2019 Shorebird Festival Birding Report

The following is a preliminary summary of the 2019 Shorebird Festival

Sunday evening

Preliminary Shorebird Festival Summary and some great stories!!

Sunday morning during the Festival event at the lower platform at the end of the FAA Rd, a lynx crossed above the end of Beluga Lake heading toward the platform at the end of the Calvin and Coyle trail! A wonderful opportunity for folks to see a lynx–no one remembers ever seeing a lynx there before in spite of many wildlife viewers in that area over the years. (I am going to attach the video I was sent. I believe this was taken by Lisle Gwynn. I also do not have permission to send it so am on shaky ground there also. It is such a fantastic glimpse of wildlife right here in Homer! If someone else took it, please let me know and I will send out a correction.)

On previous days in that same area, a nesting TRUMPETER SWAN was seen chasing off groups of geese that rest in that area. On four occasions it was reported that the swan would chase the group of geese up into the air and then target one goose to follow. One version of a chase on Saturday said the swan was maybe five feet behind the goose for several circles above the lake, getting closer and closer (the swan with his mouth open at times), seemingly snapping at the tailfeathers of the goose, he said! Usually the chase then went out of sight, the swan returning a while later… and the goose? Some other birder might have seen what happened there or we’ll never know.

It seems interesting that there is a pair of nesting SONG SPARROWS on the top of Gull Island. Never been reported before. (Spit real estate at a premium, perhaps?)

There were 124 species seen during the four days of the Festival. There are still some reports trickling in, so this number may go up. Last minute additions: HORNED LARKS near the Harbor and POMARINE JAEGER and SOOTY SHERWATER at the Anchor River. Overall, there was only one warbler (YELLOW-RUMPED) seen and one owl (GREAT HORNED); no flycatchers, no eiders. A highlight for many was seeing several CASPIAN TERNS on Saturday in the Mud Bay/Lighthouse Village Platform area.

A full updated list of species seen will be posted on our website, kachemakbaybirders.org, soon.

Saturday morning/afternoon

2019 Shorebird Festival BIRD UPDATE:
Saturday Morning/Afternoon Update—mostly new birds
Now we have one warbler reported—Yellow-rumped Warbler on the Calvin and Coyle trail.
And now one owl reported—Great Horned Owl on Skyline Dr.

*MUD BAY/ LIGHTHOUSE VILLAGE VIEWING PLATFORM
CASPIAN TERN, HUDSONIAN GODWIT, NORTHERN HARRIER, RED-NECKED PHALAROPE, SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER, PACIFIC GOLDEN PLOVER, AMERICAN PIPIT, MERLIN

*END OF THE SPIT/HARBOR AREA
MARBLED GODWIT, CANVASBACK, WANDERING TATTLER, SURFBIRDS

*OUT IN THE BAY
(Glacier Spit/Gull Island): FORK-TAILED STORM-PETREL, TUFTED PUFFIN, DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT, RED-NECKED PHALAROPE, BLACK OYSTERCATCHER, KITTLITZ’S MURRELET, YELLOW-BILLED LOON, SURFBIRDS (215), SONG SPARROW (top of Gull Is.), LONG-TAILED DUCK

*BELUGA LAKE and the PLATFORMS on FAA Rd.
PEREGRINE FALCON, RUSTY BLACKBIRD, PECTORAL SANDPIPER, SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, CANVASBACK (2), RING-NECKED DUCK, EURASIAN WIGEON, AMERICAN PIPIT

*In BELUGA SLOUGH/and BISHOP’S BEACH
LONG-TAILED JAEGER, WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW, GADWAL, SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER

*CALVIN AND COYLE TRAIL
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, PACIFIC WREN

*WYNN NATURE CENTER/EAST SKYLINE
GREAT HORNED OWL, SPRUCE GROUSE

*ANCHOR RIVER
HUDSONIAN GODWIT, MARBLED GODWIT, SANDERLING, SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER, RED-FACED CORMORANT, DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT, BLACK OYSTERCATCHER, PARASITIC JAEGER, GADWALL, HORNED PUFFIN, FORK-TAILIED STORM-PETREL, RED-NECKED PHALAROPE, BRANT, CANADA GOOSE, CACKLING GOOSE

Friday Morning Update as of 11:00 am

*MUD BAY
WHIMBREL, WESTERN SANDPIPERS (~1000 on Wed. evening), LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS, SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS, LEAST SANDPIPERS, DUNLIN, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, GREATER YELLOWLEGS, SANDHILL CRANE

*LIGHTHOUSE VILLAGE VIEWING PLATFORM
WESTERN SANDPIPER, LEAST SANDPIPERS, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, BELTED KINGFISHER, SANDHILL CRANES (nesting), BALD EAGLE (nest observable), AMERICAN PIPIT, HERRING GULL, PACIFIC WREN

*MID SPIT (GREEN TIMBERS AND LOUIE’S LAGOON)
BRANT, RUDDY TURNSTONE, BLACK TURNSTONE, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, WESTERN SANDPIPER, DUNLIN, MERLIN, DOWITCHER sp., PACIFIC LOON

*END OF THE SPIT/HARBOR AREA
WANDERING TATTLER, SURFBIRDS (max. 400 at the mouth of the Harbor Thurs.), BLACK TURNSTONES, SAVANNAH SPARROW, YELLOW-BILLED LOON (apparently in OK condition, is molting; reported in the Fishing Hole part of Wednesday and was there Thursday morning)

*OUT IN THE BAY
(NE of the spit): ALEUTIAN TERN (2)
(Glacier Spit/Gull Island): TUFTED PUFFIN (26), ARCTIC TERN (30), DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT, RED-NECKED PHALAROPE, BLACK OYSTERCATCHER, BRANT, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, MARBLED MURRELET, LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, BLACK TURNSTONE, WANDERING TATTLER
(Peterson Bay): Herring X Glaucous-wing Gull hybrid, KITTLITZ’S MURRELET, MARBLED MURRELET, RED-NECKED PHALAROPES, WANDERING TATTLER

*BELUGA LAKE and the PLATFORMS on FAA Rd.
CANVASBACK (2), RING-NECKED DUCK (7 near McDonald’s), SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, NORTHERN GOSHAWK, MERLIN, SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER, WHIMBREL, WESTERN SANDPIPERS, LEAST SANDPIPER, GREATER YELLOWLEGS, LESSER YELLOWLEGS, PACIFIC GOLDEN PLOVER, WILSON’S SNIPE,TRUMPETER SWAN (3), GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE, BELTED KINGFISHER, FOX SPARROW, VARIED THRUSH, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, PACIFIC WREN, NORTHERN GOSHAWK, CANADA JAY, VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW, TREE SWALLOW, AMERICAN PIPIT, PACIFIC WREN

*In BELUGA SLOUGH/and BISHOP’S BEACH
GADWAL, SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER, WHIMBREL, DUNLIN, GREATER YELLOWLEGS, WESTERN SANDPIPERS, LEAST SANDPIPERS, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, DOWITCHER sp., BELTED KINGFISHER, EURASIAN and AMERICAN WIGEON, TREE SWALLOWS, HARLEQUIN DUCKS, SANDHILL CRANES, FOX SPARROW, RING-NECKED PHEASANT, MERLIN

*WYNN NATURE CENTER/EAST SKYLINE
SPRUCE GROUSE, BROWN CREEPER, DARK-EYED JUNCO, GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, TREE SWALLOW, VARIED THRUSH, BOREAL CHICKADEE

*SEASIDE FARMS (5 miles out East End Rd.)
HERMIT THRUSH, DOWNY WOODPECKER

*ANCHOR RIVER
NORTHERN FLICKER, BLACK OYSTERCATCHER (2), BLACK TURNSTONES (23), WANDERING TATTLER, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, DUNLIN, GREATER YELLOWLEGS, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, PACIFIC GOLDEN PLOVER, LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, WESTERN SANDPIPER, LEAST SANDPIPER, HARLEQUIN DUCK, CACKLING GEESE, YELLOW-BILLED LOON, AMERICAN PIPIT, SAVANNAH SPARROW, MERLIN, SANDERLING, PARASITIC JAEGER.

Thursday Morning Report as of 10:30 am, including Shorebird Monitoring session Wednesday night

*MUD BAY
WESTERN SANDPIPERS (~1000 on Wed. evening), MARBLED GODWITS, LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS, SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS, LEAST SANDPIPERS, DUNLIN, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, YELLOWLEGS

*LIGHTHOUSE VILLAGE VIEWING PLATFORM
WESTERN SANDPIPERS, SANDHILL CRANES (nesting)

*GREEN TIMBERS
RUDY TURNSTONE, BLACK TURNSTONE, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, WESTERN SANDPIPER, DUNLIN, MERLIN

*LOUIE’S LAGOON
BLACK TURNSTONE, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, BLACK-BELLED PLOVER, LEAST SANDPIPER, DUNLIN, DOWITCHER sp. (32), LAPLAND LONGSPUR, LONG-TAILED DUCK

*END OF THE SPIT/HARBOR AREA
WANDERING TATTLER, SURFBIRDS (400 at the mouth of the Harbor!), BLACK TURNSTONES, SAVANNAH SPARROW, YELLOW-BILLED LOON (apparently in OK condition, is molting; reported in the Fishing Hole part of Wednesday and was there Thursday morning)

*OUT IN THE BAY
(Glacier Spit): TUFTED PUFFIN (5), ARCTIC TERN (10), BRANT, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, MARBLED MURRELET, LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER,
(Peterson Bay): Herring X Glaucous-wing Gull hybrid, KITTLITZ’S MURRELET, MARBLED MURRELET, RED-NECKED PHALAROPES, WANDERING TATTLER
(Gull Is.): TUFTED PUFFINS (16)

*BELUGA LAKE and the PLATFORMS on FAA Rd.
CANVASBACK, SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER, WHIMBREL (25 FLY-OVER Thurs morn), WESTERN SANDPIPERS, GREATER YELLOWLEGS, LESSER YELLOWLEGS, PACIFIC GOLDEN PLOVER, TRUMPETER SWAN (3), GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE, BELTED KINGFISHER, FOX SPARROW, VARIED THRUSH, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, PACIFIC WREN, NORTHERN GOSHAWK, CANADA JAY, VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW

*In BELUGA SLOUGH/and BISHOP’S BEACH
WHIMBREL (13), DUNLIN, GREATER YELLOWLEGS, WESTERN SANDPIPERS, LEAST SANDPIPERS, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, BELTED KINGFISHER, EURASIAN and AMERICAN WIGEON, TREE SWALLOWS, HARLEQUIN DUCKS, SANDHILL CRANES, FOX SPARROW, RING-NECKED PHEASANT, MERLIN

*ANCHOR RIVER
BLACK TURNSTONES (23), WANDERING TATTLER, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, DUNLIN, GREATER YELLOWLEGS, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, PACIFIC GOLDEN PLOVER, SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER, WESTERN SANDPIPER, HARLEQUIN DUCK, CACKLING GEESE

2019 Shorebird Festival BIRD REPORT: Wed. May 8th as of 3:00 pm

MUD BAY/LIGHT-HOUSE VILLAGE VIEWING PLATFORM/MARINER PARK (at the base of the spit): CANVASBACK (4), NORTHERN HARRIER

END OF THE SPIT/HARBOR AREA/UP TO THE BARGE BASIN: YELLOW-BILLED LOON (in or near Harbor), SONG SPARROW, WANDERING TATTLER, SAVANNAH SPARROW

OUT IN THE BAY
(Gull Island/Peterson Bay area)
RED-NECKED PHALAROPE, KITLITZ’S MURRELET, MARBLED MURRELET, TUFTED PUFFIN (4), WANDERING TATTLER (2), WESTERN SANDPIPER, DOWITCHER sp.

At BELUGA LAKE AND the PLATFORMS (at the end of the FAA Rd. there by the airport terminal): DOWITCHER sp., TRUMPETER SWAN, GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET

In BELUGA SLOUGH/and BISHOP’S BEACH
DUNLIN, GREATER YELLOWLEGS, MERLIN, BELTED KINGFISHER, EURASIAN WIGEON, TREE SWALLOWS, SANDHILL CRANE, WESTERN SANDPIPER (56), CANVASBACK (3), SEMIPALMATED PLOVER

On the TRAIL DOWN BELOW the Islands and Ocean Visitor Center
FOX SPARROW, TREE SWALLOW, LESSER SANDHILL CRANES

ANCHOR RIVER (from the parking lot to the mouth of the river): BLACK TURNSTONES (23), BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, DUNLIN, GREATER YELLOWLEGS, SEMIPALMAED PLOVER, CACKLING GEESE, LEAST SANDPIPER, WESTERN SANDPIPER.

2019 Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival Summary

Preliminary Shorebird Festival Summary and some great stories!!

Sunday morning during the Festival event at the lower platform at the end of the FAA Rd, a lynx crossed above the end of Beluga Lake heading toward the platform at the end of the Calvin and Coyle trail! A wonderful opportunity for folks to see a lynx–no one remembers ever seeing a lynx there before in spite of many wildlife viewers in that area over the years. (I am going to attach the video I was sent. I believe this was taken by Lisle Gwynn. I also do not have permission to send it so am on shaky ground there also. It is such a fantastic glimpse of wildlife right here in Homer! If someone else took it, please let me know and I will send out a correction.)

On previous days in that same area, a nesting TRUMPETER SWAN was seen chasing off groups of geese that rest in that area. On four occasions it was reported that the swan would chase the group of geese up into the air and then target one goose to follow. One version of a chase on Saturday said the swan was maybe five feet behind the goose for several circles above the lake, getting closer and closer (the swan with his mouth open at times), seemingly snapping at the tailfeathers of the goose, he said! Usually the chase then went out of sight, the swan returning a while later… and the goose? Some other birder might have seen what happened there or we’ll never know.

It seems interesting that there is a pair of nesting SONG SPARROWS on the top of Gull Island. Never been reported before. (Spit real estate at a premium, perhaps?)

There were 124 species seen during the four days of the Festival. There are still some reports trickling in, so this number may go up. Last minute additions: HORNED LARKS near the Harbor and POMARINE JAEGER and SOOTY SHERWATER at the Anchor River. Overall, there was only one warbler (YELLOW-RUMPED) seen and one owl (GREAT HORNED); no flycatchers, no eiders. A highlight for many was seeing several CASPIAN TERNS on Saturday in the Mud Bay/Lighthouse Village Platform area.

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Shorebird Festival Summary (5-12-17)

There were 131 species seen at the Festival this year. This list is on the Kachemak Bay Birders’ website http://kachemakbaybirders.org/.

If there are other species that you are sure were seen during the Festival, please let me know. I did not get many reports of raptors and woodpeckers and some others possibly seen.

A RED KNOT was seen at the end of the Spit by the Harbor and in Mud Bay on.

BAR-TAILED and MARBLED GODWITS were seen in several places on the Spit. (No Hudsonians were seen here during the Festival but were at the Kasilof River.)

RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRDS were seen on the 4th out East End Rd about 6 miles and then again at the Lighthouse Village Platform and in Beluga Slough the next day.

A KING EIDER pair was seen off “the bluff” west of Homer on the 4th. Great photographs posted.

A WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE was seen at the end of the FAA Rd. by the lower platform on the Lake on the 6th.

RING-NECKED DUCKS, GADWALL, and CANVASBACKS were seen in Beluga Lake.

A THAYER’S GULL was seen at the Lighthouse Village, Green Timbers and a few other places. Also an An ICELAND GULL was seen near Green Timbers on the 6th.

GREAT BLUE HERONS were seen on the 4th near Bishop’s Beach.

CASPIAN TERNS were seen on the 6th in Mud Bay.

An OSPREY was seen near Beluga Slough/Bishop’s Beach before the Festival and again on the 7th.

There was a report of BRISTLE-THIGHED CURLEWS at Anchor Point on the 6th but attempts to refind them were unsuccessful.

Always nice during the Festival to have some swallows back, HERMIT THRUSH, ORANGE-CROWNED and YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, terns, and TUFTED PUFFIN. And this year a hummingbird and a flycatcher, too! The Festival means many happy hours being out birding and enjoying the beauty and diversity of all those wonderful birds!  It was a Great Festival to Bird (as our motto tells us)!

Post-Festival

Shorebirds still arriving since the Festival…

The following is an amazing report from Toby and Laura Burke:

On Wednesday evening, May 10, between 5 and 6 PM, on the falling tide in the greater Mud Bay area of Homer we encountered the largest aggregation of shorebirds we’ve ever seen in 12 years of birding the Kenai Peninsula… During the previously 12 years the most shorebirds we had ever counted in the larger Mud Bay area approached 15,000. Wednesday evening from the intertidal mudflats from below the airport, across the east side of the Mud Bay spit, across the mouth of the inner Mud Bay, along the gravel bars working south, and toward Green Timbers – a distance of 1.4 miles – where we roughly stood nearest the center – we counted 150,000 WESTERN SANDPIPERS and 6,000 DUNLIN along this shoreline with peak numbers between 5:30 to 5:45 PM.”

 

View or download the complete festival species checklist:

2017 Shorebird Festival Reports

Homer/Kachemak Bay Festival Bird Report: 5-6-17

Our weather has held with only a few sprinkles this afternoon.  Hopes for no rain tomorrow here in Homer or out on the Bay.  Fantastic birds and birding in various places today.  This report will just cover the new species seen on Saturday and a few species of note from previous reports.
Beluga Lake/FAA Rd. Platforms
WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE—seen at the lower platform and then better at the cul-de-sac at the end of the FAA Rd.   Also on Beluga Lake, a GADWALL was seen as well as the CANVASBACKS.  (The RING-NECKED DUCK was not reported as seen today.)
Lighthouse Village Observation Platform
THAYER’S GULL was positively ID’d around noon and then it flew over to Mud Bay.  Later at 2:00 a RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD zoomed in, perched briefly on the chain railing and then left!  Another humming bird or  possibly the same one (?) was seen on the boardwalk along Beluga Slough later in the afternoon!  (Previous report on Thursday was from about 6 miles out East End Rd.)
Important news about the SANDHILL CRANE pair that has been hanging around that area.  On Friday the pair was just walking around, but this morning they were actively taking grass to a nest site and one sat on the nest nearly the whole time we were there for the Viewing Station (11:30-1:00).  For a few days many people also enjoyed watching them “paint” themselves, putting the red, iron-colored mud on their feathers to make them more camouflaged.
Mud Bay
CASPIAN TERNS were seen and the MARBLED GODWITS seen again.
End of the Spit
A couple ROCK SANDPIPERS were seen on the Harbor Jetty.   These are the first ones seen even in shorebird monitoring for many weeks.  Many hundreds/thousands overwinter here but usually are all gone by Festival time.
Out on the Bay
BLACK OYSTERCATCHERS were seen on Hesketh Island.
Anchor Point
HORNED LARK—report was pretty certain; it was not a male in breeding plumage however.  (I’ll put more information in the next report.)
Barren’s Island Trip
A RED-FACED CORMORANT and SOOTY SHEARWATER were seen. (I did not get a complete list from that trip, will include other species later.)

 

 

Kachemak Bay/Homer Festival Bird Report: 5-5-17 (Friday)

Another nice sunny day here in Homer! Many exciting new birds were found today: CANVASBACK and RING-NECKED DUCK in Beluga Lake this morning, TUFTED PUFFIN at Gull Island, and ALEUTIAN TERN at Green Timbers, and a THAYER’S GULL. The KING EIDER from yesterday was confirmed with a beautiful photo, checkout our website if you haven’t seen it. It was a Great Day to Bird!

King Eiders – photo by Max Schwenne

Has anyone seen a BLACK OYSTERCATCHER or an EURASIAN WIGEON? So far no reports of them during the Festival. Some reported a few days earlier…

Western Sandpiper/Dunlin/Least flock in Mud Bay was estimated to be ~4-5,000 today at 8:00 am; later estimate near noon was ~1500-2000.

Mud Bay

SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER, MARBLED GODWIT, BAR-TAILED GODWIT, WHIMBREL, WESTERN SANDPIPERS, DUNLIN, LEAST SANDPIPER, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, PACIFIC GOLDEN PLOVER, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER, BONAPARTE’S GULL, BRANT, GREATER YELLOWLEGS, NORTHERN PINTAIL, GREATER SCAUP, HORNED GREBE, BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE, MEW GULL, HERRING GULL, GLAUCOUS GULL, SAVANNAH SPARROW, AMERICAN WIGEON, MALLARD, NORTHERN SHOVELER, GREEN-WINGED TEAL.

 

Lighthouse Village

ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW, FOX SPARROW, GREATER YELLOWLEGS, LEAST SANDPIPER, WESTERN SANDPIPERS, DUNLIN, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, AMERICAN WIDGEON, NORTHERN PINTAILS, MALLARDS, SANDHILL CRANES.

Green Timbers/Louie’s Lagoon (mid-spit)

LONG-TAILED DUCK, RED-THROATED LOON, NORTHERN SHOVELER, BONAPARTE’S GULL, COMMON REDPOLL, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, PACIFIC GOLDEN PLOVER, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER,WHIMBREL, SURFBIRDS, BLACK TURNSTONE, LEAST SANDPIPER, SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER, DUNLIN, DOWITCHER (sp), BRANT, WESTERN SANDPIPERS, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, LEAST SANDPIPER, ARCTIC TERN, AMERICAN PIPIT, SAVANNAH SPARROW, FOX SPARROW, SONG SPARROW.

 

End of the Spit

HERRING GULL, BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES, RED-NECKED GREBE, PELAGIC CORMORANT, PEREGRINE FALCON, SURFBIRDS on Harbor Jetty with Turnstones, RUDDY TURNSTONES, BLACK TURNSTONES, WESTERN SANDPIPERS, WANDERING TATTLERS (in Harbor), SONG SPARROWS, SAVANNAH SPARROWS, ROCK PIGEONS, NORTHWESTERN CROWS, BALD EAGLES,

Out on the Bay

TUFTED PUFFIN on Gull Island, SURFBIRDS, BLACK TURNSTONES, HORNED GREBE, SCOTERS (WHITE-WINGED, SURF, BLACK), RED-NECKED PHALLAROPE, PIGEON GUILLEMOT, COMMON MURRES, HARLEQUIN DUCKS, LONG-TAILED DUCK, COMMON LOON, PACIFIC LOONPELAGIC CORMORANT, BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES.

Beluga Slough and trail down from Islands and Oceans

ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, FOX SPARROW, AMERICAN ROBIN, AMERICAN WIGEON, NORTHERN PINTAIL, WESTERN SANDPIPER, NORTHERN SOVELER, BALD EAGLE, BLACK-BILLED MAGPIE, NORTHWESTERN CROW, GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW, SANDHILL CRANE.

Beluga Lake Lower Platform

TRUMPETER SWAN pair, GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE, CACKLING GEESE, CANADA GEESE, RED-NECKED GREBE, BUFFLEHEAD, MALLARD, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, NORTHERN PINTAIL, RING-NECKED DUCK, CANVASBACK, NORTHERN SHOVELER, AMERICAN WIGEON, GREATER SCAUP, WILSON’S SNIPE, RED-NECKED PHALAROPE and LEAST SANDPIPER (both flying), MEW GULL, SANDHILL CRANE (heard) NORTHERN HARRIER, BALD EAGLE, BLACK-BILLED MAGPIE, BOREAL CHICKADEE, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET, AMERICAN ROBIN, VARIED THRUSH, AMERICAN PIPIT, WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL, DARK-EYTED JUNCO, LINCOLN’S SPARROW, BROWN CREEPER, GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW, COMMON RAVEN, GREATER YELLOWLEGS.

Calvin and Coyle Trail

BROWN CREEPER, PINE GROSSBEAK, GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET, NORTHERN GOSHAWK, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, AMERICAN ROBIN, VARIED THRUSH,.

Anchor River

GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, NORTHERN SHOVELER, CACKLING GEESE, GREEN-WINGED TEAL,

HARLEQUIN DUCK, WHITE-WINGED SCOTER, LONG-TAILED DUCK, COMMON MERGANSER, RED-BREASTED MERGANSER, PACIFIC LOON, RED-NECKED GREBE, DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT,BALD EAGLE, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, WHIMBREL, RUDDY TURNSTONE, DUNLIN, MARBLED MURRELET, NORTHWESTERN CROW, AMERICAN WIGEON, MALLARD, GREATER SCAUP, SURF SCOTER, COMMON LOON, PELAGIC CORMORANT, SANDHILL CRANE, PACIFIC GOLDEN-PLOVER, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, BLACK TURNSTONE, LEAST SANDPIPER, COMMON MURRE, PIGEON GUILLEMOT, BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE, MEW GULL, GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL, BELTED KINGFISHER, BLACK-BILLED MAGPIE, AMERICAN PIPIT, LAPLAND LONGSPUR, FOX SPARROW, SAVANNAH SPARROW.

 

 

Kachemak Bay/Homer Festival Bird Report: 5-4-17 (Newest in BOLD)

Nice sunny day and not even much breeze until noontime. Many good birds (of course they’re all good birds) and many happy birders at our Festival.  Estimated Western Sandpiper/Dunlin flock in Mud Bay estimated to be ~1500 today.

Super fantastic Festival birds:

A RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD was reported out East End Rd., with photos!

GREAT BLUE HERON in town near Bishop’s Beach on Jenny Way.

Unconfirmed report of a KING EIDER seen from a boat off “The Bluff” west of town, but unconfirmed at this time.

Mud Bay

SURFBIRDS, MARBLED GODWIT, BAR-TAILED GODWIT, WHIMBREL, WESTERN SANDPIPERS, DUNLIN, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, PACIFIC GOLDEN PLOVER, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER, BONAPARTE’S GULL, BRANT, GREATER YELLOWLEGS, LEAST SANDPIPER.

Lighthouse Village

GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE, SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER, GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW, FOX SPARROW, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, GREATER YELLOWLEGS, LEAST SANDPIPER, VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, AMERICAN WIDGEON, NORTHERN PINTAILS, MALLARDS.

Green Timbers/Louie’s Lagoon (mid-spit)

COMMON EIDER and KITTLITZ’S MURRELET (scoped to the west), RED-THROATED LOON, NORTHERN SHOVELER, BONAPARTE’S GULL, COMMON REDPOLL, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, PACIFIC GOLDEN PLOVER, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER,WHIMBREL, SURFBIRDS, BLACK TURNSTONE, LEAST SANDPIPER, SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER, DUNLIN, DOWITCHER (sp), BRANT, WESTERN SANDPIPERS, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, LEAST SANDPIPER, ARCTIC TERN, AMERICAN PIPIT, SAVANNAH SPARROW, FOX SPARROW, SONG SPARROW.

End of the Spit

PEREGRINE FALCON, SURFBIRDS (150 on Harbor Jetty with Turnstones), RUDDY TURNSTONES, BLACK TURNSTONES, WESTERN SANDPIPERS, WANDERING TATTLERS (in Harbor), SONG SPARROWS, SAVANNAH SPARROWS, ROCK PIGEONS, NORTHWESTERN CROWS.

Out on the Bay

SURFBIRDS (800), BLACK TURNSTONES, HORNED GREBE, SCOTERS (WHITE-WINGED, SURF, BLACK) RED-NECKED PHALLAROPE (200), PIGEON GUILLEMOT, COMMON MURRES (most in breeding plumage), HARLEQUIN DUCKS, LONG-TAILED DUCK, COMMON LOON, PELAGIC CORMORANT, BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES.

Reports of 5-8 BALD EAGLES on Gull Island, another of 15 in the area!

Beluga Slough

BELTED KINGFISHER, GREATER YELLOWLEGS, WESTERN SANDPIPERS, DUNLIN, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS (sp.), GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE, CACKLING GEESE, VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS, AMERICAN WIGEON, GREEN-WINGED TEAL.

Beluga Lake Platforms

TRUMPETER SWAN pair apparently nesting across the water, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS and DARK-EYED JUNCOS singing away, also PACIFIC WRENS, GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS in the area.  VARIED THRUSH, WILSON’S SNIPE.

(Coyote seen at noon across in the grassy area.)

Calvin and Coyle Trail

NORTHERN GOSHAWK, BROWN CREEPER, PINE GROSSBEAK, GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET

Other parts of town…

YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER at Seaside Farms. RING-NECKED PHEASANT nearby.

Anchor River

SNOW GEESE (3), CACKLING GEESE, PACIFIC GOLDEN PLOVER, BELTED KINGFISHER, DUNLIN, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, WHIMBREL, GREATER YELLOWLEGS, RUDDY TURNSTONE, BLACK TURNSTONE, SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER, LEAST SANDPIPER, WESTERN SANDPIPER, ARCTIC TERN, VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW.

 

 

Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival Bird Report: 5-3-17  9:00 pm—UPDATE

Pair of GREAT BLUE HERON in Beluga Slough (reported this evening).

YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS at Seaside Farms (5 miles out East End Rd.).

Omitted earlier but seen on Wednesday: LAPLAND LONGSPUR (3) at Green Timbers.

Also don’t forget to report crane sightings and their nesting activities to reports@cranewatch.org or call 907-235-6262.  Be sure to include your own contact information in case they need additional information.

 

Kachemak Bay/Homer Festival Bird Report: 5-3-17

A strong wind blew late yesterday and that was what it took to blow us in a super great group of species just in time for our Shorebird Festival which is starting!  Fantastic to spot a BAR-TAILED GODWIT flying over Green Timbers this morning and find a MARBLED GODWIT in Mud Bay.  Probable FOS: LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER, WANDERING TATTLER, and OSPREY! George Matz will post an in-depth account of the shorebird monitoring this morning, but some of the highlights are below.

Mud Bay

WESTERN SANDPIPER (~1000), DUNLIN, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, PACIFIC GOLDEN PLOVER, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, MARBLED GODWIT, WHIMBREL, SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER, BONAPARTE’S GULL, GLAUCOUS GULL (im.), BRANT, GREATER YELLOWLEGS, LEAST SANDPIPER.

Lighthouse Village

SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, GREATER YELLOWLEGS, LEAST SANDPIPER, VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS.

Green Timbers

BAR-TAILED GODWIT (flyover), LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, WHIMBREL, DUNLIN, WESTERN SANDPIPERS, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, LEAST SANDPIPER, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, PEREGRINE FALCON, SAVANNAH SPARROW, AMERICAN PIPIT, LAPLAND LONGSPUR, ARCTIC TERN, RED-THROATED LOON (one group of 7; total 14 seen!).

Bar-tailed Godwit photo by Aaron Lang

Louie’s Lagoon

SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, PACIFIC GOLDEN PLOVER, WHIMBREL, SURFBIRDS (~350), BLACK TURNSTONE, LEAST SANDPIPER, SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER, DUNLIN, DOWITCHER, BRANT.

End of the Spit

SURFBIRDS (~300 probably same group as in Louie’s), RUDDY TURNSTONES, BLACK TURNSTONES, WESTERN SANDPIPERS, WANDERING TATTLERS (in Harbor).

Beluga Slough

GREATER YELLOWLEGS, WESTERN SANDPIPERS, DUNLIN, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS, OSPREY, GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE, CACKLING GEESE, VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS

Anchor River

DUNLIN, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, WHIMBREL, GREATER YELLOWLEGS, RUDDY TURNSTONE, BLACK TURNSTONE, SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER, LEAST SANDPIPER, WESTERN SANDPIPER, ARCTIC TERN, VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW.

Beluga Lake Platforms

TRUMPETER SWAN pair apparently nesting across the water, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS and DARK-EYED JUNCOS singing away, also PACIFIC WRENS, GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS in the area.

Out East End Rd

Over the weekend the following were seen: SHARP-SHINNED HAWK and ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK (~Mile 3), NORTHERN HARRIER (~Mile 5).  Songbirds singing and building nests at Seaside Farms and elsewhere.  GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS and FOX SPARROWS singing; SAVANNAH SPARROWS not singing yet.

In the past few weeks, groups of SANDHILL CRANES have been seen on the beach just east of Miller’s Landing, in the evening mid-tide.  Often they don’t feed there until the fall but speculation that maybe there was less food up higher?  A large group of 150 was seen out in the Fernwood Rd area, (~7 miles out).