Temps in the 40s, overcast, light rain late afternoon, Wind SW 10-20 mph

Another birdy day, but no lifers.

Just as I was setting out this morning, I heard Aaron talking about a Hawfinch. I called him and then joined him at the Seal Drive feeder. They saw the bird near there, but not directly at the feeder. We watched for a while and then I headed out. No on else saw it throughout the day, Maybe it will show up at my feeder like last year…

I went down to Sweeper Cove and was treated with two Harbor Porpoises that made a brief (but un-photographed) appearance.

Two Thick-billed Murres were new for the trip.

Down at Finger Bay, I found my first Red-necked Grebe for the trip.

At the Marsh, I found a Pacific Golden-Plover on Redshank Drive. I find them at this spot every year!

I worked my way up to Clam Lagoon where I found a Horned Grebe for the trip.

Although we had seen a few Arctic Terns yesterday, the floodgates opened last night and dozens of both Arctic and Aleutian terns were everywhere!

On the East Side of the lagoon, I found a pair of Northern Shovelers that Sam had mentioned to me. They are not seen here every year.

At Lake Shirley, among the Greater Scaup flock, I spotted a Lesser Scaup and one Tufted Duck. The waterfowl on this lake frequently flush when a vehicle drives by, but not today.

After enjoying the terns near Candlestick Bridge, I headed up to Lake Ronnie (my third favorite spot on Adak after Warbler Willows and the Peninsula).

I was blown away by seeing SEVEN Tufted Ducks! 4 Male and three female. I had not seen the two pair that were at the Airport Ponds this morning, so I assumed they had flown up here. I also assumed that someone drove past Lake Shirley after I did and flushed those birds up here.

Wrong!

When I went back down and headed up the east shore of the lagoon, I spotted another Tufted Duck out there with a flock of Greater Scaup. So the Lake Shirley flock moved over here.

Wrong!

When I got to Lake Shirley, there were TWO male Tufted Ducks there!

So — 7 on Lake Ronnie, 1 on Clam Lagoon, and 2 on Lake Shirley. Ten in all!

Previous recorded high numbers for Adak (from Birds of the Aleutians) include 17 (16 May and 20 May 2004, Adak, P. Davis and D. MacKay+), 21 (23 May 1974, Amchitka, C. M. White), and 22 (13 May 1987, Adak, E. V. K).

These are the highest numbers I have ever seen in my 20 years of coming to Adak.

I’ll close today’s post with a Rock Sandpiper photo.

The Trip List is 50.

Today’s List can be seen at https://ebird.org/checklist/S240435241

The Total Trip List can be seen at https://ebird.org/tripreport/372779