Pied-billed Grebe observed at Swan Lake 7 June 2010.

While relaxing on a bench at Swan Lake, I happened to notice an unusual bird pop up to the surface. I wasn’t sure whether to believe it when I thought I saw a Pied-billed Grebe, but after waiting a while longer, I saw it resurface several more times and was able to confirm (and get the pictures seen here) that it was a Pied-billed Grebe. I had previously seen and photographed a Pied-billed Grebe on Swan Lake two and a half years ago. It was interesting to see the differences – this time of year the pied-bill definitely shows up much more clearly.

Like the first one I saw, this one seemed to prefer to hang out among the weeds and avoid being seen clearly. I did manage to get a couple of clear looks, but most of the time I could not find it, and when I did, it was tucked in among the pond-lily leaves. It was favoring the south side of the peninsula while I was watching it today.

Pied-billed Grebes seem to show up somewhere in Southeast Alaska each Fall. They are considered Very Rare in the Winter and Spring seasons, and only Accidental for summer. In Sitka they seem to be Very Rare Fall through Spring, but this appears to be one of a very few (perhaps the only) June (or Summer) record for Sitka.

Pied-billed Grebe observed at Swan Lake 7 June 2010.

Pied-billed Grebe observed at Swan Lake 7 June 2010.

Pied-billed Grebe observed at Swan Lake 7 June 2010.

Pied-billed Grebe observed at Swan Lake 7 June 2010.

First year male Black-headed Grosbeak seen on Hillcrest Drive, Sitka, Alaska 14 October 2007

This afternoon I was sitting where I could see out the back windows. Birds were flying by occasionally, and each time I checked closer, I saw a Varied Thrush. At one point I happened to look up and see a bird perched in an alder. It had a darkish head and orange brest, so my immediate thought was ‘another thrush’, but it only took a moment for reality to burst that thought, as I realized it did not have a dark band across its breast. My next thought was, ‘would you believe that?’ I had spent some time looking for Bramblings that were reported a couple of days ago. I was told they were pretty distinctive due to the orange coloring. I hadn’t bothered to look them up specifically, so when I saw this was an unusual bird with orange, I assumed that one of the Bramblings had showed up in my back yard. I grabbed my camera and looked out the back window but did not see it where it had been. I went outside and was able to relocate it just a few trees over. It moved around in that tree a couple of times, spent a little time preening, and appeared to eat something off of the alder branch, perhaps a small part of a branch or a bud? It was fairly high up in the tree, and I wanted to get a little better angle so I looked down to get a handle on something I was going to climb up, but when I looked back up it was gone. Shortly after that I heard a chickadee calling and several Varied Thrushes started coming up from the hill behind the house. I did not see the grosbeak again.

Black-headed Grosbeaks are considered Casual in Alaska. This is the second or third reported sighting in Sitka.

First year male Black-headed Grosbeak seen on Hillcrest Drive, Sitka, Alaska 14 October 2007

First year male Black-headed Grosbeak seen on Hillcrest Drive, Sitka, Alaska 14 October 2007

First year male Black-headed Grosbeak seen on Hillcrest Drive, Sitka, Alaska 14 October 2007

First year male Black-headed Grosbeak seen on Hillcrest Drive, Sitka, Alaska 14 October 2007

First year male Black-headed Grosbeak seen on Hillcrest Drive, Sitka, Alaska 14 October 2007