When birds are even more cute than cute, I just have to say “awww”. That was the case yesterday with my first ever view of baby Wilson’s Snipe. I was out on the Potter Marsh board walk, just having actually seen my first Alder Flycatcher of the year (I heard one some days ago).
All of a sudden as I walked along the board walk, a Wilson’s Snipe flew up from one side of the board walk, flew almost over my head, and dropped down to the other side. I snapped a few photos looking straight down on the snipe and walked on. When I came back the snipe was still there, and then out of the grasses popped two snipe youngsters that proceeded to follow the adult until they disappeared into the grass.
Other sightings there were the usual Tree Swallows flying around and sitting tamely along the board walk.
Earlier in the morning at Campbell Creek Estuary Natural Area in addition to seeing Sandhill Cranes out on the mudflats, I spotted the head of another crane out in the grassy edge of the flats, presumably a nesting crane.
After Potter Marsh, I joined Jim Hailey (who was in Anchorage from Texas, prior to heading to Nome for a TOS bird trip) to bird at a couple of other spots, including the coastal trail, where there was more cuteness in the form of a couple of two families of newly hatched Mallard ducklings.
We also went to Hood Lake, where the Red-necked Phalaropes were still around, and saw a Lesser Scaup in addition to the many Greater Scaup.
We went to Glen Alps, where spectacular views could be had of Anchorage below and the mountains beyond.
I will do another post about today’s birding. The birds were not so cute as yesterday but it was a very rewarding day anyway.
Lynn Barber's Birding Blog 