Barb’s day!

Mid-40s (the temp, not Barb), strong south winds shifting to southwest. No rain (or at least very little)! The day started overcast, but became partly sunny by afternoon. However, the wind never let up.

Sweeper Cove was still not very productive and the feeders around town had no new activity (except for a Bald Eagle sitting on the rock feeder!). We headed up to Contractor’s Marsh and I walked the west portion while Barb drove around the east end. A Pacific Golden-Plover flew out ahead of me and landed a fair distance away. I got some so-so photos.

Pacific Golden-Plover, Contractor’s Marsh, May 21, 2013

After all of the tour groups left on Sunday, we thought we would be the only birders left on the island. However, two birders from Seattle (Steve and Alan) arrived on Sunday and we ran into them yesterday and gave them the lowdown. Today, when we got up to Clam Lagoon, they were there and I asked them if the wanted to walk the flats with me. They agreed and we started out while Barb stayed in the truck and scanned from there.

No sooner had we gotten out on the flats than Barb radioed us that there was a Black-headed Gull out there! We soon spotted it and had decent (if distant) looks at it.

Black-headed Gull, Clam Lagoon, May 21, 2013

This is the 4th one that we’ve had on Adak–all in May.

No sooner were we done looking at the gull and headed back towards the western side of the flats, than Barb called again to tell us there was a Whimbrel out ahead of us! We soon spotted it and got very good looks despite it all-of-a-sudden beginning to rain! The rain ended as quickly as it started and I got some decent pictures before it flew off.

Whimbrel (Siberian race), Clam Lagoon, May 21, 2013

As it flew off, we all saw the white running up its back, which made it the Siberian race.

Steve and Alan then followed us around the rest of Clam Lagoon. At the seawall, we pointed out a Red-faced Cormorant to them, which was a lifer for them both. There was nothing else new or exciting around the lagoon, but a Parasitic Jaeger did pose for photos.

Parasitic Jaeger, Clam Lagoon, May 21, 2013

We finally picked up a Snow Bunting for our trip list, which now stands at 51.

Keep those birds coming…