Temps in the 40s, partly sunny, winds NE 5-15 mph

We went from doldrums to surprises…

I was on my own today, as Don was preparing to leave and wanted to do some more scenery photography.

I decided I would check Sweeper Channel and the Airport Ditch and then head up to Clam Lagoon.

At the north end of the Airport Ditch, a Whimbrel flew out. I couldn’t get a photo, but as the morning went on, two other birders heard it calling nearby (although they did not see it).

This has been a good year for loons (although I still haven’t found a Yellow-billed) and these three Commons were in Clam Lagoon.

At the Seawall, I found a Long-tailed Duck (different plumaged than last week’s bird).

Then, as I was just getting to the East Side Flats, a lone goose flew by. Any lone goose on Adak is suspect and, sure enough, it turned out to be a Brant. This was my fourth record of Brant on Adak.

I returned to town to see off the departing birders.

I had been told by a local that a nest of Bald Eagles down on Sweeper cove had eaglets in it. I had looked at the nest yesterday, but it appeared the eagle was on eggs. No feeding activity and no nestlings apparent.

So I tried again today and there they were. It looks like the parent was sheltering the eaglets from the bad weather yesterday.

Everyone was leaving today except Jason and Manuel.

I bid farewell (collected loaned radios and surplus bird seed) and returned to the search for lifers…

I then went back up to the lagoon and walked both the peninsula and the marsh edge.

I did not find a single shorebird…

As the tide was going out, I decided to continue around to the East Side flats and see if the Far Eastern Curlew was there. I had not seen it this morning during high tide.

As I was driving by the East Side Ponds, another Whimbrel was on the road. After a few futile attempts, I finally got some pics, including a fuzzy one showing it to be the Siberian race (white up the back).

When I got to the East Side Flats, the Far Eastern Curlew had returned.

An unprecedented 6th day!

On the way back around the lagoon, as I approached the barracks building near the “Blue Building,” it looked like they had a row of lights on the roof.

It turned out to be just the sun reflecting off the conical chimney caps.

The trip list is an amazing 74. This is my 4th best spring trip total. (81, 80, 76).

The Trip Report can be viewed at https://ebird.org/tripreport/243576