Homer Shorebird Festival (05-03-2023)

BB and I are looking forward to our stay in Homer.  We planned our trip to coincide with the Kachemak Bay Shorebird  Festival.  I am a beginner birder, so I hope to see lots of new birds and pick up bird watching tips.  We hear Homer is an interesting place and can't wait to check it out. 

Homer, located on the southwestern side of the Kenai Peninsula and the north shore of Kachemak  Bay, is 226 miles south of Anchorage.  It's about a 4 hour drive. 

Our first Festival activity is this afternoon at 3:00. We plan to arrive in Homer around 1:00.

We are up at 6:00am.  In the midst of making coffee I hear BB exclaim "SNOW!"  Sure enough, it may be Spring but it is snowing outside!

We are packed and on our way by 7:20. We have snow showers off and on until we reach Portage.  The snow showers turn to rain showers for awhile. Then the precipitaion stops.  It is cloudy but the sun is trying to peak through the clouds.  The weather doesn't hinder our travels; however, I am disappointed that it kept us from enjoying the scenery.

We stop for coffee and bathroom break at the Kaladi  Brothers Coffee in Soldatna. 

I liked this sign.

Sitka piqued our interest in the Russian influence on Alaska.  Near Ninilchik we see a sign pointing to a turnoff for a Russian Orthodox Church. The Holy Transfiguration of Our Lord Russian Orthodox  Church is located on a bluff overlooking Cook Inlet and Ninilchik Village.  The church's onion domes and the crosses in the cemetery show the Russian influence.

We see two snowshoe hares in the cemetery.  They still have some winter white fur that needs to turn brown.

We hear a commotion high overhead and see loads of birds circling.  After a while they form a loose V and fly off.  (Tommorow we learn they are Sandhill Cranes).

We arrive at our home away from home as planned, about 1:00.  It is beautiful and comfortable with lovely views. Thank you Terri and Lee for sharing your home with us!

This is the amazing view from the front deck.

Us, happy on the front deck.

We have some time before our 3:30 Mudbay Family Walk.  We drop by the Homer Visitor Center and pick up information on local restaurants.

Look at this moose I found at the Visitor Center!  

We leave the Visitor Center and drive to the end of the Spit.  Homer Spit juts out 4.5 miles into Kachemak Bay.  The boat harbor is here so we see lots of boats.  Lots of shops and restaurants are on the Spit; however most are closed now.  We spot the famous, or infamous, Salty Dog Saloon and make a note to check it out another day. We reach the end of the Spit and park at End of the Road Park. We get out and walk down  to the beach.  I step in dog poop 💩 (thank you irresponsible dog owner) but that doesn't ruin my enjoyment of the beautiful views.

Time to head to our first bird walk. While driving to the end of the Spit we noticed bird watchers congregated at an overlook.  We have a few minutes so decide to stop.  I see lots of birds. BB and I check them out with the binoculars.  The only birds we recognize are the mallards.  There is quit a buzz going around the group about a Brant. Never heard of it however everyone seems excited.  A nice woman lets us look at it through her spotting scope. Now I know that it is a small, short legged coastal goose with a black head and neck and a small white necklace.

 The Brant

On to our first Festival activity.  We join others gathered in the parking lot at the trailhead for the Mud Bay Access Trail.  A woman approaches us and asks BB if she was at the Eagle Festival in Haines.  She recognizes BB as one who got to release an eagle!  She helped rehab and transport the eagles that were released at Haines.  She told BB that the Anchorage Daily News article about the eagles released during the Eagle Festival is on her wall at work and that she sees BB's picture every day.

 It is cold and windy walking along the water!  Two guides lead the walk.  They are knowledgeable and willing to answer questions. One of them went to VA Tech! The guides find and identify birds for us and set up spotting scopes so we can get a good look at them.  

We see these birds on the walk:

Black-bellied Plover

Western Sandpiper

Green-winged Teal

Short-billed Dowitcher

Time for dinner!  We have a large combo pizza, pepperoni, sausage, mushroom and onion at Fat Olives. It was good!  

We drive around Homer after dinner. Stop awhile at Bishops Beach and watch the water.  Drive out the Spit again and stop at the Seafarer's Memorial.  The memorial honors those who have lost their lives at sea.

It's been a great but long day.  Time for bed.

Sal