***MEETINGS/PRESENTATIONS LAST TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH
April 29th Meeting and Shorebird Festival Fundraising Film: Flyways
Flyways was filmed over 4 years and it tells the unknown story of migratory shorebirds and their epic journey north for breeding each year. This Australian film stars the Bar-Tailed Godwit, Red Knot—both found in Homer during migration–and the Far Eastern Curlew.
“Shorebirds fly thousands of miles each year along ancient and largely unknown migratory routes called Flyways. Species travel from feeding grounds in the southern hemisphere to breeding ground in the Arctic regions and back again, flying up to nine days non-stop without food or water. They are the world’s greatest endurance athletes and their navigational skill on these marathon migrations are as extraordinary as they are mysterious.”May 27th Meeting and Presentation by Ingrid Harrald: Motus Towers
Meetings at the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge Headquarters (formerly:Islands and Ocean Visitor Center) begin at 5:30 pm (unless otherwise indicated). All meetings and events are cosponsored by the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. Masks encouraged and all events will comply with FWS covid-safe practices.
***TRIPS/Events
March 15th Sea Duck Survey–Leader: George Matz (date dependent on weather)
****Sea Duck Survey Identification PowerPoint****
Mid-April/May Shorebird Monitoring–Leader: George Matz
May (later) North Fork Road–Leader: Kristine Sowl
All Kachemak Bay Birding trips are cosponsored by the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. All trips are free and everyone is welcome to attend. Masks encouraged and all trips will comply with FWS covid-safe practices.
September 24th Presentation by Bruce Lyon: Gray-crowned Rosy Finch Study on the Pribilofs.
***Trip Reports–
Kachemak Bay Birders’ Spit trip: 2-15-25 from Dave Erikson
The KBB’s monthly bird walk was held on the Homer Spit, Saturday, February 15, 2024. We started at the base of the Spit at 1:00 PM and worked our way out to the Deep-Water Dock and Land’s End.
The weather was very cooperative with overcast skies, mild temperatures, and no wind. Much of the eastern side of the spit was ice free. Viewing conditions were ideal.
Seventeen birders participated in the bird walk, including five from out of town. Everyone enjoyed the good weather and great birding.
The highlights of the day included a very close view of six Steller’s eiders (males and females) seen off the east side of the Homer Harbor, one lone male common eider, sighted quite a distance offshore east of the barge basin, and one northern hawk owl in a tree overlooking the parking lot at the base of the spit. The large flock of rock sandpipers were roosting at their usual location in the Small Boat Harbor.
A total of twenty seven species were recorded during the walk:
Greater scaup – 17
Steller’s eider – 6
Common eider -1
Harlequin duck – 2
Surf scoter – 36
White-winged scoter – 3
Black scoter – 73
Long-tailed duck – 26
Bufflehead – 3
Common goldeneye – 6
Barrow’s goldeneye – 2
Red-breasted merganser – 3
Rock pigeon – 16
Rock sandpiper – 2000
Marbled murrelet – 4
Common murre – 2
Short-billed gull – 6
Glaucous-winged gull – 5
Horned grebe – 10
Red-necked grebe – 4
Common loon – 6
Pelagic cormorant – 32
Bald Eagle – 7
Northern hawk owl – 1
American crow – 51
Gray-crowned rosy-finch 100
Song sparrow – 1
Kachemak Bay Birders’ Spit Trip: 1-18-25 from Michelle Michaud
6 birders braved the wind and rain in search of birds on the Homer Spit. We ran out of daylight before we could search Green Timbers and Louis Lagoon for the Horned Lark, Snow Buntings, and Lapland Longspurs. However we were delighted with the birds we did see.
2 Steller’s Eider
4 Harlequin Duck
6 Surf Scoter
218 Black Scoter
2 Long-tailed Duck
2 Bufflehead
10 Common Goldeneye
10 Barrow’s Goldeneye
1 Red-breasted Merganser
11 Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)
3 Dunlin
2497 Rock Sandpiper — Estimate
2 Marbled Murrelet
18 Black-legged Kittiwake
29 Short-billed Gull
13 Glaucous-winged Gull
4 Horned Grebe
1 Red-necked Grebe
2 Common Loon
15 Pelagic Cormorant — Estimate
5 Bald Eagle
31 American Crow — Estimate
101 Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch — Estimate. Large single flock
Number of Taxa: 23
2 Steller’s Eider
4 Harlequin Duck
6 Surf Scoter
218 Black Scoter
2 Long-tailed Duck
2 Bufflehead
10 Common Goldeneye
10 Barrow’s Goldeneye
1 Red-breasted Merganser
11 Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)
3 Dunlin
2497 Rock Sandpiper — Estimate
2 Marbled Murrelet
18 Black-legged Kittiwake
29 Short-billed Gull
13 Glaucous-winged Gull
4 Horned Grebe
1 Red-necked Grebe
2 Common Loon
15 Pelagic Cormorant — Estimate
5 Bald Eagle
31 American Crow — Estimate
101 Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch — Estimate. Large single flock
Number of Taxa: 23