Temps in the 40s, overcast, on and off light rain all day, Wind SW light increasing to 10 mph in the afternoon
As I’ve stated in previous blogs, I am entitled to one bone-headed mistake per trip.
The Garganey was this one’s.
With much humiliation, I saw the Garganey this morning. I got distant, but identifiable photos.
A semi-lifer!
As we started to drive back through he Marsh, we saw a Wood Sandpiper. There have been about a half-dozen hanging around this year.
We decided to try to get a better (maybe closer?) view of the Garganey from the west side.
However, as soon as we started walking down from the hillside on the west side of the pond, the ducks started flushing. So we abandoned that effort.
However, while we were up there, a Short-eared Owl flew by.
Since we were partly up that particular road, I decided on a whim to continue driving up it to the Power Plant #5.
Good thing we did. The Gyrfalcon was sitting on a post up there.
As we were returning to town, we got a call from Sam that he had a Common Sandpiper on Sweeper Channel.
We headed there and, after a little searching, all got good looks (of it flying mostly). It was very skittish. So I did not get any photos.
I split off from Jon and Jim at that pint to bird on my own.
At the Airport Ponds, I found a female Common Goldeneye for the trip list.
Along the west shore of Clam Lagoon, I found these Oystercatchers.
I ended up with 11 for the day.
On the flats on the East Side of the Lagoon, I found two Aleutian Terns procreating the species…
Its always nice to see loving couples…
Who said Adak doesn’t have any public toilets?
The Trip List is 63.
Today’s List can be seen at https://ebird.org/checklist/S241776481
The Total Trip List can be seen at https://ebird.org/tripreport/372779