August 20th and 27th, Sept 3rd SANDHILL CRANE COUNT DAYS
These three Saturdays between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. report all Sandhill Crane sightings to Kachemak Crane Watch by email: reports@cranewatch.org or phone: 907.235.6262
September 3rd Beluga Slough Time: 8:00 am
Meet: I.O. Visitor Parking Lot
Leader: Lora Haller
October: Owling!
Date/time and Leader T.B.A.
All Kachemak Bay Birding trips are cosponsored by the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. All trips are free and everyone is welcome to attend. All trips will comply with FWS covid-safe practices.
MEETINGS/PRESENTATIONS
(Possibly 5:30 pm at Islands and Ocean Visitor Center—we hope!! Possibly by Zoom. T.B.A.)
Aug. 29th Meeting (and Photo Sharing–we hope)
Sept 26th Meeting and Olive-sided Flycatcher Research, fromTetlin NWR
October 31st Meeting and Presentation: Birding in Nome by Michelle Michaud and Jim Herbert
November 28th Meeting and Presentation: Costa Rica by George Matz
December around 15th (date/time TBA) “Winter Bird Identification Class” by Dave Erikson
TRIP REPORTS
11 Surf Scoter
1 White-winged Scoter
3 scoter sp.
49 Whimbrel — Estimate. Flock flying just beyond the surf line.
12 Black Turnstone
7 Surfbird
1 peep sp.
16 Greater Yellowlegs
2 Short-billed Gull
197 Glaucous-winged Gull — Estimate
3 Common Loon
2 loon sp.
1 Pelagic Cormorant
7 Bald Eagle
1 Merlin
1 Black-billed Magpie
7 American Crow
6 Bank Swallow
3 Hermit Thrush
1 White-crowned Sparrow
5 Savannah Sparrow
1 Orange-crowned Warbler
********
LINKS TO OTHER PAST PRESENTATIONS
*Dr. Ruthrauff, Wildlife Biologist at USGS “Coping with the Cold: The Unusual Occurrence of Rock Sandpipers in Cook Inlet” as part of UAA’s biology seminar series. Zoom link: https://www.facebook.com/brandon.briggs.1656/videos/262462175741524v
*”Birding On Adak” by Jim Herbert (1-31-22)
Michelle Michaud’s Blog including Adak photos https://alaskabirder.com/author/alaskabirder/

Alaska Bird Conference: November 15-19th
“About this event
Homer is excited to host the virtual 19th Alaska Bird Conference. Every two years researchers, managers, educators, and community members convene to report on all aspects of bird biology, management and conservation in Alaska. The conference has a strong focus on education and mentoring and building collaborative relationships.
At this year’s conference there will be three days of research talks, guest science speakers, workshops and an afternoon poster session. John Marzluff, Patrick Druckenmiller and Erin Ranney will be joining as this year’s Conference Keynote Speakers. Pre-conference meetings will be held Monday, November 15th. COVID pending, optional local field trips will be on November 19th.”
Sponsored by the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies
For more information and/or to register: https://www.alaskabirdconference.org/
Project FeederWatch: November 13-end of April
Find out how you can participate in this important citizen science project. Easy and fun. Warm and comfortable inside your house! Check out https://feederwatch.org/about/project-overview/ to get the details and sign up.
Christmas Bird Count in Homer: December 18th
Dave Erikson will soon be providing information about our count here in Homer. This information will go to members and will be posted here.
For general information go to https://www.audubon.org/conservation/join-christmas-bird-count
Great Backyard Bird Count: February 18-21st
Information at https://www.birdcount.org/participate/
CITIZEN SCIENCE PROJECTS 2021-2022
PROJECT FEEDERWATCH
November 13th to the end of April
https://feederwatch.org/about/
AUDUBON CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT (Homer)
December 18th
Coordinator/Compiler: Dave Erickson
https://www.audubon.org/conservation/science/christmas-bird-count
GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT
February 18-21st
SHOREBIRD MONITORING (Kachemak Bay)
Mid-April through most of May
Project Leader: George Matz
KACHEMAK CRANE WATCH (A Project of the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies)
Sightings reported April-Sept and Crane Count Days end of August/early September
http://cranewatch.org/
COASST
Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team
Year round monitoring for beached birds and beach health
NOTE: see below for other Trip Reports
2021 SUMMER BIRDING TRIPS

All trips cosponsored by Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge.
All trips will comply with FWS covid-safe practices.
FROM KACHEMAK CRANE WATCH…
Saturday – August 28, 2021 – Crane Count – Day Two
Saturday—September 4, 2021—Crane Count—Day Three
Citizen Scientists needed for special Sandhill Crane population survey in the Homer area (Anchor Point South). Kachemak Crane Watch would like to know of specific crane sightings on August 28 and September 4. Please report the number of adults, colts, or banded cranes seen by location, time, and day for each count day, and your name and contact information to reports@cranewatch.org or by calling 907-235-6262. For more information, contact Nina Faust at 235-6262.
For a special experience, join us at Beluga Slough at the end of the gravel trail for the evening crane fly-in from 6 pm till sundown on each of the remaining Saturdays. Please wear a mask and maintain a 6-foot physical distance from others.
Mallard
Harlequin Duck
White-winged Scoter
Red-breasted Merganser
Pacific Golden-Plover
Greater Yellowlegs
Common Murre
Pigeon Guillemot
Marbled Murrelet
Horned Puffin
Tufted Puffin
Black-legged Kittiwake
Short-billed Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Sooty Shearwater
Bald Eagle
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Song Sparrow
Here is a list of all the birds seen by the group:
Common Merganser
Common Goldeneye
Whimbrel
Black Turnstone
Sanderling
Rock Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
Greater Yellowlegs
Mew Gull
Herring Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Aleutian Tern
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Bald Eagle
Northwestern Crow
Bank Swallow
Savannah Sparrow
Hermit Thrush
(Not a whole lot on the ocean)
**TRIP REPORT FROM GARY LYON—6/12/21
Anchor River—South Fork (Northfork Rd by the bridge 2 miles in from the intersection)
15 souls met at the Casey Wise bridge pullout at 7:30 am. We either saw or heard 24
species and had good weather with calm wind and
partial clouds/sun. Our best bird was a Blackpoll Warbler that was ID’d
by voice only. Both Jim Herbert and Michelle Michaud came along, as co-leader and eBird recorder, respectively. We concluded
at 10:00am. A very good morning to bird!
Species reported to eBird:
2 Mallard
1 Common Merganser
3 Wilson’s Snipe
1 Bald Eagle
2 Belted Kingfisher
3 Alder Flycatcher
2 Black-billed Magpie
2 Black-capped Chickadee
2 Tree Swallow
1 Violet-green Swallow
2 Ruby-crowned Kinglet
2 American Dipper
5 Hermit Thrush
1 American Robin
1 Fox Sparrow
1 Dark-eyed Junco
4 Golden-crowned Sparrow
4 Lincoln’s Sparrow
2 Northern Waterthrush
4 Orange-crowned Warbler
2 Yellow Warbler
1 Blackpoll Warbler
2 Yellow-rumped Warbler
2 Wilson’s Warbler
Number of Taxa: 24