Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Temp in the 50s, mostly cloudy, rain starting in late afternoon, Wind S 10-20 mph

The weather is finally changing. The winds are supposed to swing around to the west and get stronger the next few days. Just what we’re looking for.

The next two sightings are subject to change (gulls are not my forte)!

The fish factory has been busy all week — new boats coming in each day — so the waste outflow at the Sweeper Cove Breakwall has been attracting a lot of birds. Nothing new until today when we spotted a Herring “Vega” Gull.

 

Herring “Vega” Gull, Sweeper Cove Breakwall, Sept 26, 2018

 

Herring “Vega” Gull, Sweeper Cove Breakwall, Sept 26, 2018

Up at the Airport Creek Bridge we found a Slaty-backed Gull.

Slaty-backed Gull, Airport Creek Bridge, Sept 26, 2018

Slaty-backed Gull, Airport Creek Bridge, Sept 26, 2018

 

Slaty-backed Gull, Airport Creek Bridge, Sept 26, 2018

Jon, Jim, and I walked Clam Lagoon again this morning and found about the same as two days ago.

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Clam Lagoon, Sept 26, 2018

But the excitement of the day was at Lake Shirley, where we found a Redhead — second record for Adak. It was all the way across and in very poor light, but I got some very poor photos.

Redhead (second from right — in back), Lake Shirley, Sept 26, 2018

We hope it will hang around and give me a better photo-op.

We had 25 Sanderlings on the lagoon and the flock of 25 Cackling Geese is still hanging around.

Only one Ruddy Turnstone and no Rock Sandpipers today (although Jon and Jim had 4 turnstones).

Jon and Jim left today, so we are birding alone for the next ten days.

The trip list is 43 and the years list is 87.