2019 was an okay year for me. I saw a total of 155 birds in Alaska and 5 of those were new for my Alaska list. With those 5 new birds my Alaska list is now up to 206.
On April 30 I was walking out to check the mail when I looked up and saw a fairly large light colored raptor circling over head. I was pretty sure it was an Osprey, so I ran back into the house and got my camera. It was still circling when I came back out, so I was able to get some photos of it. A couple of days later I was down at the park and saw another Osprey. I got some photos of it as it flew over head.
On May 2 I was down at the park and saw a group of Hudsonian Godwits. While I was down there, I saw several more groups fly by. In total I saw 45 Hudsonian Godwits, which is the most I have ever seen.
On May 5 I was down at the lake seeing what was down there. While I was there I noticed a swallow that appeared browner than the rest of them. I stayed there for a while trying to get photos of it; eventually it landed on a power line, and I was able to get better photos of it. I decided that it was a Northern Rough-winged swallow.
On August 18 I went to the muskegs at the base of Gavan Hill to see if I could get better photos of a Solitary Sandpiper that I had seen briefly a couple of days prior. I found and photographed the Solitary Sandpiper some more.
On August 19 Dad, Rowan and I were up the back side of Verstovia with a friend. While we were up there, I noticed that several Ravens were harassing an eagle up by the peak. There were several other eagles up there, but this one appeared to be the only one that was being harassed very much. After I took some photos of it, I decided that is was a Golden Eagle.
On October 11 I was walking down Indian River road when I noticed a big flock of ravens. That was not all that unusual around here, but as I looked to see if there was something other than a raven in the group, I noticed that they were harassing a hawk. I was able to get some photos of the hawk and realized that it was a Rough-legged Hawk.
On November 29 Dad got a report of a Black-billed Magpie over at Alice island, so we headed over there. After looking for it for a while, we finally saw it and got some photos of it.
On December 28 after I had gotten done walking my routes for the morning for the Christmas bird count, Grams got a call from Dad and while they were talking Dad said there were Gray-crowned Rosy-finches out past Whale Park. Grams and I went out there so I could go there for them. I found them after I got out there and was able to get some photos of them.
