagles were seen soaring or
perched on the tops of trees in the Seward area. perhaps it was the rainy
weather, but 42 eagles were counted from one location. Another unusual bit of
bird behavior observed on the day were immature Mew Gulls, chasing sandpipers
and even swallows in the air. The gulls spent quite a bit of effort in this
futile effort. On the ground, they were observed walking and then running after
feeding sandpipers though they were never observed as being successful.
On the 4th, the first Western Sandpipers and Short-billed Dowitchers arrived at
the end of the airport. An unusual observation for that area was a Black
Oystercatcher. The species is much more likely at Lowell Point and further out
in the bay.
After the tone, please leave a message of any unusual birds seen.
William Shuster Wildlife Biologist
Seward, Alaska 99664
bshuster@ptialaska.net
907-224-8760
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