PEEP Bird Hotline

Birding & Wildlife Watching on Kachemak Bay

The most recent PEEP Bird hotline entry is below. Help plan your wildlife watching trips in the Homer area by visiting the Birder's Guide to Kachemak Bay website email PEEP(at)islandsandocean.org, or call 235-7337 (PEEP) to report or get updates on bird sightings. Check out the the guide to Responsible Marine Wildlife Viewing in Alaska. You may also purchase a Birding Hotspots Map and Guide at the Alaska Islands & Ocean Visitor Center.

Want to learn the etiquette and ethics of birding? Check out the ABA Birding Ethics.

The 17th Annual Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival is May 6-9, 2010 and the theme is Partners Around the Pacific: Common Waters, Uncommon Birds

KACHEMAK BAY BIRD ALERT INFORMATION LINE

March 7, 2010

Huge flocks of several hundred GRAY-CROWNED ROSY-FINCHES are coming to feeders on Mansfield Rd. (near McNeil Canyon School). Also many COMMON REDPOLLS are being seen in a cottonwood forest near there. Few reports of many redpolls from anywhere else so far, however.

At Seaside Farms a VARIED THRUSH, TREE SPARROW, one REDPOLL, and many PINE SISKINS were reported on the 7th. A LINCOLN’S SPARROW was reported there on the 28th. An aggressive SHARP-SHINNED HAWK was observed trying to get into a brush pile where a dozen sparrows were hiding. That must have been one hungry hawk!

A NORTHERN HAWK OWL was reported on China Poot St.

On the 4th AMERICAN ROBINS (20) and CEDAR WAXWINGS (2) reported on Rochelle St. Also in that area were DARK-EYED JUNCOS and many PINE SISKINS.

A SAW-WHET OWL was seen and photographed near Island View Court. GREAT –HORNED OWLS have been reported from many places in town including on Kachemak Drive across from Lampert Lake. Also at the east end of Kachemak Drive on the 5th an AMERICAN TREE SPARROW and an Oregon race DARK-EYED JUNCO, both males in spring plumage.

The EMPEROR GOOSE was still around on the Spit (usually near the Pier One Theater) until this last storm and hopefully is still here. Some interesting gulls reported a week ago: GLAUCOUS GULL (first year), THAYER’S GULL (first year), and HERRING GULL. Also reported on the 25th there might have been up to 5000 ROCK SANDPIPERS (plus a few DUNLIN). Question whether in the past when counting a roosting flock there might have been other roosting places which could double the 2000 total?

On the 24th a SWAN was seen flying south along Bishop’s Beach toward the Slough, but not seen again. (Possibly a swan from those wintering at the mouth of the Kenai River?)

On Knob Hill, up the North Fork Rd, many more birds are coming to feeders, COMMON REDPOLL, PINE GROSBEAKS, PINE SISKINS and DARK-EYED JUNCOS. On the South Fork of the Anchor River an AMERICAN DIPPER was seen.

We encourage you to report the sighting of any bird that you find interesting. To report a bird sighting leave the name of the bird or its description, the date, the location, and your name with a way to contact you to discuss the observation if necessary. Thanks for calling the Kachemak Bay Bird Alert Information Line and HAPPY BIRDING!

Visit the Refuge Website for information on getting to Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge or call 907-235-6546.