I went on a 2-mile walk today near the Campbell Creek Science Center, very close to our home. The day was mostly cloudy and mild in temperature (about freezing). Birds were in short supply.

After walking about a mile, I did finally see a few Common Ravens flying over, and then saw an American Dipper that was constantly diving and putting its head under water.

When I reached the Science Center, there was a small flock of Black-capped Chickadees and a Boreal Chickadee, but otherwise, I did not see or hear any other birds on the walk. It’s good that it was a nice day for a walk.

It was a very brief visit to Eagle River Nature Center today. Someone yesterday had posted sightings of White-winged Crossbills somewhere near the road to the Center, so I thought I’d bird the area and see if I could find them. Even though it was a very cloudy day, the drive there was beautiful.

At the Center itself, the parking lot was nearly full and very icy. No problem – I had my grippers on my boots. The bird feeders at the back were busy with Pine Grosbeaks, Black and Boreal Chickadees and a happy squirrel.

  

So I set off down the sloping icy trail thinking I’d take an hour or so for a walk. The first people I saw on the trail were approaching me from down the hill and having difficulty getting up the hill, even though they apparently had well-equipped boots. Soon, I was having difficulty standing in one place. The dark gravel that had been spread on the ice, instead of giving added traction, started sliding on the ice under my feet and completely interfered with the traction of my grippers.

I revised my plans and slipped and slid and inched my way back up to the Center. I watched the feeders a bit more and then slowly drove back toward Anchorage, birding on the way. So, I still need to find some White-winged Crossbills, which last year were numerous and this year are yet to be seen by me.

 

Anchorage is blessed with a multitude of natural areas and trails. Today I walked along two trails – one new to me and one that I visit as often as I can. It was a pleasant day, just below freezing and just a bit breezy in areas.

The first area that I visited was the one new to me, part of the Campbell Creek Greenbelt. The reason I visited it today was that I learned that a Northern Saw-whet Owl had been heard there a couple of times recently and I wanted to get familiar with the area before going back in the darkness (which I plan to do soon). Today there were a couple of Pine Grosbeaks, both chickadee species, and the usual noisy Black-billed Magpies and Common Ravens. And somewhere, maybe, a hidden owl.

The second site was the Campbell Creek Estuary Natural Area (across town from my first walk). While I was there the sun actually came out for a while.

Most of the same birds were present, plus Steller’s Jays. Having a few peanuts left in my pocket, I took out the bag and three jays immediately arrived. With very little hesitation, two of them were brave enough to flit on to my hand, grab a nut and zip away.

 

It is great that in a land mostly so “wild”, some of the wildlife is so tame.

 

No, I’m not really JUST waiting, but it does seem like things have slowed down considerably after the mad rush in January. So far, I am getting out to bird at least a little bit every day. Today I went to Potter Marsh, but most of the flowing water was again covered with ice and birds were mostly not around. The “goshawk tree” from Saturday was empty of birds, and instead of 8 or so Black-billed Magpies, there was one. No other bird species were seen there today.

After that I did a few errands and then checked out Cuddy Park and Spenard Crossing. At both sites there was very little open water, and the Mallards were just waiting for the forbidden handouts, as were Common Ravens and Black-billed Magpies.

 

Stay tuned – something will eventually show up that I’ll either find myself or that someone else will find and I decide to chase, if not in Anchorage, then elsewhere in the state. I’m also working up my courage to attempt to go up a mountain somewhere to look for ptarmigan. I tell myself that they are all year-round somewhere in the state so there’s no rush, but I particularly need to look for White-tailed Ptarmigan which is much less likely than the others to be easily found anywhere.

Often, if it wasn’t for yard birds, winter birding in the cold northland would be pretty bleak. Thank goodness for my yard’s Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers, Common Ravens, Black-billed Magpies, Steller’s Jays, Black-capped and Boreal Chickadees, Pine Grosbeaks and Common Redpolls (one is hidden in the picture below of the Pine Grosbeaks) today.

  

 

As I’ve been reminded the last few days, it can be a long haul between new birds in February after the winter birds and known visiting rarities have been seen. Realizing that I was unlikely to add any new year birds by watching my yard, this morning I did a circuit through selected parts of Anchorage, one of which was an area where we had a Merlin on our Christmas Bird Count. No raptors there today. Shortly afterward, however, near the intersection of Denali & 15th Streets, a MERLIN zoomed by overhead, heading south. Feeling cheered up by finally a new year-bird, even though I did not get a picture of the Merlin, I checked out the downtown area but only saw ravens, pigeons and magpies.

 

Yesterday and today I spent time not seeing the Cassin’s Finch that has been an irregular visitor in Palmer. I have not been getting enough sleep for the last month and I need to sleep. Please feel free to call me if you find a good bird.

At first the plan was to wander around the Eagle River Nature Center, which changed to a plan to bird some Palmer neighborhoods. What I did was enjoy watching some other people’s yard birds. They have the same birds that I do – Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers, Black-billed Magpies, Common Ravens, Black-capped and Boreal Chickadees, Red-breasted Nuthatches, Pine Grosbeaks and Common and Hoary Redpolls. They also have a beautiful mountain view, even closer than my mountain view. Alaska is a spectacular place to bird even if one cannot find a new bird every day.