Back to Adak!

My flights to Anchorage yesterday were on time and today’s flight also.

In Anchorage yesterday afternoon, I did a quick spin around Lake Hood.

As usual, the Red-throated Loon was in attendance.

The rest of the waterfowl were as expected, also.

This morning, I ran up to Arctic Valley, where a Hermit Thrush actually came out into the open…

At Ship Creek, I had a nice Hudsonian Godwit (only my second for my Alaska list).

Also, from Ship Creek, I saw a Whimbrel feeding off the Coastal Trail (too far for photos). When I drove around to the trail and walked a portion of it, I could not relocate it.

At the airport, I met Amanda Damin (who is spending the next four days with me) and the tour group from High Lonesome (led by Stephan Lorenz).

When we got to Adak, we found out that the Tundra Bean Goose had not been seen for two days, but there were a nice number of Hawfinches around and a Brambling or two.

After some quick unpacking, I drove Amanda up to one of the spots the Hawfinches were being seen. After about 15 minutes or so, one flew in but kept on going, circling the area and not landing.

Amanda decided she would stake it out while I went back to assemble the new feeders I had built and shipped out to Adak.

I had gotten tired of rats eating much (if not most) of the bird seed we scattered out each day. So I went to the drawing board and designed what I hope are rat-proof feeders!

As you can see, it didn’t take long for the birds to start using it.

I assembled and filled three feeders (at Seal Drive, the Thrush Feeder, and the National Forest). I will install the last one at the Blue Buildings up at Clam Lagoon tomorrow.

As I sit here typing this, a Gray-crowned Rosy Finch just flew into the feeder that I put up outside this house.

Northwest winds are predicted for the next few days. Southwest are preferable in May, but any wind with a western vector in it is good news.

At 9:30 PM, Amanda is still out birding (the sun doesn’t go down until 10:36 today)!

I will let you know what she found in tomorrow’s post.

Today’s eBird list can be seen at https://ebird.org/checklist/S138206904