Eagle River—June 20

So on Saturday the 18^th I talked with the Ford parts department and they were going to order a new brake controller for me.  I called to make sure that they had followed through and was told that it should be here in 3 to 5 business days.  That accomplished I followed up on the gas strut for the awning but did not get a call back.  I did a bit of birding around the campsite but there was much going on.  A little later I headed back to Anchorage to enjoy a breakfast at Snow City Café.  As usual there was a long wait so I opted to go for the counter seating.  It turned out to be a very long wait as well.  While standing there waiting I struck up a conversation with a couple of women also waiting for a seat.  As it turned out one was from Austin and both had worked for Texas Parks and & Wildlife.  The one which lives in Austin currently was a planner who designed campground for the parks system.  She now works for the Texas Land Office.  The other was a planner for the development of Estero Llano Grande SP, one of my favorites in Texas, but now lives here in Anchorage and works for the city.  We shared information as we waited and as we ate as well.  From Snow City I headed to Westchester Lagoon, one of my favorite Anchorage birding location.  Once there I discovered that it was low tide and so the action along the tidal flats was very slow.  There were however the usual species hanging out on the small island in the lagoon—Mew Gulls with young chicks already well along and in the water, lots of Hudsonian Godwits and Short-billed Dowitchers loafing on the bank of the island, and a pair of Greater Scaup taking care of a nest with the hen patiently sitting on it.   I did not see the Bald Eagle that usually nest across the lagoon, but a passing lady related the big chase that occurred the day before as many of the gulls chased the eagle off and away from their chicks.   There was also a pair of Red-necked Grebes on a floating nest nearby, a Black-billed Magpie feeding in the grassy area and overhead several Glaucous-winged Gulls flew by.  That was about all I observed today.  It is late in the season and many of the birds are busy raising their broods and will soon be on their trip back to their wintering grounds.  From here I headed to the ABC RV parts store to make sure that I got the gas strut on order.  As I suspected the factory had not returned his call and we finally made contact with the appropriate source and go the part ordered (I had him order a spare as well).  By now it was midafternoon and I headed back to camp to check on Dulce.  Spent the remainder of the day in camp.