Note: We didn’t start keeping a daily blog of our trips to Adak until September 2011. So this is a brief summary of one of the previous trips. For more photos of birds, scenery, flowers, trip lists, etc., go to www.franklinhaas.com and click on Birding Adak.

May 15-29, 2011

We arrived on Sunday 5/15.

Isaac had alerted us to a Steller’s Eider that had been hanging around the Seawall for several weeks. We headed up there and found the bird. It stayed for our entire trip (to 5/29).

Steller’s Eider, May 20, 2011, Seawall..

On Monday (5/16) we found a Tufted Duck on the Airport Ponds and a Glaucous Gull along Bayshore Blvd.

Glaucous Gull, May 16, 2011, Clam Lagoon.

On Tuesday (5/17) we found a Wandering Tattler at the Seawall.

On Wednesday (5/18), up at the Blue Building Feeder, we found a Hawfinch – the first of several.

Hawfinch, May 20, 2011, Blue Building Feeder.

On Thursday (5/19), while scanning birds out in Kuluk Bay from the Palisades Overlook, I spotted a couple of Fulmars just off Zeto Point.

On Friday (5/20), while I was walking through Contractor’s Camp Marsh, Barb found a flock of six Whimbrel (Siberian race). I quickly joined her and saw them.

On Saturday (5/21) we had a Common Greenshank fly over at Contractor’s Camp Marsh, but could not relocate it.

On Monday (5/23) we found a Black-headed Gull at Clam Lagoon.

On Wednesday (5/25) at Sweeper Channel, four Wood Sandpipers walked out of the reeds, saw us and flew off before I could get a photo.

On the Clam Lagoon Peninsula, I found a Red-necked Stint.

Red-necked Stint, May 27, 2011, Clam Lagoon.

Red-necked Stint, May 25, 2011, Clam Lagoon.

On Thursday (5/26) we found another Hawfinch at the Naval Administration Building Feeder and a female Brambling.

Hawfinches and Brambling, May 26, 2011, Naval Admin Bldg Feeder.

Hawfinch, May 26, 2011, Naval Admin Bldg Feeder.

Hawfinch, May 26, 2011, Naval Admin Bldg Feeder.

Brambling, May 26, 2011. Naval Admin Bldg Feeder.

Later, up at the Adak National Forest, we found a male Brambling.

Brambling, May 26, 2011. Adak National Forest.

Brambling, May 26, 2011. Adak National Forest.

On Friday (5/27) we found two Hawfinches and another Brambling at the Seal Drive Feeder!

Hawfinches and Brambling, May 27, 2011, Seal Drive Feeder.

Hawfinches and Brambling, May 27, 2011, Seal Drive Feeder.

Our trip list was 67. We got one lifer (Steller’s Eider) and although we had seen Red-necked Stint at Bombay Hook many years ago, this one was much more satisfying – a closer view. Also, the multiple Hawfinches and Bramblings were nice to see.

We will return in September.