Sunday, September 18, 2022

Temp in the 50s, mostly cloudy, rain at dawn, occasional very light sprinkles later, Wind WSW 5 mph

No rarities, but lots of photo ops…

The usual alcids were in and near Sweeper Cove: murres, murrelets, puffins, guilemots, etc.

Kuluk Bay (and later, the Seawall) had tons of alcids way out. I don’t care much about looking a dots, so I concentrate on the closer birds. If I really tried, I could triple (or more) all of my alcid counts on eBird.

No birds at the town feeders so far.

Had a few Rock Sandpipers at Sweeper Channel. Here’s a photo from later in the day.

Rock Sandpiper, Landing Lights Jetty, September 18, 2022

When I got to Contractor’s Camp Marsh, Aaron’s group was already there. While they walked the marsh, I checked the Thrush Feeder and other nearby areas.

The Thrush Feeder was alive with activity, with many Rosy-finches, Longspurs, and Song Sparrows feeding away.

On the fence nearby, were two Pine Siskins. If you read my bog from May, you already know that siskins have been wintering on Adak in recent years. Well, this year they stayed and nested! So no surprise to see these two today.

Pine Siskins, near Thrush Feeder, September 18, 2022

Aaron’s group had both Common and Wilson’s snipe and a Wood Sandpiper in the marsh.

Neither Warbler Willows nor Adak National Forest produced any birds.

At Clam Lagoon, I walked out the peninsula and then down the marsh edge.

Nothing on the peninsula, but the marsh edge was active.

There were at least four Long-billed Dowitchers, two Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, and an unknown number of Pectoral Sandpipers (I’m guessing six).

The birds were constantly flushing (although I was trying to avoid that) and circling around, some landing behind me, some in front. So it was difficult to keep track of the actual numbers.

Long-billed Dowitchers, Clam Lagoon, September 18, 2022
Pectoral Sandpiper, Clam Lagoon, September 18, 2022
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (left) and Pectoral Sandpiper, Clam Lagoon, September 18, 2022

Also, Aaron’ group spotted a Pacific Golden-Plover on the flats, but I missed it.

At the Breaches, there were three Ruddy Turnstones.

Ruddy Turnstone, The Breaches, September 18, 2022

At the Seawall, I found two Horned Grebes (a species I missed in May) as well as several Red-necked Grebes. There was a steady stream of hundreds and hundreds of Short-tailed Shearwaters going by (scope-birds), but I couldn’t pick out any albatross.

There were several flocks of Common Eider in various plumages.

Common Eider, Seawall, September 18, 2022

A Pacific Wren looked angrily at me…

Aleutian Pacific Wren, Seawall, September 18, 2022

A flock (one of three today) of Aleutian Cackling Geese flew over.

Aleutian Cackling Geese, Seawall, September 18, 2022

There were Eurasian Wigeon, Greater Scaup, and Northern Pintails on Lake Shirley

The east shore of the lagoon was the same as the other side: gulls and ducks.

Up at the Blue Building, a Peregrine Falcon zipped by. No activity at that feeder, yet.

Heading back towards town I found a skate washed up on the beach at Landing Lights./

Skate, Landing Lights Beach, September 18, 2022

And a Song Sparrow posed nicely.

Aleutian Song Sparrow, Adak, September 18, 2022

Winds have been westerly since we arrived and are forecast to be so the rest of the week. That should bring in some new birds.

My trip list is 36.

My day’s list is at https://ebird.org/checklist/S119006883