Sitka Nature

The last couple of days I spent more of the night outside than the day. The kids have been wanting to spend a night outside, so with the long weekend and nice weather, I figured it would be a good time to give it a try.

Weather: Sunday was sunny and warm, but fairly breezy. Overnight clouds came over and it was overcast this morning with what seemed like a cloud layer at about 2000 feet. This burned off as the day wore on, and this afternoon it was clear. It was pretty breezy, however.

Birds: It was interesting to listen to the dawn chorus each of the last two mornings. I will post about it separately. I did hear Western Screech Owls a couple of times very early this morning. One of the calls was not the typical bouncing ball call, but I did not wake up enough to remember what exactly it was.

Connor, Rowan and I hiked up to the ridge on Verstovia today.

Weather: It was clear with light winds. Temperatures were 60 or higher, it certainly felt hot in the sun. The first snow we found on the trail was just below the second viewpoint, and there was patchy snow from there to the ridge. The ridge was still covered in fairly deep snow.

Birds: I noticed two different birds that appeared to be gathering nesting materials, a Pine Siskin and a Chestnut-backed Chickadee. The chickadee seemed to be part of a pair. The second one stayed up in the shrubs catching insects while the first gathered materials off the ground. I think it may have been gathering dog hair, lichens, or both.

I briefly caught a glimpse of a Red-tailed Hawk at the first viewpoint on our way up. On our way down we got extended looks at the underside of a Red-tailed Hawk as it climbed the thermal.

Along the lower part of the trail I heard lots of bird song, mostly from Townsend’s Warblers and Ruby-crowned Kinglets. On the ridge it was fairly quiet except for a couple of vocal Winter Wrens. It almost makes me wonder if some species do a first nesting at lower elevations then move up the mountain for a second go around after the snow has melted.

Flora: It was interesting to chase spring up the mountain. At the start of the trail, the Purple Sweet-cicely (Osmorhiza purpurea) was already going to seed, and the Stream Violets (Viola glabella) were well past their prime. As we went up the trail, I eventually noticed one of our earliest spring flowers, Fern-leaf Goldthread (Coptis asplenifolia) still blooming, but most other things were just starting to come up.

Weather: Overcast this morning, but clearing skies by mid-morning. Clear this evening. Light wind out of the Northwest. Temperatures near 60. I noticed there is still a lot of snow even near Picnic Rock.

Birds: At Swan Lake there were 2 Gadwall, 2 scaups, 3 or 4 American Wigeons, several Mallards, including a pair with ducklings, and Savannah Sparrows. I also noticed quite a few Tree Swallows and at least one that I think was a Barn Swallow.

At Totem Park out from the river mouth were 3 Bufflehead, 20 or so scaups, 10 or more Surf Scoters, a Red-breasted Merganser, some gulls (Mew and Glaucous-winged, at least) and a Caspian Tern. I also heard a Northern Flicker across the way. On the beach were 11 Whimbrels, a dozen Northern Shovlers, many Savannah Sparrows, 3 Green-winged Teal, and 2 Spotted Sandpipers.

Flora: Red Elderberry is starting to bloom along Lincoln Street. The Alaska Violets growing in the neighbor’s lawn were also blooming.

Weather: Overcast, temperatures were in the 40s. There was some light rain. At the lake early this afternoon there seemed to be a wind out of the west. This evening there was light breeze out of the west or northwest.

Birds: At Swan Lake there were still a couple of Lesser Scaups. I also saw a pair of Northern Shovelers, and 3 American Wigeons. Several Savannah Sparrows were on the penninsula.

I saw a Red-tailed Hawk flying across from Swan Lake toward the experimental farm while looking around the muskeg on the beginning of Gavan Trail.

Flora: In the muskeg I noticed a Bog Laurel, Bog Rosemary, and Cloudberry blooming. The Three-leaf Goldthread seems to be well past it’s prime.

I also found a Plectania nafeldtii.

Other Notes: I saw a deer in the backyard around 10:45 this evening. It was pretty dark and I didn’t get a chance to see whether it was a buck or doe as it passed through the light from the windows.