Highlights Of The 2017 Birding Season

These are the highlights from the 2017 birding season in Sitka.  It was my best year for birds, with a total of 149 birds photographed in 2017. Of which 15 were new for my Alaska state bird list. I now have 185 on my Alaska list, it’s not the 200 I was hoping to have by the end of the year but it’s still pretty good.

 

Western-Screech Owl

On March 8, dad, Rowan and I went out to Starrigavan with a spotlight I had just gotten. We drove down a logging road and parked in a little parking lot. We whistled for the owls to see if any would respond. After a short time we heard a couple respond, and after a while of looking for them we found one and took some photos of it.

 

Virginia Rail

On March 11, I got up and headed to the upper end of Swan Lake where a Virginia rail- that had been caught by a cat but then released- was hanging out. I had been going up there and looking for it for almost a week. I had seen it pretty much every time I had gone, but I was unable to get any photos of it. This time I was prepared to sit and wait for it for along time. Thankfully I only need to wait for 10 minutes before it showed up and I was able to get some photos of it.

 

Iceland Gull (kumlieni)

On April 19, I went down to the park and looked through the gulls and was able to find a Iceland gull (kumlieni) in amongst all the Iceland gull (thayeri).

 

Violet-Green Swallow

On May 2, I got a text from dad saying that there was a Cliff swallow down at Swan Lake. I got ready and went down there. When I got down there I saw a Violet-Green swallow, and got some photos of it.

 

Cliff Swallow

On May 2, I went down to the lake because dad had sent me a text saying that there was a Cliff swallow at the lake. I went down there and got some photos of it.

 

Swainson’s Hawk

On May 3, I went down to the lake to see if the rare swallows that had been down there the day before were still down there. When I got there I saw the swallows that I was looking for. While I was taking photos of the swallows I noticed a raptor that looked funny, circling over the tops of the trees on the other side of the lake. I took some photos of it then texted dad. When I got home I looked it up in the bird book. I decided it looked most like a Swainson’s hawk but those were rare for the state, and I had not gotten very good photos of it. I put the photos up on inaturalist and a lot of people- that had more experience with Swainson’s hawks- agreed that it was a Swainson’s hawk.

 

Pacific Golden Plover

On May 6, I went down to the park, and was told that there were some Golden plovers out at the end of the park. I went out there and got some photos of them I let dad know, and when I got back I looked in the book and saw that they were Pacific Golden Plovers.

 

Willow Ptarmigan

On May 16, I went up the backside of Verstovia with a friend, while we were up there I saw my first Willow Ptarmigan.

 

Western Wood-Pewee

On August 2, dad, Rowan and I went up to picnic rock on Verstovia. While we were up there I noticed a flycatcher on the top of one of the trees up there. I  told dad and I took some photos of it. When I got home I saw that it was a Western Wood-pewee.

 

 

Rock Ptarmigan

On September 2, dad, Rowan and I went up Bear Mountain. While we were up there I saw some Rock Ptarmigan. It was my favorite hike of the year!

 

Vaux’s Swift

On September 5, I was on my way down to the Park when I looked up and saw some swifts flying over head. I got my camera out and took some photos of them. When I got home I saw that they were Vaux’s Swifts.

 

Western Tanager

On September 18, I was fishing for salmon, when dad stopped by and told me that there was a Western Tanager down the road. I packed up headed down the road and looked for it. I found it shortly after I got there and got some photos of it.

 

Dusky Thrush

On December 1, I was sitting on the porch waiting for a rat, when I got a text from dad saying there was a funny looking bird down at Crescent harbor. Rowan and I went down there and saw the bird and took some photos of it. It turned out to be a Dusky Thrush. It hung around that area for about a week.

Ruddy Duck

On December 14, I went down to the lake to try and get better photos of the Ruddy Duck I had found the day before. It was down there and I was able to get better photos.

Purple Finch

On December 18, I was walking the neighborhoods around place on my way to the park, when I saw a Purple finch. There had been one hanging around the neighborhoods for about a month, I had seen it a couple of times but this time got my best photos of it.