This morning began with another hot spots field trip as part of the Homer/Kachemak Bay shorebird festival, and again the leaders (Rich Kleinleder andDale Chorman) decided to go to Anchor Point. Although I was there yesterday, it’s a great spot worthy of repeated birding.
Today it wasn’t quite as birdy as yesterday but the Rhinoceros Auklet made a reappearance. New for the trip was a distant perched apparently immature Northern Goshawk. A Whimbrel stopped by to give us a look before it flew off. There were fewer Pacific Loons than yesterday, but otherwise things were fairly similar to yesterday.
Once the 3-hour field trip was over, I walked our dog who had patiently waited in my car, and started the 225 mile trip for home. I made a detour into Kenai and checked out the observing areas off Bridge Access Road. Everywhere I went, there were, as usual, Bald Eagles. At Boat Launch Road, I found four sandpipers, probably mis-identified but probably Pectoral not Baird’s Sandpipers, long bodied, seemingly black-legged, brown-chested shorebirds along the road. There were over ten Sandhill Cranes and many gulls and ducks. I also went to Cannery Road. The birds there were mainly Northern Shovelers and dowitchers.
I realized that I had to get packing for tomorrow’s Adak trip and do other chores, so I forced myself to keep driving and stop birding so much. I did stop at Turnagain Pass to walk the dog and to bird, but the only bird there was a singing Fox Sparrow.
I got home just before 5 pm. I am now about to get packing and am looking forward greatly to the Adak trip, which will be short but I hope also sweet.
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