[jparks]

Up here in Fairbanks any way. Unconfirmed sightings of canada geese at Creamer's field started coming in the 31st of march. Now april 5 there is about 90 to 100 hanging out. This is about 5 to 6 days earlier than normal

Our first sure sign of spring in the interior, when the geese begin to return. There is still several inches of snow on the ground but it is disappearing fast with the afternoon temps reaching into the 40's now.

The Chena river has its resident mallards hanging out with a few common mergansers and common goldeneyes

Anyother Alaska birders willing to chime in on what is going on in your area.
I would like to hear.

happy birding,

[Rufles]

A small flock of Snow Buntings just flew by my window here in Gambell. There might be other migrant species too as a large low pressure from the south blew in a few days ago.
BTW, nice photos in the other thread you posted.

[jparks]

Rufles that will be fun to hear about all you see this spring. My wife and I are headed to Adak the end of May. Hoping to see a few rare asiatic species not as many as you will get though.

Just got back from the hawk watch at mile post 118 on the glen hwy. The grand total was 451 raptors. By far the most was dark morph harlans at 321 birds. Others that came through were light & dark morph rough legs, golden eagles, 1 peregine falcon, sharp shins, goshawks and some small birds. The best hour was 108 harlans.

It was alot of fun and good people to talk to.

[jparks]

Just got back from Kodiak, Alaska. Spent one day birding the road system and saw a lot of birds. Saw my first Emperor Goose and Red-faced Cormorant. Plus a beautiful pair of Pacific Golden Plovers, along with hundreds of Harlequins and gulls. Surf, Black and White-winged Scoters, Long-tailed Ducks.

Around here in Fairbanks the Warblers and Shorebirds are starting to show up. Things are beautiful around here this year. Can't wait in two weeks we head to Adak for a birding trip for 4 days. I will take more pictures when we go there.

Anybody else around Alaska doing any birding? The Homer shorebird festival is this weekend and the shorebirds are in down there.

happy birding,

[jparks]

have arrived. I went out walking last night and was able hear and locate Townsend warblers, a gray-cheeked thrush and a northern waterthrush. The geese have moved on. Sandhill cranes are still moving through around.

We are ready to go to adak this sunday. The reports arent looking to good. The guides there say it has been one of the slower springs they remember. They have seen yellow-billed loons, smew, and hawfinch the later two being pretty real for the U.S..

good luck to everyone else looking for your own rare birds,

[jparks]

on Adak. Well actually it was too nice. Not enough low pressure and storm systems to send birds over from Asia. We did get to see aleutian terns, bar-tailed godwits, tufted duck and a few other common and not so common ducks for N. America.

The real adventure was this weekend. We got back on Thursday and I drove up to the north slope on Friday. Hit it perfect, there were hundreds of shore birds. The long list includes some new ones for my life list, more bar-tailed godwits, red knot, black-bellied plovers, yellow-billed, red-throated loon, ruddy turnstone, dulin, semipalmated, stilt, baird's, least sandpiper and the whole reason I went up there for smith's longspurs. Got lots of good pictures of them too. What a trip.

Anybody else having any fun birding in Alaska? Sound like Gambel is having another good year. From what I have heard they have had a male rustic bunting, lots of the loons and seabirds returning, a breeding plumage lesser sandplover and more. Sure would be fun to be up there.

happy birding everyone