Sitka Nature

I walked around Totem Park both yesterday and today to see what shorebirds might be around.

Weather: Mostly cloudy with occasional breaks of sunshine. Minimal rain. Temperatures in the lower-60s.

Birds: Yesterday I stopped and watched a family of Townsend’s Warblers foraging in the trees adjacent to the beach. I got several good looks at the juvenile birds.

There were shorebirds and gulls on the beach at the park both yesterday and today. Most of the gulls appeared to be Mew Gulls. I saw more shorebirds today than yesterday. They included quite a few Black Turnstones and Surfbirds (mostly turnstones), a Semipalmated Sandpiper, several Least Sandpipers, and two Greater Yellowlegs.

While I was watching some of the shorebirds, I also saw an American Pipit and a Savannah Sparrow.

Today I discovered a Hermit Thrush nest visible from the beach. The young are developing feathers, but have not yet fledged.

Flora:

Cleavers, fireweed, Pacific Hemlock-parsley, and Seacoast Angelica are all blooming. There are also a few Giant Vetch blooming as well.

I found a strange orange growth on a beach log. I think it is a fungus, but it has a felt-like texture on the surface.

Other Notes: There were lots of noseeums that utilized my presence while I sat watching the shorebirds.

There was a loose flock of several small sandpipers at Totem Park this evening. It was getting late, so I did not spend a lot of time trying to get photos, however I did get a decent photograph of the bird seen here. Upon looking at the photo, I am confused as to the identification. Its legs are not completely black like I am used to seeing in Western Sandpipers, nor does it seem to have the webbing between its toes that Western Sandpipers I’ve seen on Western Sandpipers before. Its beak is much shorter than the Western Sandpipers I am used to seeing. On the other hand, its legs are much darke and its bill much shorter than I am used to seeing on Least Sandpipers. Any suggestions are welcome.