Birding Alaska

Left to right: Wilson’s Snipe Gallinago delicata, Red Knot Calidris canutus, Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus, Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca and Short-billed Dowitcher (just barely in the shot) at Beluga Slough, Homer, 14 August 2009.

Foul weather last night and today seemed to bring a few shorebirds into Beluga Slough and Mud Bay, Homer. The culvert where Beluga Lake enters Beluga Slough hosted a nice roosting flock of shorebirds.

Juvenile Red Knot Calidris canutus, Beluga Slough, Homer, 14 August 2009.

Red Knot is a rare fall migrant in Homer and this bird was one of two in Beluga Slough this morning. The crisp fringes and dark sub-terminal lines on the scapulars, tertials and coverts identify it as a juvenile. Here is a photo of a  breeding plumage Red Knot passing through Homer in May.

Here are a few highlights from recent Wilderness Birding Adventures trips to Adak and St. Paul Island in the Pribilofs.

Dusky Thrush Turdus naumanni eunomus, St. Paul, Pribilofs, 22 May 2009.

Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa, Big Polovina Lake, St. Paul Island, Pribilofs, 23 May 2009.

Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola, Polovina Wetlands, St. Paul Island, Pribolofs, 22 May 2009.

Common Tern Sterna hirundo longipennis, Polovina Wetlands, St. Paul Island, Pribilofs, 22 May 2009.

The only race of Common Tern to be recorded in Alaska is longipennis, a vagrant from Siberia.  It differs from the North American race hirundo in its slightly darker gray upperparts, black bill and dark legs.  It is recorded nearly every year from the Pribilofs, especially during periods of strong west winds.

Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago, Contractor’s Marsh, Adak, 15 May 2009.

This very cooperative bird was winnowing side by side with the similar Wilson’s Snipe.  In flight the white stripe on the under wing was obvious, as was it’s distinctive winnow which is at least an octave lower than that of the Wilson’s Snipe.  It’s a regular spring migrant on Adak.

Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos, Polovina Wetlands, St. Paul Island, Priblofs, 22 May 2009.

Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia, Salt Lagoon, St. Paul Island, Pribilofs 22 May 2009.

This Common Greenshank was one of at least 4 present on the island.

The diversity and numbers of shorebirds moving through Homer were impressive this weekend for the 17th Annual Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival, May 7-10.  Here are a few shots from the weekend.

Black-bellied Plover Pluvialis squatarola, Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus, Dunlin Calidris alpina and Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica, Green Timbers, Homer, 10 May 2009.

This photo captures one of the most incredible mixed flocks of shorebirds I’ve ever seen. In the flock but not photographed here were Red Knots, Western and Least Sandpipers, a Marbled Godwit and a Pacific Golden-Plover.  Black Turnstones were on the same beach just a bit further down.

Red Knot Calidris canutus, Green Timbers, Homer, 10 May 2009.

Red Knots are uncommon to rare migrants through Homer.  A single bird was reported on Saturday and at least 13 were on the Homer Spit today, 10 May.

Bar-tailed Godwit with Black-bellied Plover and Short-billed Dowitcher at Green Timbers, Homer, 10 May 2009.

This Bar-tailed Godwit was first found on the Homer Spit on Thursday and seen daily through the weekend.  Marbled and Hudsonian Godwits were also seen during the festival.

A lone Sanderling Calidris alba, Western Sandpiper Calidris mauri and Dunlin, Mud Bay, Homer, 8 May 2009.

This Sanderling (the larger pale bird in the center), still in winter plumage, was the only one reported for the weekend.

Black-bellied Plovers, Green Timbers, Homer, 10 May 2009.

There was no shortage of Black-bellied Plovers along the Homer Spit this weekend.

Marbled Godwit Limosa fedoa, Black-bellied Plover, Dunlin, and Western Sandpipers at Green Timbers, Homer, 10 May 2009.

This Marbled Godwit is seperated from other godwits by it’s uniform cinamon brown coloration.  Here it dwarfs the much smaller Westerns and Dunlins but it’s also larger than both Hudsonian and Bar-tailed Godwit.

Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica with Black-bellied Plover Pluvialis squatarola at Mud Bay, Homer, 7 May 2009.

This male Bar-tailed Godwit made an appearance at the Homer Shorebird Festival yesterday and today.  Bar-tailed Godwits are trans-Beringian migrants that breed in Western Alaska, but it’s a very good bird for the Kenai Peninsula.