Birding Alaska

On 22 April 2013 I observed a Swamp Sparrow Melospiza georgiana in my yard in Homer. I saw it on three occasions as it skulked through the brush piles, elderberries and alders with White-crowned and Golden-crowned Sparrows. The bright rufous wings first caught my attention as it zipped by and after getting my bins on it I saw the grayish face, brown eye-line and lateral crown stripes and gray central crown stripe. The clear whitish throat really popped against the grayish (not warm buff) breast with diffuse, blurry streaks and just the hint of a central breast spot. After processing all the field marks I began to shake as I realized that this was a Swamp Sparrow–a first for the Kenai Peninsula!  This is one of the top two birds that I’ve ever seen in my yard (the other was Alaska’s sixth Costa’s Hummingbird when I lived in Cordova), but unfortunately it proved too elusive to be photographed. I spent a lot of time in subsequent days trying to relocate the bird, but unfortunately I never saw it after the 22nd.

In Alaska Swamp Sparrows are casual, primarily in late fall/early winter, with nearly all of the records coming from southeast Alaska. The bulk of these records come from Ketchikan where the species is nearly annual. Away from southeast Alaska there are only two previous records: one in Anchorage 17-19 June 1981 (a singing male and the state’s first record), and one at Middleton Island, 27 September 1987. According to Steve Heinl, the fall and winter 2012/13 “was a banner year” for Swamp Sparrows in southeast Alaska with at least five found in Ketchikan and others at Sitka and Juneau. I wonder where the Homer bird spent the winter!

I’m thrilled that I saw the bird–new for me in Alaska. It’s a bird that I’ve frequently daydreamed about finding in Homer while picking through fall sparrow flocks. Seeing it in my own yard in APRIL! was almost too much to believe. I am a little disappointed, however, that I couldn’t get a photo. Technology really has changed birding. It wasn’t all that long ago that I, like most birders, didn’t even own a camera. Now it’s almost expected that any rarity that is reported will also be photographed. I guess we’ll have to find another one.

Common X Barrow’s Goldeneye Bucephala clangula X islandica, Homer Spit, 5 April 2013.

After spring-like weather in March and early April, it seems like winter is back again. While I (im)patiently wait for spring migrants to make it this far north at least there are plenty of interesting wintering birds still around. This drake Barrow’s X Common Goldeneye cross was first reported from the Homer Spit on 21 January 2013 by Laura Burke. I snapped this shot of it in the Fishing Lagoon, on the Spit on 5 April 2013. Last winter I photographed what I’m guessing is the same duck in this same spot on 8 January 2012.

The shape of the white facial spot, amount of white on the wing and the head shape are all intermediate between the two parent species and this bird lacks the dark ‘spur’ separating the breast from the side that a Barrow’s has.

Spruce Grouse Falcipennis canadensis, Skilak Lake Road, Kenai Peninsula, 31 March 2013.

This chicken crossed the road in front of me this morning. It’s a not a rare bird in Alaska, but it’s also not one that I see too frequently, especially when I’m looking for one!

The last five years have been good to birders on the Kenai Peninsula. Since April 2008, 11 species have been added to the peninsula’s list. Five of them are species from the Old World; six of them hail from North America. At least six of them were chaseable to some degree. One, the Redwing, was also a new species for Alaska. Six of these records have been previously mentioned on this website; click on the species name for more details. For four of the species that haven’t been previously mentioned on this site I’ve included the photos here.

The last 11 additions to the Kenai Peninsula’s List listed in reverse chronological order.

#. Species: the details (finder).

1. Skylark: one at Deep Creek, 18-22 October 2012 (Steve Waltz).

2. Willet: one near the mouth of the Kenai River, 22-30 June 2012 (Toby A. Burke).

Willet Tringa semipalmata, Kenai River Flats, 22 June 2012. Photo by Laura K. Burke.

3. Redwing: one at Lowell Point, Seward, 15-26 November 2011 (Jim Herbert).

4. Long-billed Murrelet: one in Kachemak Bay, 2 June 2011 (Karl Stolzfus).

5. Western Meadowlark: one in Homer, 4 February-27 March 2011 (Jackie McDonough).

6. Turkey Vulture: one along the coast near the Anchor River, 19 November 2010 (Lauren Trimble).

7. Jack Snipe: one in Beluga Slough, Homer, 16 October 2010 (Aaron J. Lang)

8. Lesser Black-backed Gull: one at the mouth of the Anchor River, 7 July 2010 (Truls Anderson).

Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus, near the mouth of the Anchor River, 7 July 2010. Photo by Truls Anderson.

9. Eurasian Collared-Dove: one at Peterson Bay (across Kachemak Bay from Homer), 2 July 2009 (William Farr).

Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto, Peterson Bay Field Station, Kachemak Bay 2 July 2009. Photo by William Farr.

10. Western Kingbird: one in Seward, 23-28 July 2008 (Kim ?).

11. Spotted Towhee: one at Seaside Farms, Homer, 13 April 2008 (Mossy Kilcher).

Spotted Towhee Pipilo maculatus, Seaside Farms, Homer, 13 April 2008. Photo by Mossy Kilcher.

What will the next species for the Kenai Peninsula be? I have a few ideas about that…stay tuned for a future post.

The Homer Harris’s Sparrow is still around. While it’s been wandering around the neighborhood, it has become a bit more predictable and with patience has thus far been found by most birders looking. It has always been seen in the company of up to nine White-crowned Sparrows on the Waddell and Hidden Way blocks off Crittenden Drive and has frequently been seen at a feeder on Waddell, three houses down on the right (from Crittenden).

I took this photo of the bird on February 3rd on Hidden Way.

Harris’s Sparrow Zonotrichia querula  and White-crowned Sparrow Z. leucophrys, Homer, 3 February 2013.

Harris’s Sparrow Zonotrichia querula, Homer, 26 January 2013. (Click to enlarge photo.)

After spending over two months out of Alaska it was really nice to come back home to Homer this week and get in on some of the rare birds currently being seen on the Kenai. On 17 January 2013, Jackie McDonough found this Harris’s Sparrow near her home on Waddell Street in Homer. (She found it in the exact same spot that she found the Kenai’s first Western Meadowlark almost two years ago!) The Harris’s Sparrow has been seen periodically in this same area since it’s discovery.

Harris’s Sparrow is casual in Alaska and on the Kenai Peninsula. All of the records from the Kenai Peninsula come from the late fall and winter period and most pertain to birds attending feeders. I believe this is the sixth Harris’s Sparrow recorded in Homer. Elsewhere on the Kenai there is at least one Seward record, one Hope record and one from Cohoe, 24-25 October 1960–the first record for the Kenai Peninsula (Kessel and Gibson 1978).

 Homer Records of Harris’s Sparrow:

• One, 17 January-present 2013.
• One, 12-15 January 2008 (NAB 62(2))
• One, 12 November 2005-8 January 2006 (NAB 60(2))
• Two (an immature and an adult), 19+ October 1985 (AB 40(1))
• One, 25 November-15 February 1984 (AB 38(2,3))
• One record prior to 1984–I’m still searching for the details; please contact me if you have any information.

Sources:

• Kessel, B., and Gibson, D. D. 1978. Status and distribution of Alaska birds. Studies Avian Biol. 1.
•  American Birds (AB), North American Birds (NAB)

Sky Lark Alauda arvensis, Deep Creek (Ninilchik), Kenai Peninsula, 20 October 2012. Click to enlarge.

Fall migration–my favorite time of year! On 18 October Steve Waltz found this Sky Lark near the parking lot of the Deep Creek recreational area near Ninilchik where it’s been present since. This species is annual in the western Aleutians and casual in the central Aleutians and other islands of the Bering Sea, however, this is the first record for mainland Alaska! This overall plain looking passerine is identified by its short crest, short but slender bill, streaked breast, white outer tail feathers and white trailing edge to secondaries and inner primaries (visible only in flight).

Sky Lark can be separated from the very similar Oriental Skylark A. gulgula by its longer primary projection, shorter bill, and white (not buff) outer tail feathers and trailing edge to secondaries. For details on this separation and an interesting account of California’s first record of Sky Lark click here.

For updates on the Deep Creek bird on the discussion group AK Birding click here.

Middleton Island is approximately six miles long and one mile wide at its widest point. This small island sits 42 miles south of Montague Island, the nearest point of land, and is only a few miles north of the continental shelf break. Not many birders get to Middleton, but despite this fact there have been a number of incredible records from the island over the years. I’ve been wanting to get to the island for years and finally made it happen this fall. Our friend Luke DeCicco is currently wrapping up the second season of his fall bird survey on the island so I and five other birders arranged a charter out to the island to see what Luke has been up to (and to score some rare birds!). We arrived on the island on 24 September (a day late due to weather) and returned to Anchorage on 2 October.

Middleton’s position off-shore  makes it an oasis for migrating passerines, and its proximity to the continental shelf gives birders an opportunity to look for seabirds not normally found near shore. The highlights of our trip were many and ranged from Flesh-footed Shearwater to Mottled Petrel to Brambling to Alaska’s first Blue-headed Vireo!

Below are a few of the highlights that I was able to photograph. Click on any photo to enlarge.

Palm Warbler Setophaga palmarum, Middleton Island, 1 October 2012.

Thede Tobish found this Palm Warbler on the east side of the island in some sparse willows where it was very easy to view. It fed in the open, on the ground and in the low willows while constantly giving is “tsik” call. Palm The overall drab appearance and pale beige underparts (not bright yellow) with the yellow limited to the undertail coverts identify this as a Western Palm Warbler S. p. palmarum. Palm Warbler is casual in Alaska with over 30 reports/records, most of them from September through November. Over half of the records come from Southeast Alaska, but it has occurred widely throughout the state (Barrow, Gambell, Colville River, Fairbanks, etc.) This is the second record for Middleton Island.

Blue-headed Vireo Vireo solitarius, Middleton Island, 2 October 2012. Photos by Lucas H. DeCicco.

On 30 September Steve Heinl had brief but convincing views of a Blue-headed Vireo in the dense willows on the west bluffs of the island. The bird quickly vanished and despite thorough searches by the entire group for the rest of the afternoon we could not relocate the bird. The next day the winds had switched to the southwest and were strong enough to make birding the west bluff willows very difficult. So despite our best efforts we failed again to relocate the bird. On our final morning with only about two hours to spare Thede relocated the bird about a half mile from the original sighthing and with work everyone was able to get on the bird.

The features that help separate it from Cassin’s Vireo V. cassinii include: the bright blue-gray head that contrasts with a greenish back; a clear line of contrast between the blue-gray cheek and white throat; and the bright lemon-yellow flanks and wingbars. Additionally, we also heard this bird sing! Its initial response to tape playback include about three clear slurred whistles of its song. Cassin’s Vireo’s voice is raspier and the notes of its song have a burred quality. This Blue-headed Vireo trumped the Palm Warbler in the final hour of the trip to become the undisputed bird of the trip. If accepted by the Alaska Check List Committee, this is the first Blue-headed Vireo for Alaska!

Warbling Vireo Vireo gilvus, Middleton Island, 29 September 2012.

Warbling Vireo breeds throughout Southeast Alaska as far north as Haines and Skagway. There are a number of fall records for Middleton. This bird was found foraging in the open willows on the east side of the island on 29 September and then relocated there on 1 October near the willows that held the Palm Warbler’s attention. The pale lores, low contrast facial pattern that lacks a prominent eye-line, and “soft” expression help separate it from much less likely Philadelphia Vireo.

Tennessee Warbler Oreothlypis peregrina,Middleton Island, 30 September 2012.

Three different Tennessee Warblers were found during our stay on the island. This bird was found in the northern most patch of willows on the east side of the island and was hanging out with a Townsend’s Warbler, two Yell0w-rumped Warblers, an Orange-crowned and a Yellow Warbler.

Blackpoll Warbler Setophaga striata, Middleton Island, 26 September 2012.

An especially dull Blackpoll Warbler. Blackpoll Warblers are common breeding birds throughout much of interior Alaska but are extremely rare on the coasts of southcentral and southeast.

Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas, Middleton Island, 30 September 2012.

File this one under the category, “lousy photos of great birds.”

Brambling Fringilla montifringilla, Middleton Island, 29 September 2012.

In addition to the interesting passerines that we got from the east, we also enjoyed this lone Brambling. It was first found on the island on 29 September when Thede and I watched if fly in off the water. It was seen at least through 1 October.