Author Archives: Web Administrator

Fall Freeze Up Bird Walk – Saturday, October 14, 2017

Posted on by October 6, 2018

Fall Freeze Up Field Trip

October 14, 2017

meet at the Cuddy Pond parking lot just south of the

Loussac Library and north of Cuddy Pond

8:30 AM

Come watch waterfowl and other birds at hotspots around town before the lakes freeze.

Andrew Fisher will lead this outing to a number of good waterbird locations around town including Westchester Lagoon and Lake Hood.

Enjoy searching for the less usual waterbird species during this exciting time of year or just enjoy the typical species that are still with us. Bring binoculars and a scope if you have one and dress for the weather.

We will meet at the Cuddy Pond parking lot south of the Loussac Library and north of Cuddy Pond at 8:30 AM where we will go over plans for the day and consolidate into fewer cars by carpooling as much as possible.

… Read the rest

Membership Meeting – Thursday, October 19, 2017

Posted on by December 16, 2018

Ecological Atlas of the Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort Seas – presented by Audubon Alaska

at the BP Energy Center – 7:00 PM

Join us Thursday, October 19, for Anchorage Audubon’s October general membership meeting when Audubon Alaska will present their new “Ecological Atlas of the Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort Seas“.

Who was Vitus Bering, what kind of name is Chukchi, and is Beaufort pronounced “buuefort”, “bowefort”, or “bowfort”? If you want the answers to these important questions (and many others), then you’ll want to attend our October, 2017 Anchorage Audubon Society membership meeting.

 

“Audubon Alaska’s Ecological Atlas of the Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort Seas takes you on a scientific journey through natural history and ecological relationships in the Arctic marine environment.

… Read the rest

Membership Meeting – Thursday, November 16, 2017

Posted on by January 9, 2018

Unfortunately the November 16 AAS meeting has been canceled

The Mysteries of American Dippers in Portage Valley

at the BP Energy Center – 7:00 PM

Our November program is going to be great!  Dr. Douglas Causey (Biology Professor and Senior Arctic Advisor to the Chancellor at UAA) has been researching American Dippers for four (4) years with two (2) of his students, Rachel Jones and Saige Thomas.

On Thursday evening, November 16, we get the benefit of this research when they’ll tell us all about the Mysteries of American Dippers in the Portage Valley.  It’ll be better than an Agatha Christie novel!

Everybody loves Dippers!  They’re cute and they’re weird—what more could you ask for in a bird species? 

… Read the rest

Membership Meeting – Thursday, January 18, 2018

Posted on by January 20, 2018

Some Birds of Eastern Australia

at the BP Energy Center – 7:00 PM

Join us Thursday, January 18, for Anchorage Audubon’s January general membership meeting where Anchorage Audubon’s own Vivian Mendenhall will regale us with all she knows about birding Eastern Australia.

Australia has 850 species of beautiful birds, from parrots to pardalotes, and from frigatebirds to friarbirds. Most are not related to North American species. Vivian Mendenhall has birded all over the eastern half of Australia. In this program she’ll show photos of Australia’s birds and their habitats, and will tell us about their ecology and behavior.

Please join us on Thursday, January 18 at 7:00 pm in The BP Energy Center for our monthly meeting.  The dazzling colors of Australia’s birds are the perfect antidote to cold, dark, and gray….and

… Read the rest

Membership Meeting – Thursday, February 15, 2018

Posted on by February 19, 2018

The Mysteries of American Dippers in Portage Valley

at the BP Energy Center – 7:00 PM

Our February program is going to be great!  Dr. Douglas Causey (Biology Professor and Senior Arctic Advisor to the Chancellor at UAA) has been researching American Dippers for four (4) years with two (2) of his students, Rachel Jones and Saige Thomas.

On Thursday evening, February 15, we get the benefit of this research when they’ll tell us all about the Mysteries of American Dippers in the Portage Valley.  It’ll be better than an Agatha Christie novel!

Everybody loves Dippers!  They’re cute and they’re weird—what more could you ask for in a bird species?  “Well we want to learn about birds with cool nicknames” you ask?  

… Read the rest

Annual Event – February 24, 2018

Posted on by February 27, 2018

Anchorage Audubon’s Annual

Seward Winter Birding Field Trip

Work off all those Holiday Cookies!

Join Andrew Fisher and Anchorage Audubon for a free winter birding excursion to enjoy Seward’s diversity of wintering birds and the possibility of a few rarities.  Come dressed for a variety of weather conditions, bring your ice grippers, and plan for a fun day with great company!

Bring your binoculars and spotting scope (if you have one…there never are too many!), your field guide, and other favorite birding gear.  You may also wish to bring walkie-talkies/cell phones to communicate between cars.  Donations of sunflower bird seed or chunky peanut butter are greatly appreciated for one of our regular bird feeder hotspots.

Plan on gathering with the group back at the Harbormaster’s for a midday restroom stop and lunch; bring your own or buy it locally. 

… Read the rest

Membership Meeting – Thursday, March 15, 2018

Posted on by March 16, 2018

Using Citizen Science to Study Boreal Bird in Southcentral Alaska:  Birds ‘n’ Bogs at Age 5

at the BP Energy Center – 7:00 PM

Join us Thursday, March 15, for Anchorage Audubon’s March general membership meeting when Audrey Taylor, a faculty member in the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies at UAA will talk about her Birds ‘n’ Bogs Program

Audrey started Birds ’n’ Bogs with Audubon Alaska in 2013. Since then, several hundred volunteers have put in several thousand hours of survey effort, to what end?

Come find out what Birds ’n’ Bogs has revealed about our boreal wetland birds in Anchorage and the Mat-Su Valley over the last five years, and what plans are in place for the program in the future.

… Read the rest

Copper River Shorebird Festival – May 3 – 6, 2018

Posted on by May 9, 2018

Copper River Shorebird Festival

Cordova, Alaska

Highlighting a vast number of migratory shorebirds stopping over on the Copper River Delta, this is truly a great festival in the fabulous  town of Cordova.  This is where you go for Avian tonnage!  This year’s Keynote Speaker is Dr. Stephen Kress; the Vice-President for Bird Conservation for the National Audubon Society and the Director of the Audubon Seabird Restoration Program and Hog Island Audubon Camp.

Also featured will be Yenifer Diaze, Diana Eusse-Gonzalez, Kristina Sowl, Debbie Miller, High Rose and a special presentation by The Alaska Hummingbird Project’s-Kate McLaughlin.  

 

For more information go to http://www.copperriverdeltashorebirdfestival.com to find out why 5 Million Shorebirds Can’t be Wrong.

Also this year, Major Marine Tours will feature a Cocktail Hour Cruise, there will be an Alaganik Field Trip, The Net Loft will offer Shorebird Art & Hand-crafting Workshops, and the Shorebird Airboat Tours down the Eyak River will continue.… Read the rest

Campbell Creek BLM Early Morning Birdwalks – May 10, 2018

Posted on by June 8, 2018

Campbell Creek BLM Early Morning Birdwalks

Tired of just seeing magpies and ravens?  Welcome the Spring Songbirds!

Develop and fine-tune your birding skills and witness the progression of songbird migration through the Campbell Tract this spring. Join the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) staff and Anchorage Audubon Society members for a series of early morning outdoor bird walks May 10, 17, 24, & 31. Walks are from 6:30 AM – 8:30 AM.

 

Please meet in the Campbell Creek Science Center parking lot. Dress appropriately for the weather and for walking on uneven terrain. Hot cocoa and coffee will be available at the Science Center afterwards, courtesy of Friends of the Campbell Creek Science Center.

The Campbell Creek BLM Birdwalks will continue on May 17, 24, and 31st.… Read the rest

26th Annual Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival – May 10-13, 2018

Posted on by October 17, 2018

Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival

26th Annual Festival

Alaska’s largest birding festival features a huge array of field trips, seminars, and speakers.  2018 festival highlights include Keynote Speaker, Noah Strycker; Associate Editor of Birding magazine and featured presenters Raymond VanBuskirk and Iain Campbell.  Located in the bustling town of Homer, this will certainly be a birding highlight of the year.  There are field trips, boat trips, kayak trips,  ID seminars,  and this years’ festival spotlights the artwork of Homers’ own Erin Rae D’Eimon.

 

 

For more information go to:  http://kachemakshorebird.org/

 

Thursday, May 10, 2018 – Sunday, May 13, 2018

Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival

 

… Read the rest

HawkWatch 2018 – March 7 – May 15, 2018

Posted on by June 8, 2018

HawkWatch International

Count Hawks at Gunsight Mountain

at Mileposts 120 and 121 of the Glenn Highway 

This spring, a decades-long goal will happen for the third year in a row!  We have always wanted to do a complete and thorough Hawk Watch for an entire season at Gunsight Mountain. 

This year, thanks to Neil Paprocki, it will become a reality once again!

 

Neil monitored our Hawk Watch site for 2 weeks in the spring of 2015.

 

His Hawk Watch International team returned in 2016 to count for the full season, and tallied over 3,000 migrating raptors.  That total included over 1,100 Golden Eagles and over 1,000 Harlan’s Hawks.

 

In 2017, Neil returned again with two additional hawk watchers for the entire season.
… Read the rest

Annual Event – March 23-24, 2018

Posted on by March 31, 2018

The Big Anchorage Birding Day

Celebrate the First Day of Spring with

another Audubon Cutthroat Competition!!

Believe it or not, Spring is on the way, and what better way to celebrate than by scouring the Anchorage Municipality for birds.

From Eklutna to Portage–How many species can your team find in 24 hours from 5:00 PM on Friday March 23, 2017 until 5:00 PM on Saturday March 24, 2018.

It’s a Big Day to usher in Spring. Who knows what will turn up?

It’s simple: Get a team together and go birding. All team members must see all birds counted by the team. (some exceptions apply for larger teams.)  Bird as much or as little of the 24 hours as you like.

… Read the rest

Membership Meeting – Thursday, April 19, 2018

Posted on by April 20, 2018

Beginning Birding Class

The Perfect Opportunity to Learn

What This Crazy Addiction Is All About!

at the BP Energy Center – 7:00 PM

If you’re looking for the perfect way to learn what birding is all about, we will present a course in “Birding for Beginners” at Anchorage Audubon’s April 19 Meeting.

This is a fabulous opportunity to learn about Birds and Birding from the beginning, and it’s just in time for our Spring Migration arrivals.

W. Keys and the Audubon Board will attempt to cover it all in one evening:  What you need to begin,  How to use a field guide,  What to look for in the field,  Where to find birds in Anchorage,  How to use binoculars,  How to hear birds,  What is migration all about,  as well as basic bird identification and their incredible behaviors. 

… Read the rest

Annual Event – Hawk Watch Weekend – April 21 – 22, 2018

Posted on by April 30, 2018

The Gunsight Mountain Hawk Watch Weekend

The Harlan’s Hawk Capitol

of the World!

at Milepost 118.8 of the Glenn Highway:  10:00 AM

Our Annual Hawk Watch Weekend in collaboration with the Mat-Su Birders will take place this year on April 21 & 22nd.   It’s the Greatest Event of the Birding Year in Alaska!

Our Hawk Watch is known as “The Harlan’s Hawk Capital of the World” because you’ll see more Harlan’s Hawks here than anywhere else on Earth.

There is no ornithological tailgate party like this anywhere in the country, and this year we know of at least one birder who’s traveling all the way from Utah for the event.

Celebrate the return of spring migrating raptors with this annual Anchorage Audubon field trip of the spring.… Read the rest

The Best Alaskan Hawkwatch Article

Posted on by June 8, 2018

The Best Alaskan Hawkwatch Article

the-best-alaskan-hawkwatch-article

The BEST Article Ever Written on Hawkwatching in Alaska!

A few years back, The American Birding Association’s magazine, Birding, ran an article about our own Gunsight Mountain Hawkwatch by Paul and Cecily Fritz.

The Fritzes led the hawkwatch effort at Gunsight Mountain for many years, and this article describes the site perfectly.  They explain why our hawkwatch is very different from most other hawkwatch sites in the country, which raptors can be seen, when they can be seen, and why the birds even fly in a strangely different direction.

(Website administrator edit on 3/10/2018:  The PDF of the article has been embedded here because it appears to be not longer available on Hawkwatch International’s website. … Read the rest

Campbell Creek BLM Early Morning Birdwalks – May 17, 2018

Posted on by June 8, 2018

Campbell Creek BLM Early Morning Birdwalks

Tired of just seeing magpies and ravens?  Welcome the Spring Songbirds!

Develop and fine-tune your birding skills and witness the progression of songbird migration through the Campbell Tract this spring. Join the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) staff and Anchorage Audubon Society members for a series of early morning outdoor bird walks May 17, 24, & 31. Walks are from 6:30 AM – 8:30 AM.

 

Please meet in the Campbell Creek Science Center parking lot. Dress appropriately for the weather and for walking on uneven terrain. Hot cocoa and coffee will be available at the Science Center afterwards, courtesy of Friends of the Campbell Creek Science Center.

The Campbell Creek BLM Birdwalks will continue on May 24, and 31st.… Read the rest

Kenai Peninsula Birding Festival – May 17 – 20, 2018

Posted on by June 8, 2018

Kenai Peninsula Birding Festival

Where the river ends and the birding begins!

The Kenai Peninsula Birding Festival is growing every year.  This year’s weekend features their signature Kenai River Birding Float Trip,  a Kasilof River Float Trip, a 24 Hour Midnight Sun Big Sit, and plenty of walks & tours.  The Kenai River Viewing Platform is always a hotspot, and there’s no telling what will show up during the festival weekend.

As of March 16, 2018 the Keynote Speaker was yet to be announced.

 

For complete information, go to:  http://www.kenaipeninsula.org/kenai-peninsula-birding-festival

Their Facebook page is:  https://www.facebook.com/kenaipeninsulabirdfestival/ 

Thursday, May 17, 2017 – Sunday, May 20, 2017

Kenai Peninsula Birding Festival

 

… Read the rest

Campbell Creek BLM Early Morning Birdwalks – May 24, 2018

Posted on by June 8, 2018

Campbell Creek BLM Early Morning Birdwalks

Tired of just seeing magpies and ravens?  Welcome the Spring Songbirds!

Develop and fine-tune your birding skills and witness the progression of songbird migration through the Campbell Tract this spring. Join the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) staff and Anchorage Audubon Society members for a series of early morning outdoor bird walks May 24 & 31. Walks are from 6:30 AM – 8:30 AM.

 

Please meet in the Campbell Creek Science Center parking lot. Dress appropriately for the weather and for walking on uneven terrain. Hot cocoa and coffee will be available at the Science Center afterwards, courtesy of Friends of the Campbell Creek Science Center.

The Campbell Creek BLM Birdwalks will continue on May 31st.… Read the rest

Potluck Party and Pro-Am Bird Walk – May 24, 2018

Posted on by June 8, 2018

Potluck Party and Pro-Am Birdwalk

Sloppy eaters…bring your game on!

Because Spring Birding is at it’s peak, Anchorage Audubon has decided to CANCEL our regular third-Thursday monthly program at the BP Energy Center and have a party instead. It’s a potluck, a chance to tell birding lies, and a chance to casually stroll around the Westchester Lagoon area with other birders looking for new arrivals.  PLEASE NOTE that we’ve pushed the date back one week because the weather is totally guaranteed to be warmer.

We will also feature our Spring Pro-Am Birding Tournament.  Experienced birders will pair up with inexperienced birders for a 30 minute contest to find the most species on Westchester Lagoon.  The time goes by like lightning, and it’s always a treat to see what can be found in a very short period of time.

… Read the rest

Potter Marsh-A-Thon Birding Smackdown – May 26, 2018

Posted on by June 8, 2018

The Potter Marsh-A-Thon Birding Smackdown

Not your Mother’s Birding Contest!

Once again it’s Anchorage’s greatest Birding Smackdown. How many bird species can your team find within Potter Marsh between 8:00 AM and Noon?  How much food can you bring to the Potluck Picnic immediately following the contest period at Noon?  Whose team has the best name?

 

Fabulous Prizes will be awarded for most species seen. Teams may consist of 2 – 6 people.  The team must remain within voice or sight contact and must fit into one vehicle.  Species may only be counted if they are seen/heard by the entire team (Exceptions:  6 – person teams may count birds seen by 5 members, and 5-person teams may count birds seen by 4 members.)

… Read the rest