On a Lifelong Journey to Learn my Place
Bird Notes and Observations
Brown Booby at Alaska Raptor Center just before shipping out (Photo by Jen Cedarleaf)) Many folks had commented or e-mailed that they enjoyed hearing about the Brown Booby and wanted to know what happened with it, so I thought I would post one final update. Jen Cedarleaf said the bird was sent south to an … Read more
As is so often the case with unusual birds, after getting pictures the first time and being excited to have them, I found myself thinking it would be nice to try to get better ones. Perhaps with better light, closer, or in a better position (ideally all three!). I did not know if the bird … Read more
Yesterday I got a report with some photos of an unusual bird with a blue rump out along the old airport road. It was not especially cooperative, but the photos were strongly suggestive of Mountain Bluebird (at least to people who were familiar with that species, which I wasn’t so much at that time). I … Read more
Red Phase Western Screech-Owl photographed by P. Deviche and shared with permission Considered Rare in Alaska, Western Screech-Owls seem to be at least Uncommon around Sitka. Though they are infrequently seen by the general population due to their nocturnal habits, they can be heard at night (and occasionally during the day) throughout the year in … Read more
On my way back from Tlingit class this afternoon, I stopped by Swan Lake to see what might be around. The ice seems to be completely gone, but there was still some fog lingering on the surface of the lake. The male Green-winged Teal was on the peninsula, unusually tolerant for that species, but it … Read more
Mid-November is very late in the year for a Yellow Warbler to be around. When Rowan and I spent some time watching one she had spotted last week, it was very actively looking for food. It was funny to see its response to a rather large house fly (at least that’s what I’ve always called … Read more