Sitka Nature

It was a very busy day today. I took time between meeting with a student and my one class today to get out on a quick walk through the park. The rest of the day was spent in class or meeting with students. While out I was only able to take a couple of pictures of flying shorebirds. As it turned out, this would have been a good day to carry the recording equipment, if I would have had time to use it anyway.

Weather: Overcast throughout the day. There were light sprinkles occasionally during the day and it started raining this evening. Winds seemed calm this morning until I got down towards the end of the park where there was a breeze blowing out of the southeast. It seems pretty clear that southeast winds do not blow across campus very strong.

Birds: The shorebirds are in. I did not see any close up, but there were a number of small flocks flying about the tideflats (see above).

There were at least 10 Green-winged Teal at the mouth of Indian River.

The most interesting bird observations were probably those that I did not see. In particular I heard a call that was reminiscent of the first part of a Bald Eagle’s multi-note call, but without the stacatto rhythm, strident tone, or trailing notes at the end. I have no idea what bird made it (even after listening to both CDs of “Bird Songs of Alaska”). There was a raven calling from the same direction, but if it was that raven, it was making a call I’ve never heard a raven make before.

I also heard a bird singing in the woods that I think was a Brown Creeper, but I am not positive about that.

Flora: There a couple of salmonberry blooms that have finally opened. When we have our next stretch of sunny days, there will probably be lots more that come out.

Weather: I headed down to class under overcast skies and noticed that it was one of those days where Mt. Edgecumbe seems to glow against the dark gray backdrop of clouds. It did not look like the sun was shining on Mt. Edgecumbe, but it is possible the overcast was thin enough to let a lot of the light through. During the day it was mostly cloudy, but the clouds were thin, so the sky was bright. The wind was out of the Southeast this morning and seemed to be from the West or Southwest this afternoon.

Birds: I saw my first Hermit Thrush of the year as I walked along the narrow trail by the Indian River Estuary. There were a number of Dunlin and Western Sandpipers along with a pair of Golden Plovers near the Battleground. One of the Golden Plovers was in breeding plumage.

Later in the afternoon I saw what I think was a Marbled Godwit do a fly by but decide not to land at the beach.

There have been Tree Swallows reported at Swan Lake, but I haven’t been out that way for awhile and have not seen them.

Flora: I have noticed fireweed growing for the last couple of days.

Weather: When I got up this morning, it was partly cloudy, with clear skies overhead and thick dark gray clouds off shore. There was little breeze and it looked like the snow level had dropped to about 1800 feet overnight.

Birds: I made it for a walk to the park in the morning and again in the afternoon and was able to see a Red-breasted Merganser (I think it’s the same lone female I keep seeing), a couple of loons, 3 Green-winged Teal, Buffleheads, small Calidris sandpipers, as well as some other shorebirds that sounded like Black Turnstones that heard as they flew along the shoreline in the distance. There was a Ruby-crowned Kinglet singing near the trail and a pretty good sized flock of geese flew overhead.

On my way back in the morning I heard two or three Winter Wrens singing fairly near to each other. I had been on the beach, but walked up to the edge of the woods and was able to see one of them. It was displaying in a manner that I think they use for courtship purposes, but I did not see any other wren around to observe. I was able to get some pictures (see above).

Flora: The salmonberry flowers are starting to open up a little bit along Lincoln Street and near the Indian River estuary.

I did not check the stream violets in the park, but I did see one along Westwood Trail that had a flower bud growing out.

Weather: It was rainy this rainy in morning, but had stopped by mid-morning. The snow was down a little bit on Gavan Hill, to about the 1800 foot level. There were small breaks in the clouds through the afternoon and evening with rain starting again in the late evening. As I started my walk in the late afternoon, there was a breeze out of the west with clouds and little bit of rain. After the cloud had passed over and the sun was starting to peak through a break, the wind died down.

Birds: This morning there was a Ruby-crowned Kinglet singing outside the building while I was in class. I saw a pair of Mallards on the flume. I assume it is the same pair I have seen a number of times in the past week or so. Perhaps they will be nesting along the banks of the flume.

At totem park I saw cormorants a little ways off shore, Western Sandpipers, a lone Black-bellied Plover, a Green-winged Teal, several pairs of Buffleheads, a variety of gulls, and a female Northern Harrier (a new bird for me).

I had forgotten how well the Western Sandpipers blend in. I had seen one land and was walking carefully toward the area hoping to get a better look (at the time I was not sure what kind of shorebird it was). I was looking for birds, but did not see any, so I figured maybe it had run down the beach. Rather suddenly, a flock of them took off not too far in front of me. Somehow, despite looking for them, I had not been able to see them. Later I was able to get a better look of a flock of at least 50 birds. All the birds I saw looked like Western Sandpipers.

I am beginning to wonder if there is a crow nest on the corner of Lincoln and Jeff Davis Streets. I saw a raven being mobbed by crows in that area again today.

Other Notes: There were two seals not too far from shore at the park.