Rarities from the South
Photos are arranged by date with the most recent sightings at the top of the page.
Mountain Bluebird Sialia currucoides, Homer, 18 November 2009.
This Mountain Bluebird is the second record for the Kenai Peninsula and only the 5th for south central Alaska. More photos here.
Anna’s Hummingbird Colypte anna, Homer, 7 November 2009.
This Anna’s was present in my yard in Homer from 7 to 14 November 2009. More photos are here and here.
Townsend’s Warbler Dendroica townsendi, Strawberry Hill, Unalaska, 22 September 2009.
This represents the second Unalaska record and only the third record for the Aleutians. More photos here.
Yellow-rumped Warbler Dendroica coronata, Strawberry Hill, Unalaska, 22 September 2009.
Casual in the fall in the eastern Aleutians, this is the first record of Yellow-rumped Warbler for Unalaska. More photos of the trip here.
Cassin’s Finch Carpodacus cassinii, Seward, 21 February 2009.
Alaska’s 5th record. Click here for more photos.
Blackpoll Warbler Dendroica striata, Kodiak, 1 November 2008.
Blackpoll Warbler is a common breeder in the interior of Alaska, but this is the first documented record for Kodiak island. The only other observation for the island was a sight record from the 1970s. See the yellow feet?
Red-breasted Sapsucker Sphyrapicus ruber, near Cordova, 7 May 2008.
Cordova is north of the regular range for this species, but there are a few handfuls of records for the area. This was one of two birds present for at least several weeks. They could be heard drumming on several mornings so maybe they were thinking about setting up shop. Unfortunately I was unable to spend anytime in the area in June to check for nesting.
Bullock’s Oriole Icterus bullockii, Gambell, 13 September 2007.
This was the first documented record of Bullock’s Oriole for Alaska. Two others were found at the same location in the next week!
American Redstart Setophaga ruticilla, Gambell, 5 September 2007.
American Redstarts breed along major river systems in mainland southeast Alaska, but this bird was only the third Bering Sea record. The other two Bering Sea records are also from Gambell in the fall.
Wilson’s Phalarope Phalaropus tricolor, Westchester Lagoon, Alaska, 21 August 2006.
There is a female Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula in the background.
Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina, Kenny Lake, 9 July 2006.
This bird was part of a pair that was carrying food and scolding me, indicating that it was nesting near by. Chipping Sparrows regularly nest in eastern Alaska. Kenny Lake is a bit west of their normal nesting range.
Purple Finch Carpodacus purpureus, Seward, 16 March 2006.
Click here for Carpodacus ID discussion.
Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta, Ketchikan, 17 February 2006.
Brewer’s Blackbird Euphagus cyanocephalus, Ketchikan, 17 February 2006.
Anna’s Hummingbird Calypte anna, Cordova, 16 December 2006.
There were two different Anna’s in Cordova during the winter 2006-07. This bird was photographed during the Christmas Bird Count.
Purple Finch Carpodacus purpureus, Cordova, 17 December 2005.
Cordova’s first record was a Christmas Bird Count one-day wonder.
Juvenile Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum, Seward, 26 November 2005.
Cedar Waxwings are regular in southeast Alaska, but make for a good find farther north. From 2005-2007 they made an impressive showing across south coastal Alaska, including Seward, Cordova, Homer and Anchorage.
Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum, Homer, 13 Novemeber 2005.
An adult with an adult Bohemian Waxwing B. garrulus (right).
Juvenile Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum, Homer, 13 November 2005.
Harris’s Sparrow Zonotrichia querula, Homer, 13 November 2005.
Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis, Kenny Lake, 3-August-2005.
Considered “casual” on the Alaska Checklist, Ruddy Ducks have been nesting recently and regularly at Kenny Lake. In 2005 at least 3 broods were raised on the lake.
Costa’s Hummingbird Colypte costae, Cordova, 22 October 2003.
Cordova’s first record (and Alaska’s 6th) of Costa’s Hummingbird was present at/near a feeder from 15 September to 1 November 2003. The next winter an adult male Costa’s again appeared in Cordova. This time staying at least until January. On the day of the Christmas Bird Count it appeared at a feeder with an Anna’s, which had gone undetected until that day! This made for the only Alaskan CBC ever to tally 2 hummingbird species.
Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos, Cordova, 28 July 2003.
Casual in Alaska, Cordova’s only Northern Mockingbird was this one-day wonder found by Karl Becker. It was approximately the 13th record for Alaska.
