Category Archives: Rarity

Anchorage Area Rarity – Falcated Duck – May 3, 2019

Posted on by May 5, 2019

Location: Potters Marsh – South Pullout (61.0559178, -149.7986537) – Anchorage, AK

First Seen: May 3, 2019

Last Seen:  May 4, 2019

Discovered by:  First observed, positively ID’ed, and reported by Bill T.  Later confirmed and further reported by Tasha D..  Seen by numerous other birders including Andrew F., Scott S., Eric Y., and Keith C.  Last seen by Enric F. and pretty much the rest of Anchorage.

Relative Rarity:  The first ever record for Anchorage and for mainland Alaska!

… Read the rest

Anchorage Area Rarity – Eastern Kingbird – August 8, 2018

Posted on by October 4, 2018

Location:  Campbell Creek Estuary Natural Area (61.131911, -149.964865) – Anchorage, AK

First Seen:  August 8, 2018

Last Seen:  August 16, 2018

Discovered by:  First observed, positively ID’ed, and reported by Hannah V..  Seen and later confirmed by Andrew F, W Keys. Enric F., Tim S., and Eric Y. Seen by numerous other birders including Louann F. and Keith C.  Last seen by Nick H.

Relative Rarity:  First ever record for Anchorage!  Looks like about ten (10) other records across Alaska including the Pribilofs in 1978, 1987, 2007, and 2016, Kodiak in 1991, Anchor Point in 2013, Valdez in 2018, Deadhorse in 2000,  and Barrow in 2006 and 2014!

… Read the rest

Anchorage Area Rarity – Sharp-tailed Grouse – December 16, 2017

Posted on by February 27, 2018

Location:  999-906 Stolt Lane (62.213094, -149.915536) – Anchorage, AK

First Seen:  December 16, 2017

Last Seen:  February 13, 2018

Discovered by:  First observed, positively ID’ed, and reported by Michael W (visiting Anchorage CBC birder)..  Seen and later confirmed by Andrew F, W Keys. Enric F., Tim S., and Eric Y. Seen by numerous other birders including Louann F. and Keith C.  Last seen by Jamin T.

Relative Rarity:  First ever record for Anchorage…and on Christmas Bird Count Day no less!

… Read the rest

Anchorage Area Rarity – Ruff – September 24, 2017

Posted on by October 8, 2017

Location:  Point Campbell Park mudflats – Anchorage, AK

First Seen:  September 24, 2017

Last Seen:  September 24, 2017

Discovered by:  First observed, positively ID’ed, and reported by Peter S..  Seen and later confirmed by Enric F., Tim S., and Eric Y. Seen by numerous other birders including Brad B., Andrew F., and Keith C.  Last seen by Andrew F.

Relative Rarity:  Very rare for Anchorage with three (3) other prior records (according to the eBird database).  Looks like a mixture of summer and fall records in 2002 (summer), 2007 (summer), and now 2017 (fall).  This was the only photographed record of the three (3) total records for Anchorage.  A few other records exist for south central Alaska on Middleton Island, the Moose River on the Kenai Peninsula, and on the Kenai River flats.… Read the rest

Anchorage Area Rarity – Sabine’s Gull – July 29, 2017

Posted on by August 12, 2017

Location:  Between Chester Creek mouth and Lynn Ary Park (mudflats) – Anchorage, AK

First Seen:  July 29, 2017

Last Seen:  August 2, 2017 (continuing as of this date at Lynn Ary Park)

Discovered by:  First observed, positively ID’ed, and reported by Declan T..  Seen and confirmed by Enric F., W. Keys, and Eric Y. Seen by numerous other birders including Tim S., Lynn B., and Keith C.  Last seen by Lynn B.

Relative Rarity:  Almost annual lately in Anchorage with generally one reported annually the last few years. According to the eBird database, six (6) prior records in Anchorage…mostly in early to late fall in 2004, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2015, and 2016.

… Read the rest

Anchorage Area Rarity – Emperor Goose – April 15, 2017

Posted on by August 12, 2017

Location:  Loussac Library (east side) – Anchorage, AK

First Seen:  April 15, 2017

Last Seen:  May 3, 2017 (continuing as of this date at Tina Lake near Dowling Road)

Discovered by:  First observed, positively IDed, and reported by Bob P..  Seen, confirmed, and further by Buzz S.  Seen by numerous other birders including Keith C.                                                                            Declan T, Gary R., Julie C, Larry R.

Relative Rarity:  Accidental in Anchorage.  According to the eBird database, one (1) prior record in Anchorage in late April/early May of 2002.

… Read the rest

Anchorage Area Rarity – House Finch – March 25, 2017

Posted on by August 12, 2017

Location:  365 Gold Avenue – Girdwood, AK

First Seen:  March 25, 2017

Last Seen:  April 1, 2017 (continuing as of this date)

Discovered by:  First observed, positively IDed, and reported by Thede T.  Seen, confirmed, and photographed by wkeys.  Later even that that and in subsequent days seen by numerous other birders.

Relative Rarity:  First ever record for Anchorage!  About eight (8) other records in Alaska, all of those in the South-east Alaska Region.


… Read the rest

Anchorage Area Rarity – Hawfinch – March 2, 2017

Posted on by April 3, 2017

Location:  Two locations in the same Hillside neighborhood:  1st Location:  Metz Court, 2nd Location:  Park Hills Drive – Anchorage, AK

First Seen:  February 28, 2017

Last Seen:  April 3, 2017 (continuing as of this date)

Discovered by:  Neighborhood resident.  First observed, positively ID’ed, photographed, and reported by Enric F.  Later seen, confirmed, and photographed by numerous other birders.

Relative Rarity:  First ever record for Anchorage or south-central Alaska for that matter!  Very rare for mainland Alaska with just a few eBird records from the Nome area in 2009. Casual in western and south-western Alaska with “two handfuls” of records from Attu, Adak, Gambell, St. Paul, Buldir Island, and Shemya Island.

… Read the rest

Anchorage Area Rarity – Franklin’s Gull – May 23, 2016

Posted on by August 12, 2017

Location:  Mouth of Ship Creek – Anchorage, AK2016-franklins-gull

First Seen:  May 23, 2016

Last Seen:  May 24, 2016

Discovered by:  First observed, positively IDed, and reported by David S.  Later seen, confirmed, and photographed by Aaron B., Enric F. Keith C. Tim S., and a few others.

Relative Rarity:  Less than annual in Anchorage.  About seven (7) other records in Anchorage in the last 35 years or so.  Also observed in 1981, 2001, 2005, 2009, 2012. (source is the eBird database).

2016-franklins-gull
… Read the rest

Anchorage Area Rarity – Black Oystercatcher – May 7, 2016

Posted on by August 12, 2017

150526-black-oystercatcher

Location:  First observed at Carr-Gottstein Park – Anchorage, AK on May 7, 2016, later observed at Spenard – Anchorage, AK on May 26, 2016.  Possibly the same bird?

First Seen:  May 7, 2016

Last Seen:  May 26, 2016

Discovered by:  First observed, positively IDed, and reported by Keith C at Carr-Gottstein Park on May 7, 2016.  Later observed, positively IDed, and reported by Aaron B., Enric F. wkeys, Beth F., Lynn B.., and a few others at the Audubon Bench near the outlet of Chester Creek.

Relative Rarity:  Less than annual in Anchorage.  No other records in Anchorage according to the eBird database, although there are reportedly “one or two” other records by those who don’t utilize the eBird database.… Read the rest

Anchorage Area Rarity – Red-winged Blackbird – January 28, 2016

Posted on by November 6, 2016

Location:  Spenard – Anchorage, AK

First Seen:  January 28, 2016

Last Seen:  February 26, 2016

Discovered by:  First observed, positively IDed, reported, and photographed by Aaron Bowman.

Relative Rarity:  Seems just about “almost” annual in Anchorage.  About fourty’ish (40’ish) other records in Anchorage in the last 30 years or so.  Also observed in 1977, 1979, 1989, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015 (source is the eBird database).  Almost not worth including as a rarity at all?

2016-red-winged-blackbird… Read the rest

Anchorage Area Rarity – Black-backed Woodpecker – December 19, 2015

Posted on by November 6, 2016

Location:  The U-Med District – Anchorage, AK

First Seen:  December 19, 2015 (during the Anchorage 2015 Christmas Bird Count)

Last Seen:  December 19, 2015 (during the Anchorage 2015 Christmas Bird Count)

Discovered by:  First observed by Julie Confer, positively IDed, reported, and photographed by Keith Confer.

Relative Rarity:  Less than annual in Anchorage.  About eleven (11) other records in Anchorage in the last 20 years or so.  Also observed in 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2013, and 2014.  (source is the eBird database)

151219 - Anchorage - Black-backed Woodpecker… Read the rest

Anchorage Area Rarity – Snowy Owl

Posted on by November 6, 2016

Location:  The Turnagain Neighborhood – Anchorage, AK

First Seen:  November 08, 2015

Last Seen:  November 08, 2015

Discovered by:  First observed, positively IDed, reported, and graciously hosted by Judith Haggar and W. Keys.

Relative Rarity:  Two prior records in Anchorage with one in September of 1998 and another in October of 1994.  One other prior record in south-central, Alaska in Cordova in 2004.  No other prior records in Alaska north of Juneau.  (source is the eBird database)

151108 - Snowy Owl - 2… Read the rest

Anchorage Area Rarity – Costa’s Hummingbird

Posted on by November 6, 2016

Location:  The Turnagain Neighborhood – Anchorage, AK

First Seen:  October 30, 2015

Last Seen:  November 03, 2015 (but still ongoing)

Discovered by:  First observed, positively IDed, reported, and graciously hosted by Judith Haggar and W. Keys.

Relative Rarity:  Two prior records in Anchorage with one in September of 1998 and another in October of 1994.  One other prior record in south-central, Alaska in Cordova in 2004.  No other prior records in Alaska north of Juneau.  (source is the eBird database)

Costa's Hummingbird

Costa’s Hummingbird

Anchorage Area Rarity – Palm Warbler

Posted on by November 6, 2016

Location:  Cuddy Park – Anchorage, AK

First Seen:  October 18, 2015

Last Seen:  October 21, 2015

Discovered by:  First observed, positively IDed, and reported by Aaron Lang.  Also another observed, positively IDed, and reported by Aaron Bowman out at Kincaid Park on October 18, 2015.

Relative Rarity:  Getting to be nearly annual in Anchorage!  Previous Anchorage records in October of 2013, October of 2012.  Also another seen by Aaron Bowman on the very same day (even a little earlier than this particular bird) out at Kincaid Park in 2015.  Two Palm Warblers in Anchorage on the very same day!….One more year and it might not make it to this list!

Palm Warbler

Palm Warbler

Anchorage Area Rarity – Black-headed Grosbeak

Posted on by November 6, 2016

Location:  Near the intersection of the Old Seward Highway and Rabbit Creek Road – Anchorage, AK

First Seen:  October 16, 2015

Last Seen:  October 19, 2015

Discovered by:  Kim Behrens who relayed the information to Aaron Bowman for a positive ID.

Relative Rarity:  One prior record from the Anchorage area in 2012.  Saw and DOCUMENTED by only TWO other people.

Black-headed Grosbeak

Black-headed Grosbeak

Anchorage Area Rarity – Hooded Merganser

Posted on by November 6, 2016

Location:  Anchorage, AK – Spenard Crossing (East Chester)

First Seen:  October 15, 2015 by Aaron Bowman

Last Seen:  October 15, 2015

Discovered by: Aaron Bowman

Relative Rarity:  Almost annual occurrence in Anchorage, Alaska…perhaps bi-annual.  Previous reports in the early summer and then again fall of 2014, the fall of 2013, the fall of 2011, the fall of 2008, the fall of 2004, and the fall of 1979.

Seems like the fall has it!  Spring or fall, it’s a regal bird!

Anchorage Area Rarity – Anna’s Hummingbird

Posted on by November 6, 2016
Anna's Hummingbird

Anna’s Hummingbird

 

Location:  Anchorage, AK – Turnagain Neighborhood

First Seen:  October 3, 2015 by Thede Tobish, subsequently re-discovered by Judith Haggar and W. Keys on October 7, 2015

Last Seen:  October 9, 2015

Discovered by:  Thede Tobish, subsequently re-discovered by Judith Haggar and W. Keys

Relative Rarity:  Less than annual occurrence in south-central, Alaska

Anchorage Area Rarity – Red Phalarope

Posted on by November 6, 2016
Red Phalarope

Red Phalarope

Location:  Anchorage, AK – Lake Hood

First Seen:  September 28, 2015 but not positively identified by Aaron Bowman,
 subsequently re-found by W. Keys and seen by many on September 30, 2015

Last Seen:  September 30, 2015

Discovered by:  Aaron Bowman and W.Keys

Relative Rarity:  Probably the third report in Anchorage ever.

Anchorage Area Rarity – Pacific Wren

Posted on by November 6, 2016
Pacific Wren

Pacific Wren

Location:  Portage Valley, AK – Williwaw Salmon viewing area about 45 miles south of Anchorage.

First Seen:  July 27, 2015

Last Seen:  August 25, 2015

Discovered by:  Aaron Bowman

Relative Rarity:  Locally rare in the Anchorage municipality with reports of two birds in 2013 and one report of one bird in 2012.  Potentially under reported in the Anchorage area and 2015 seems a banner year with quite a few reports.