Temps in the 40s-50s, partly sunny, wind SW 2-5 mph in the AM, increasing to 15-25 in the PM

Another fine day on Adak for a fruitless search for Asian passerines…

Down at the Sweeper Channel, a couple of Wilson’s Snipe stood out on the mudflat.

When I got to Clam Lagoon, I scanned the flats for birds and saw a flock of Sanderlings swirling about. I lost sight of them and headed up to the peninsula.

On the way, I got a call from Andy saying they had just seen a flock of Sanderlings on Clam Lagoon… I acknowledged that and told them I had also.

There were no birds on the peninsula, so I continued on.

I found the female Black Scoter on the lagoon in a similar place that one was seen this spring. Probably another holdover, like the Garganeys.

After eating lunch while watching the Blue Building Feeder (nothing new), I drove out to the Loran Station.

I saw a couple thousand Short-tailed Shearwaters (way out) and one Black-footed Albatross.

I drove back to Clam Lagoon and headed for the Breaches to look for the Sanderlings. I don’t know what it is about this spot, but Sanderlings like to feed and roost there. I was rewarded with a nice little flock.

I couldn’t find any other species mixed in.

Down at the south end of the Seawall, there is a fenced-in building. When I got there, I saw a Peregrine Falcon doing a ‘dance’ on the barbed-wire that lined the top of the fence. It appeared to be hanging on and spreading its wings in the wind. At first I thought maybe it was caught up in the barbed-wire, but it soon just lifted up and went its merry way. I think the wire was just so narrow that it couldn’t get a solid grip to steady itself.

The Trip List is 48, Year’s List 86

Today’s List: https://ebird.org/checklist/S196495933

Trip List: https://ebird.org/tripreport/277586?welcome=true

Temps in the 40s-50s, Partly sunny, Wind NW 5-10 mph

A beautiful day on Adak, but no new rarities.

All of us had few waterfowl yesterday (don’t know why). Today was the opposite, many birds, many locations.

We got to the “mystery bird” location at dawn, but could not find any bird. We searched nearby (State Park, National Forest) to no avail.

We walked the Clam Lagoon peninsula (no shorebirds). Then Tim and Andy walked the marsh edge while I ventured north.

They had the usual mix of Sharp-tailed/Pectorals.

All of the feeders are now active. Just hoping some Asian stray notices.

At the Seawall, a Pectoral Sandpiper preferred the roadway instead of the shoreline.

This was a banner year for Rock Ptarmigan breeding. They are popping up in large numbers all around the area. I counted 68 today!

Among the wigeon flock today, I spied two male American Wigeon (uncommon on Adak).

I checked most of the spruces/willows today multiple times (as did Tim and Andy), but no rare passerines were found.

Considering the number of rarities popping up on the Pribilof Islands (about 450 miles northeast of Adak), it is disappointing that we are not getting anything here. Check the ebird lists. We have had favorable winds for several days.

Unlike those islands, Adak is surrounded by nearby islands, affording vagrants multiple places to put down.

Oh well… We keep looking.

The trip list is 44. Year List is 85.

Today’s List: https://ebird.org/checklist/S196397304

Trip List: https://ebird.org/tripreport/277586?welcome=true

Temps in the 50s, partly sunny, wind NW 10-15 mph

I forgot to mention on Saturday that after coming down from Arctic Valley (is that an oxymoron?), I went over to Ship Creek where I found Zak Pohlen, who was viewing a Ring-billed Gull. I quickly got on it and added it to my Alaska life list!

The Rosy-Finches are finding the feeders. No rarities, yet.

After checking feeders, etc. I went over to Lake Andrew and found where all of the Greater Scaup were hiding. 53 of them. I had missed them up to now.

At the Seawall, a Steller’s Sea Lion was working on lunch.

A lot of Aleutian Cackling Gese were flying over today.

The Yellow-billed Loon is still off Bayshore Highway.

Tim and Andy had walked out the Clam Lagoon peninsula early this morning and had no shorebirds.

In mid-afternoon, as I was coming back around the lagoon, I decided to give it a try. Good thing I did!

At the first bend I found a Western Sandpiper and a Red-necked Stint.

Red-necked Stint (left) and Western Sandpiper, Clam Lagoon, September 23, 2024

I had a mystery passerine in the spruce tree across from the Thrush Feeder late this evening, but never saw it well enough to even speculate on what it was. We are going to try for it at dawn tomorrow. Stay tuned…

The Trip list is 42. Year List is 85.

https://ebird.org/checklist/S196301299

Temps in the 50s, overcast with an occasional spot of blue, occasional drizzle in the AM, Wind N 10-20 mph

Went out before first light and installed two feeders. Then joined Tim and Andy to walk Clam Lagoon (low tide is early in the day).

We had the usual Pectoral/Sharp-tailed sandpipers, but no rarities.

On the Peninsula, we had a flock of 8 Rock Sandpipers.

I then headed north while Tim and Andy pursued a possible Garganey in the flock of teal that flushed when we first walked out onto the flats. Andy got photos of one (maybe two) Garganeys there! I assume these were the same birds that were here when I left in May.

As I drove along the lagoon, I flushed a Gray-tailed Tattler. He did not pose for photos.

I installed the Blue Building feeder and then headed towards the Seawall.

At the north end of the lagoon, I spotted a young Red-faced Cormorant.

Off the Seawall, I saw multiple Short-tailed Shearwaters going by. But the visibility was poor, so I did not linger.

After eating lunch at Candlestick Bridge, I headed back around and installed the final feeder at the National Forest.

After checking the Warbler Willows (nothing new), I went down to Sweeper Cove.

As I was scanning the bay, I heard a raven call, looked up and saw a Gyrfalcon chasing the raven.

The raven flew off, but the Gyrfalcon obligingly perched on a nearby utility pole.

VERY COOPERATIVE BIRD!

In Sweeper Cove, I found two Crested Auklets.

And I picked out at least one Thick-billed Murre out of the many Commons.

After checking the Quarries, I headed back up to Warbler Willows (always check it at least two times per day!). Along the way, Andy and Tim followed me around the Sweeper Creek area where they spotted a flock of Cackling Geese going over.

They then headed south as I continued up to the willows.

As I drove in to the Warbler Willows, a Wood Sandpiper flushed from the side of the road. I was unable to relocate it.

As I was headed back to town, Andy called to tell me they had a Yellow-billed Loon at the Sweeper Cove Jetty area.

I hurried down there and got a glimpse of it before it disappeared around the bend.

I went back home and had dinner. As I was eating, Andy called to say he thought he had another Garganey at the Airport Ditch!

After finishing, I went down there and, sure enough, there it was!

Again, this was probably the same one that was here in May.

Finally, here is the Annual Fall Mandatory Eagle Head-shot.

The trip list is 33, Year List 82.

https://ebird.org/checklist/S196175919

Temp in the 50s, overcast, rain, Wind East 20-25 mph

The trip from home to here was interesting…

Yesterday’s flight form Philadelphia to Seattle was uneventful until we landed. We arrived about 25 minutes early, but then sat on the tarmac for an hour because the gate was occupied! And then, when we finally got to the gate, there was no JetWay driver!. So we had to wait another 10 minutes…

Good thing I had chosen a two-hour layover instead of the one-hour option.

Then today, as we approached Adak, we circled around to land from the west (there were east winds), but the visibility was so bad, the pilot aborted the landing.

We circled around and made another approach from the east this time and landed successfully.. On top of that, the flight had left about 20 minutes late and was fighting headwinds all the way, so we ended up arriving about 45 minutes late.

This morning, before the flights, I drove up to Arctic Valley. I had no unusual birds, but a Black Bear was waddling up the road in front of me.

Up at the top, a Magpie posed nicely.

Then, on the way down, a Spruce Grouse stood in the middle of the road.

I was met by Tim and Andy at the Anchorage Airport. They will be on Adak until the 28th.

As mentioned above, we arrived late on Adak and the weather was not very cooperative. So we made a mad dash around some of the hotspots, but did not find anything of note.

The weather is expected to improve tomorrow, so we should have better results.

Also, I chose not to stand out in the rain to assemble my bird feeders, so they will be erected t (and stocked) tomorrow.

16 species today. https://ebird.org/checklist/S196018866