Temp in the 40s, overcast, almost steady rain, Wind SE 5-10 mph

Bad weather, good birds…

Still nothing new at the feeders.

The newly-arriving birders last night reported two different Garganeys! One at Contractor’s Marsh and one at the East Side Ponds.

We drove around the marsh this morning while two sets of birders walked it, but no Garganey was found.

However, we flushed the Least Sandpiper as we were driving through (trip bird).

This Semipalmated Plover poised nicely for a photo.

At the Airport Creek Bridge, we found one of the Red-necked Stints still present.

We got up to Clam Lagoon.

Just up from the peninsula, a Mallard was shepherding her brood.

The Emperor Goose was back on Cormorant Rocks after being absent for a day.

When we got down to Candlestick Bridge, Don got out to walk the beach where the Greenshank had last been reported, but no sooner than he started towards the bridge when the Greenshank called from nearby and flew a short distance up the lagoon!

At the same time, Manuel and Jason pulled in behind us and said the curlew was out on the flats and they also had just seen the Dunlin (which I had been pursuing for two days!).

We viewed the greenshank and curlew and then drove back up the lagoon looking for the elusive Dunlin.

This is the longest in my experience that a Far Eastern Curlew has stayed. I previously had one stay for two days.

We drove up the lagoon looking for the Dunlin. I was about to go back and walk up the edge of the flats, when I spotted an odd shape that turned out to be the Dunlin on a rock — disguising its shorebird shape!

We headed back to town, had lunch and then checked feeders and wandered about (it was still raining), when we got a call that there was a Common Sandpiper at Clam Lagoon.

By the time we got there, the other birders had moved on, but we managed to find the bird anyway. But it was very skittish and I could not get any photos.

While we were there, we got another call that there was a Wandering Tattler at the East Side Ponds, so we headed over there.

We arrived to find the other birders looking for (not at!) the tattler. It had flown off.

So we dipped on that one, but on the way back, at the northernmost East Side Pond, the Garganey took off (showing its distinct wing pattern), but it flew away too quickly for me to get a photo.

Once we got back to the other side of the lagoon where we had last seen the Common Sandpiper, we decided to try for it again.

Ivan had just arrived there and had seen it fly, so we joined him to look for it.

Success!

While we were standing there, Ivan pointed out a Herring Gull (rare on Adak) standing on a rock nearby.

What a way to cap off the day!

My Trip List is 70.

Don asked me if I ever had passed the average trip list only halfway through the trip. I checked my previous posts and NO, I hadn’t. So this is a very exceptional trip.

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

Temps in the 40s, mostly cloudy, Wind E 5-10 mph

Every trip to Adak is different.

This year, the lack of species at the feeders is noticeable.

The only species being seen on the feeders are Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches. Not even a Song Sparrow or Longspur (except for two days at the beginning of the trip when a VERY WARY Hawfinch visited the Seal drive feeder).

The other notable thing is it took us a week to see our first Common Raven. I’ve gone a day or two before, but not a whole week.

One of the Far Eastern Curlews was at Clam Lagoon for most of the day to the delight of arriving birders. And the Common Greenshank was on Candlestick Bridge beach. Also, the Emperor Goose re-appeared on Cormorant Rocks.

Most notable was we found two Red-necked Stints at the Airport Creek Bridge this morning.

We found another Brambling out at Lake Andrew (that makes 4).

Here is the mandatary annual eagle head shot…

We finally added both puffins and Wilson’s Snipe to our trip list (and Raven).

Four birders left today and five arrived.

The trip list is 65 (two above average).

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

Temp in the 40s, mostly cloudy, a few sprinkles in the morning, mostly sunny in the PM,, winds WSW 5-15 mph

The birds just keep coming…

After having an issue with my car, we drove a pickup truck most of the morning.

I decided to take Don up to White Alice (the mountain top where the cell phone towers are) so he could see the view.

By the way, this is both a birding trip and a trip down memory lane for Don as he lived on Adak when he was 6 to 7 years old!

No sooner had we exited the truck up on White Alice than I received a call from Michelle that the Siberian Sand Plover was being seen again in Contractor’s Marsh!

We raced down the hill and arrived at the marsh where Michelle’s group and Sam had the bird tied down for me…

This was my second Spring record of this species and a lifer for Don.

We went back to the house to switch vehicles again and when we stopped at the Airport Creek outflow, we found a flock of Rock Sandpipers accompanied by a Red-necked Stint.

We called the other groups that we could reach and, once some got there, we went on our way.

The Dunlin that I failed to get last night was reported in the same location today, so I was determined to get it for the trip list.

Again, no sooner had we arrived at the location (the East Side Flats of Clam Lagoon), than we got another call from Michelle that there were two (TWO!!!) Far Eastern Curlews on Navfac Beach!

So we “raced” around the lagoon and got down there.

The birds were still there.

These were my 4th sighting on Adak (2005, 2016, 2017). Two were on the Clam Lagoon Flats and one was on Navfac Beach (like these two). All of my previous sightings were single birds and all were during the last week of May (24, 26, 27, 29) The 26-27 was the same bird.

This was one of Sam’s target species, so he was elated!

A Whimbrel has also been seen a few times, but we haven’t caught up to it yet.

Tomorrow is supposed to be practically windless, so good conditions for finding passerines.

One birder leaves tomorrow and three arrive.

The Trip List is 61.

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

Temps in the 40s, mostly cloudy, occasional light rain, Wind SW 20-50 mph

As you can see from abocve, the weather was not real conducive to birding today. Getting out of your vehicle was problematic at best…

Nothing new at the feeders.

At Contractor’s Marsh, we watched a flock of Aleutian Cackling Geese land on the north end of the airport.

Still running into Wood Sandpipers everywhere!

Found a Lesser Scaup, Long-tailed Duck, and Common Murre today for the trip list.

At Contractor’s Marsh, we found the Pacific Golden-Plovers again.

Another Brambling was found near the High School Spruces by Michelle’s group. We didn’t try for it.

After a long day of birding, I dropped Don off at the house and decided to try for a Dunlin that was reported on the East Flats at Clam Lagoon.

I didn’t get the Dunlin, but on the way back I flushed a Common Greenshank off the road (I was trying to get a photo of a Bufflehead at the time!).

Luckily, it just flew over to the nearby East Side Ponds, where I was able to get some photos.

A Short-eared Owl was also reported by Ann’s group up at Lake Shirley.

The Trip List is 58.

The Trip List can be seen at https://ebird.org/tripreport/243576

Temps in the 40s, overcast, light to moderate rain most of the day, Wind SSW 10-20 mph

It rained most of the day today, making birding uncomfortable.

We saw at least 18 Wood Sandpipers today in multiple locations.

The rain made photo ops rare today.

We (very briefly) saw the Hawfinch at the Seal Drive feeder, but had better looks at the Brambling that was hanging nearby.

The Emperor Goose was still on Goose Rocks this morning.

Both Wilderness Birding Adventures and High Lonesome tours left today, but nine new birders arrived.

Just as the plane was leaving Adak, Sam called to report a Siberian Sand-Plover (I still prefer Mongolian Plover!) at Contractor’s Marsh. We, and some of the new birders, scoured the marsh, but could not relocate it.

We headed up to Clam Lagoon, and received a report from there of a Common Greenshank. We couldn’t find that one either, although others did.

The winds continue to pour in from the southwest, bringing new birds every day (even if we are not seeing all of them).

So the next few days (as the rain and wind diminish) look encouraging.

Our Trip List is 52.

My Trip List can be seen at https://ebird.org/tripreport/243576

Temps in 40s, mostly cloudy, occasional light sprinkle, wind NW 15-25 mph

New birds keep showing up!

Both Hawfinch and Brambling were found today and the number of Wood Sandpipers keeps growing.

We did not see the Brambling, but I got a quick glimpse of the Hawfinch (Don did not), and we are seeing Wood Sandpipers everywhere.

One of the tour groups had 27 today! Back in 2015, we had probably a hundred on the island. It looks like one of those years.

Rock Ptarmigans are abundant this year, but we have not seen a single Common Raven!

In addition to the Long-toed Stints, Aaron found a Red-necked Stint today.

The Taiga Flycatcher is still being seen, but not very cooperative.

As we approached the Airport Ponds this morning, the three previously-reported Tufted Ducks were there, but flew off immediately.

We went up to the Loran Station this morning and had a lot of Short-tailed Shearwaters, Fulmars, and Laysan Albatrosses. Not real close, but identifiable.

We later saw shearwaters and albatross from the Seawall as well.

Just after the last overlook before getting to the Loran Station, we had the resident Pacific Wren.

At the north end of Clam Lagoon, we finally picked up some Marbled and Kittlitz’s murrelets.

And finally, we had a couple of rainbows this morning.

Nine more birders are arriving tomorrow, but ten are leaving…

The trip list is at 51 (average Spring trip is 63)

Temps in the 40s, mostly cloudy, a few sprinkles in the afternoon, wind west 15-25 mph

Nothing new at the feeders, yet.

We headed straight up to Clam Lagoon to look for the Long-toed Stint. Sam Brayshaw joined us.

We started at the south end of the marsh edge where it had last been seen and started walking north.

About a third of the way up, it flushed and flew back a hundred yards or so behind us.

We tried several times to approach it without it flushing it so we could see it on the ground, but with no success.

It always saw us before we saw it and flew away each time.

However, I was still able to get some diagnostic photos.

Note the long toes trailing behind the tail and the bold eyeline.

This was the last stint I needed for my lifelist!

Subsequent groups of birders had the same experience as we (and Aaron’s group the previous day) had — only flight views.

After the stint chase, we walked out the peninsula and a small shorebird flushed, but none of us were able to get on it to identify it or see where it went. Just another one that got away…

We saw five Wood Sandpipers at three different locations today, including this one at Contractor’s Marsh.

We had an errant Emperor Goose sitting on Cormorant Rocks instead of its namesake Goose Rocks…

Other new birds for the trip list included, Black Oystercatcher, Snow Bunting, American Wigeon, and Parasitic Jaeger.

The trip list is 41.

Temps in the 40s, mostly overcast, wind wsw 15-25 mph

Within 20 minutes of erecting the feeder out side my house, the Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches found it! And most of the other feeders are active as well. In the past, it often took several days for the local birds to rediscover the feeders. I guess they are finally learning…

Our first interesting birds of the day were several Common Snipe performing at Wood Sandpiper Drive.

The separated outer tail feathers are nicely evident here.

At Contractor’s Marsh, we got to see two Wood Sandpipers. Other groups have seen as many as 5 so far.

Down on Redshank Drive, we found three Pacific Golden-Plovers. Redshank Drive is THE place for this species every year.

As we were approaching Warbler Willows, a Gyrfalcon swooped by chasing the teal we had flushed. It quickly flew away, giving me poor photo ops.

We had a lone Bar-tailed Godwit on Clam Lagoon.

At the Seawall, there were 5 Pacific Loons ad Don got his life Red-faced Cormorant.

As we were starting the return trip around Clam Lagoon, we got a call from Sam Brayshaw that there was a Tiaga Flycatcher at Warbler willows! We had been down there earlier in the day, but had nothing…

We raced around the lagoon (‘raced’ being a relative term considering how pothole-ridden the road is) and eventually got there and saw the bird.

Unfortunately, it was very distant and across a stream that had no easy crossing. So I got photos, but they are terrible.

Barb and I had a Taiga Flycatcher up at the Blue Buildings back in September 2015. It was the first Fall record for the Aleutians! All others had been in Spring.

Late in the afternoon I got a call from Aaron Lang that they had a Long-toed Stint at Contractor’s Marsh! This is the last stint I need. However, the bird had disappeared into an inaccessible reedy island and was no longer visible.

Later, he emailed me that they had another one up at Clam Lagoon!!!

That will be my first priority tomorrow morning. I’m too tired to go back out tonight…

The trip list is 34.

My flights were uneventful. The plane from Chicago to Anchorage was on a 787-900 Max and not a single door blew off…

Don Aldredge from Roanoke, Virginia is joining me for ten days. He lived on Adak as a child for a couple of years (1960-61).

I didn’t have time to do any birding on Friday, but we did some this morning before the flight to Adak.

We drove up to Arctic Valley and had a flock of Pine Sikinms and Common Redpolls.

We headed back to town and had a cooperative pair of Barrow’s Goldeneyes on Lake Hood.

The flight to Adak was on time, but because there were so many birders on board (20!), they had to unload our luggage in three sessions while uploading the outgoing luggage to get the plane out on schedule.

So we had to wait almost an hour…

But we finally got our stuff, got to the house, and set out to put up the bird feeders and look at a couple of birds.

Aaron Lang found a Black-headed Gull at Clam Lagoon (which we also saw) and then we went down to Contractor’s Marsh, where we found a Wood Sandpiper.

Aaron also reported three Tufted Ducks on the Airport Ponds, but we did not see them when we went by.

The washed out culvert up at Clam Lagoon has been partially filled in but is VERY rough. We will try driving over it tomorrow.

More details tomorrow.