Category: Birds
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Alaska with Friends

Friends came to Alaska for 7 full days, and we traveled together 6 of those days. They had a good “highlights” adventure, with 3 days at Denali National Park, one night boondocking along the Parks Highway, one night at Russian River, one night in Seward, and one night at Portage Glacier. Their wishlist was wildlife viewing (including…
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Russian River and Eklutna Tailrace

We have 10 jars of sockeye salmon in the pressure canner. While the ten pound weight dances, I am writing this post. The above photo shows our campsite this morning. In the foreground you can see the canner with the windscreen. To the left is a can of bear spray in case I need to…
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Canoe, Raft, and Automobile

We explored by water and highway on our 12-day trip to Nabesna, Gulkana, Klutina, Denali Highway (including Tangle Lakes), and Glenn Highway. See the previous post for our time in Wrangell-St Elias NP&P on Nabesna Road. We arranged a June 19 raft rental and drop off on the Gulkana River while we camped with electric…
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Nabesna Road

Driving into Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve on Nabesna Road on June 15, we experienced significant smoky haze. We settled into peaceful Kendesnii Campground on Twin Lakes, 28 miles down Nabesna Road. We ate supper then launched the canoe, surprising some ducks. While the mountains were hiding thanks to Canadian wildfires, the fishing and…
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Chilly then Chilling

Our Kenai Fjords boat tour was cold, wet, and shorter than planned due to a small craft advisory. The highlights were 8 or so Dall’s Porpoise just 20 feet away playing in the boat’s wake at the bow, 3 Orca, and many cool birds, including Horned Puffins. As we left the protection of Resurrection Bay,…
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Wild Life

We have spent the past week in Healy, where my primary focus has been volunteering at Denali National Park. We have a good group of volunteers providing Wildlife Safety and Education at Savage River Trailhead. I am the only returning volunteer in this position and am working regularly until the middle of June. While I…
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Fishing in Homer

We have been back in Homer the past three days, switching from a birding focus to fishing focus. Thursday and Friday, we fished the end of Homer Spit, catching many small fish (and non-fish). In a weird two hour period of very low tide, I caught 6 sea stars (starfish) and 6 real fish. Apparently,…
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Ninilchik

All 3 of our campgrounds the past week have had great views, but Ninilchik Volcano View RV Resort is the best view yet. We have spent four nights here on the edge of a bluff. Across Cook Inlet is Mt iliamna (left of truck in photo above) and Mt Redoubt (between truck and trailer). Every…
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Puffins, Otters and Volcanoes

Our third day of the Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival we took one of the festival boat trips. The boat enabled us to cover more of the bay than our kayak trip the previous day. We saw so many birds and otters! Plus, my arms were able to recover from kayaking. I’m glad we did both…
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Whales, Otters, and Birds

May 5 we headed south to Turnagain Arm, hoping to see whales chasing hooligan (small fish that spawn in May). That night, as well as May 6, we saw lots of people, gulls, and bald eagles catching hooligan, but no luck with the whales. May 7 we got up early and headed to Seward to …
