Wrap-up

Temp in the 40s, overcast over town, sunny up at Clam Lagoon, 10-25 mph west wind.

Our trip ended with a whimper. No new birds, so the trip list is 61. However, the Tufted Duck at Lake Shirley reappeared. Four new birders arrived today for a four-day visit, so the Tufted Duck’s re-emergence was great news and they rushed off to Lake Shirley. We expect a report from them after their trip and I will add an epilogue to this blog when I get it.

Northern Shovelers are uncommon on Adak. We have had them on 5 out of 7 May trips, but always only 2 to 4 birds. So it is unusual that a pair was still here today.

Northern Shovelers, Sweeper Channel, May 29, 2014.

We would rate this a “very good” trip, not a great one.

We added two new birds to our Adak list — Lesser Scaup and Tundra Swan (three, if you count Bewick’s Swan as a full species). We saw two new whales — Sperm and Hump-backed. The number of Tufted Ducks — at least 8 — was rewarding.

We haven’t seen a breeding-plumage Ruff in many years, so the black-and-rufous Ruff was a treat.

Best of all were the two Bristle-thighed Curlews, up-close-and-personal! Our previous experience with this species was very unsatisfying. This one was great!

Although the number of waterfowl (swans, geese, ducks, loons, and grebes) was a new record for us, the other categories were down. No falcons, no non-native passerines (even North American strays!), no Asian shorebirds — except the Ruff.

Species seen by other birders while we were there, but missed by us, include Gyrfalcon, Short-eared Owl, Horned Grebe, Surf Scoter, and a possible Common Merganser/Goosander.

I will update our trip list in a few days and it will be available under the Birding Adak link at my website www.FranklinHaas.com. (as well as general birding info on Adak)

We will be headed back in September.

Temp in the 40s, overcast, 15-20 SW wind

Elliot (our landlord) wanted to see what this birding was like, so we took him along this morning. Unfortunately for us, the birding was very poor. Fortunately for Elliot, some common birds were close and afforded nice views. We enjoyed his company and enthusiasm and he enjoyed the experience as well. We discussed a lot of the ins and outs of birding and some things that would attract more birders to Adak (better vehicles, a boat to go out and see the auklets, etc.).

We only found one Tufted Duck today and the two godwits were still here, but no curlews.

No new birds today, but I got another up-close-and-personal shot of an Aleutian Tern. They have never been so cooperative and their numbers seem way up from our experience.

Aleutian Tern, Clam Lagoon, May 27, 2014.

The UXO (unexploded ordnance) teams have been working out near the Loran Station, so our access has been limited. So today, we decided to try going out there after they had quit for the day (and stopped blowing things up!). We drove out there around 7:30 and discovered that all of the seabirds had gone to bed! We saw one gull and two eagles. No puffins, no cormorants, no terns, no other gulls, no ducks, no ravens. And certainly no pelagics. I don’t think we will try that strategy again.

List stuck at 61.

Curlew redux!

Temp in the 40s, mostly overcast, winds southwest increasing to 10-20 mph, occasional drizzle.

We set out today with high expectations after yesterday’s windfall. However, it was not to be.

No new birds, but as we were driving south along the Seawall, Barb spotted the two Bar-tailed Godwits that had been on the Clam Lagoon mud flats. They were finally close enough for a photo.

Bar-tailed Godwits, Clam Lagoon Seawall, May 26, 2014.

We continued down towards Candlestick Bridge. A Tufted Duck was back with the scaup on Lake Shirley. Lake Ronnie just had a bunch of Red-breasted Mergansers and scaup.

On the way back up the Seawall, Barb spotted two large shorebirds flying into the escarpment. She exclaimed “godwits!” By the time I looked in that direction, the birds had disappeared. But suddenly, two birds took off from there and I quickly got on them. I exclaimed “curlews!” Then, as quickly they were joined by the godwits and they all flew onto the beach just up from us. I hopped out of the car in hopes of catching the curlews in flight for a nice diagnostic rump-and-tail shot. However, they were not concerned with me standing on top of the Seawall taking their picture and just continued casually walking and feeding along the beach. We waited about 20 minutes to no avail. But I did get some more nice photos, including one with much of the tail exposed.

Bristle-thighed Curlew and Bar-tailed Godwit, Clam Lagoon Seawall, May 26, 2014.

Bristle-thighed Curlew showing the diagnostic rufous-barred tail, Clam Lagoon Seawall, May 26, 2014.

We continued around Clam Lagoon. We stopped at the west side flats overlook and I walked out the peninsula. The two Sanderlings were still there, but that was all.

While I was out there, a passing driver stopped and advised Barb that one of our tires was going flat! He graciously drove into town and notified our landlord (Elliot), who sent someone (Dustin) out to rescue us. After struggling with two jacks that didn’t want to work right, we finally managed to change the tire and move on.

While we were waiting for Dustin to arrive, a couple of pairs of Parasitic Jaegers were cavorting on the flats. One pair stayed long enough to be photographed.

Parasitic Jaegers, Clam Lagoon, May 26, 2014.

Three more days to go.

When it comes to shorebirds, quality is more important than quantity…

Temp in the 40s, mostly cloudy, south winds, occasional drizzle.

The change in the weather has brought a change in the birds.

Still three Tufted Ducks on the Airport pond — the only ones we found today. Nothing much else in the southern end, so we headed north to Clam Lagoon. Two Bar-tailed Godwits were on the flats.

On the peninsula, two Sanderlings (different than the ones I had last week) brightened my day.

Sanderlings, Clam Lagoon, May 25, 2014.

At Shotgun Lake, a lingering pair of Buffleheads afforded me a photo-op.

Bufflehead, Shotgun Lake, May 25, 2014.

We drove around to the Seawall and had three Ruddy Turnstones and a couple of Pacific Loons. The number of Black Oystercatchers has increased, with multiple sightings each day now. At Candlestick Bridge we found an Arctic Loon.

On the way back by the Seawall, just as the road drops down to a lower level, I saw two large shorebirds sitting atop the rocks, maybe thirty feet away. At first glance, I assumed they were the two godwits from the flats, but I was quickly disabused of that thought when I saw the long curved bills. My next thought was Whimbrel, but Barb thought they looked too buffy. It turned out Barb was correct. They were Bristle-thighed Culews!

We had seen a Bristle-thighed Curlew back in 2007, when one was found by another tour group. It was way out on one of the rocky outcrops off shore. Although it could be identified, it was hardly satisfying. These guys were more like it!

Bristle-thighed Curlew, Seawall, May 25, 2014. (One-legged variety)

Bristle-thighed Curlew, Seawall, May 25, 2014. (two-legged variety)

Bristle-thighed Curlew, Seawall, May 25, 2014. What a schnoz!

We continued around the lagoon and stopped at the south overlook to scan the flats again. The two godwits were still there. Barb saw another shorebird and pointed me in the right direction, I quickly saw that it was a Ruff — a black one. Male Ruffs come in a variety of colors — this one was mostly black and rufous. The namesake ruff around its neck gives these birds a very peculiar shape.

Ruff, Clam Lagoon, May 25, 2014.

Ruff, Clam Lagoon, May 25, 2014.

Ruff, Clam Lagoon, May 25, 2014.

We bid farewell to John’s group as they headed off to Attu. We wish them well.

Our trip list is now at 61. More to come.

Temp in the 40s, overcast, occasional drizzle.

There are a lot of birds coming to the feeders, but still no Asian vagrants.

The swan is still present as are five Tufted Ducks and three Bar-tailed Godwits.

At Clam Lagoon a couple of eider were cooperative.

Common Eiders, Clam Lagoon, May 23, 2014.

We found three Ruddy Turnstones at the Breaches.

Ruddy Turnstone, The Breaches, May 23, 2014.

At the Seawall, we saw an odd shaped bird flying by and quickly realized it was a cormorant carrying nesting material.

Cormorant with nesting material, Seawall, May 23, 2014.

The number of Greater Scaup at Lake Shirley keeps increasing. Two of the Tufted Ducks remain there and today they were joined by a Common Goldeneye.

Greater Scaup, Lake Shirley, May 23, 2014.

On the way back around Clam Lagoon, a flock of Aleutian Terns put on a show.

Aleutian Tern, Clam Lagoon, May 23, 2014.

Aleutian Terns, Clam Lagoon, May 23, 2014.

Aleutian Tern, Clam Lagoon, May 23, 2014.

Our trip list stands at 58 and the weather is changing, which bodes well.

One week down, one to go…

Temp in the 40s, overcast (mostly), moderate NE wind.

Today was our first all-day overcast (except for a few fleeting breaks of sunshine mid-afternoon). The weatherman is still predicting a break in the system this weekend.

The Bewick’s Swan is all alone again — the second swan having left overnight.

At Contractor’s Camp Marsh, we had one Least Sandpiper and a Common Snipe was displaying.

There are still at least five Tufted Ducks here. No sign of the Smew today.

At Lake Shirley, a flock of 14 Cackling Geese flew over.

Cackling Geese, Lake Shirley, May 22, 2014.

At the Seawall, we spotted an Oldsquaw for our trip list. This makes 25 species of waterfowl this trip — a new high for us.

We went up to North Lake (which is north of Clam Lagoon) and Barb took a nice shot of the lagoon.

Clam Lagoon — Seawall on the left, Zeto Point far center, Candlestick Bridge just right of Zeto Point, May 22, 2014.

Sundays and Thursdays are airplane days, so some people left and new ones arrived. The tour group that was here departed — but not before flushing a Short-eared Owl up at the marsh just before rushing to the airport! John Pushock and most of his tour group arrived to spend a few days birding Adak before taking a boat to Attu. They will be leaving on Sunday and then we will be the only birders on Adak until we leave on Thursday. But for now, we still have extra eyes searching for birds.

The trip list is at 57.

Temp in the 40s, mostly sunny, moderate northeast wind.

There were a few more birds in Sweeper Cove this morning than lately, including these Marbled and Ancient murrelets.

Marbled Murrelets, Sweeper Cove, May 21, 2014.

Ancient Murrelet, Sweeper Cove, May 21, 2014.

We went up to Haven Lake, and lo and behold, the other swan had returned! We had seen only one swan there since Sunday. However, the new swan today had some yellow on its bill, unlike the swan that was there last week! Could he have acquired that amount of yellow in five days? Or is this a new swan? Compare the photos.

Tundra Swan, Haven Lake, May 15, 2014.

Tundra Swan, Haven Lake, May 21, 2014.

Up at Contractor’s Camp Marsh, Barb found two Pacific Golden-Plovers while I was walking the marsh. Thankfully, they remained long enough for me to see them as well.

Pacific Golden-Plover, Contractor’s Camp Marsh, May 21, 2014.

There were very few birds off the seawall, so we headed up to Zeto Point to look for the Smew on Lake Ronnie. On one of the ponds on the road up the hill, A Tufted Duck was with some scaup. (I know, I know, enough with the Tufted Ducks already! Well, we LIKE Tufted Ducks. So there!)

Tufted Duck and Greater Scaup, near Zeto Point, May 21, 2014.

Frank decided to climb the hill overlooking Lake Ronnie to see if it was a better vantage point than the one we usually use. It wasn’t. Although it might have been a hair closer to the lake, it was so much higher as to actually be farther away. Here is a shot of Frank up on the bluff looking down at the lake.

Frank (upper left of hillside) looking for Smew on Lake Ronnie, May 21, 2014.

At least Frank got a nice shot of what the weather has been like this past week.

Mount Moffet seen from Zeto Point, May 21, 2014.

We did not see the Smew today. It could have been sleeping on shore somewhere or left.

We headed back to town to check on feeders and found at least one uninvited guest.

Norway Rat, Adak, May 21, 2014.

The tour group that is here went out for auklets on the Puck Uk, the boat that will be leaving for Attu on Sunday. They had great views of Whiskered Auklets, Laysan Albatrosses, and sundry other birds. They said it was a great excursion.

The weatherman says this system is not expected to break until the weekend, so we will continue looking for fair-weather birds…

Next trip we are packing sunblock!

Temp in the 40s, mostly cloudy until late afternoon, then sunny, moderate E to NE winds.

All of the feeders that we set up (which means throwing seed on the ground under various spruce trees) are active now, with Gray-crowned Rosy Finches, Song Sparrows, and Lapland Longspurs visiting them regularly. This activity should attract any passing Asian vagrants.

The swan is still present as are six Tufted Ducks (in various locations).

On the way up to Clam Lagoon, we spotted two Arctic Loons at the Palisades Overlook.

Arctic Loon, Palisades Overlook, May 20, 2014.

We headed up to Lake Ronnie to try to get a better view of the Smew. We parked and walked up to the bluff overlooking the lake. I spotted the Smew, but it immediately took off. Barb did not get on it. However, it returned a few minutes later and we both got very good views in the Questar — and distant photos.

Smew, Lake Ronnie, May 20, 2014.

Although the Wandering Tattler was at the same spot when we drove by to get to Lake Ronnie, it was not there on our return.

Frank walked up to scan the sound from the Breaches, but didn’t find anything.

Frank at the Breaches, May 20, 2014.

We stopped at Contractor’s Camp Marsh and had our first Pacific Golden-Plover of the trip.

Our trip list stands at 55. Our average May trip list has been 63. Our records show that most of the shorebirds and passerines show up in the last ten days of May — which starts now! So we expect more species ahead…