I thought I would include photos of some of the birds I observed this spring and summer.  The birds arrived early, and some in turn left early (like Tree Swallows).  There has been heartaches (window strikes, death of a nesting crane and its eggs) and joys (young birds feeding in the yard, waiting for parents to bring food, chasing each other around).   Enjoy!

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White-crowned Sparrow (Kotzebue, Alaska)

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Hoary Redpolls (Kotzebue, Alaska)

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Killdeer (Kotzebue, Alaska)

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Red-necked Phalarope (Kotzebue, Alaska)

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Yellow-rumped Warbler (near Tok, Alaska)

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Mew Gull (near Tern Alaska, Kenai Peninsula, Alaska)

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Destroyed Sandhill Crane egg (Homer Alaska)

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Belted Kingfisher (near Anchor River Mouth, Kenai Peninsula, Alaska)

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Mew Gull Tree Ornaments (Eagle Lake, near Homer Alaska)

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Sandhill Crane (near Homer, Alaska)

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American Dipper (North Fork of Anchor River, near Homer Alaska)

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Bonaparte’s Gull (Anchor Point beach, Kenai Peninsula, Alaska)

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Golden-crowned Sparrow (near Homer, Alaska)

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Greater Yellowlegs (Eagle Lake, near Homer Alaska)

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Mew Gull chick (Eagle Lake near Homer Alaska)

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Glaucous-winged Gull (Homer Spit, Homer Alaska)

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Lincoln’s Sparrow (Diamond Creek Road, near Homer Alaska)

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Hermit’s Thrush (Diamond Creek Road, near Homer Alaska)

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Savannah Sparrow (Eagle Lake, near Homer, Alaska)

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Black Turnstone, Surfbird, and immature Glaucous-winged Gull (Anchor Point Beach, Kenai Peninsula, Alaska)

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Common Murre rack (Gull Island, Kachemak Bay, Alaska)

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Semi-palmated Plover (Louie’s Lagoon, Homer Spit, Homer, Alaska)

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Least Sandpiper (Louie’s Lagoon, Homer Spit, Homer Alaska)

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Tree Swallow chicks (near Homer Alaska)

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Sandhill Crane (near Homer Alaska)

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American Robin chick (near Homer Alaska)

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Male Pine Gosbeak (near Homer, Alaska)

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Cliff Swallow (Tetlin NWR Visitor Center, Alaska)

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While the Cliff Swallows built mud nests on the eve of buildings, the Bank Swallows build their nests – where else – in banks.

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Juvenile Bald Eagle (Pickhandle Lake, Yukon Territory, Canada)

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Bonaparte’s Gull (black head) and Mew Gull

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Merlin at Eagle Lake

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Goldeneye sp. Hatch Year Bird – Eagle Lake

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Wandering Tattler along the rocks near the Deep Water Dock

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Steller’s Jay stuffing its crop with corn. I wonder how many whole kernels of corn it can hold?  Jack counted 20 during one foray.

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Semi-palmated Plover at Mud Bay

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Song Sparrow among the rocks near the Deep Water Dock

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Rock Sandpiper at Anchor River – in the summertime no less

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Female Merganser swimming in the Anchor River

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Same Merganser sitting on a log deciding whether I am a threat or not (NOT – but the bird didn’t know that).

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Rusty Blackbird at Eagle Lake in late August

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Northwestern Crow at the Anchor Point beach

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Sandhill Cranes flying into Beluga Slough on the last Sandhill Crane population count day (Homer, Alaska).

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One of 17 Sandhill Crane Colts at Beluga Slough on September 8 – the last population count day for Kachemak Crane Watch

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Black-capped Chickadee hoping there might be some sunflower seeds on a feeder at our house – no such luck

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Belted Kingfisher on a wire above a wetland just outside of Copper Center, Alaska

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Juvenile Golden-crowned Sparrow at Eveline SRS on 16 September 16

I hope you enjoyed this year’s spring and summer birds as much as I did.

IT WAS A GREAT SUMMER TO BIRD