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 (Pie-billed Grebe, Hooded Mergansers, etc.). 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.
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 20, 2020 until 5:00 PM on Saturday March 21, 2020.
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.
CANCELED DUE TO COVID-19 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
We’ve been holding out for miraculous good news, but it looks like Anchorage Audubon is forced to cancel both our April program and The Gunsight Mountain Hawkwatch Weekend.
Birding is one of the few things that can go on as usual in a pandemic, but for everyone’s safety, we can’t do it in organized groups.
We hope you get out on the trails. Spring arrivals are just starting and we don’t want anybody to miss the fun. We’ll post upcoming events as soon as we know if they’ll be possible.
Stay safe and well, and we hope to see you soon.… Read the rest
Anchorage Audubon’s Annual
Seward Winter Birding Field Trip
Work off all those Holiday Cookies!
The forecast indicates a snow storm for Seward on Saturday, February 16th. Due to potentially unsafe driving conditions between Anchorage and Seward, the 2019 AAS Seward Winter Birding Field Trip scheduled for Saturday, February 16th has been canceled. It was a difficult decision, but safety and everyone’s well being was uppermost in our minds. We apologize for the inconvenience. If you know someone who was planning on going and might not see this notice, please let them know that the event has been canceled. Thanks.
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 (Pie-billed Grebe, Hooded Mergansers, etc.).
Fall Photo Sharing Party
Thursday, September 19, 2019
It’s party season again at Anchorage Audubon, and we’d love it if you’d join us Thursday, Sept. 19, for Anchorage Audubon’s Annual End-Of-Summer Photo Sharing Party. Bring your favorite photos of your summer adventures and make the rest of us totally jealous.
Get together with your birding pals and share photos and tall tales. PLEASE NOTE: This party has traditionally been a potluck which cannot happen this year because the Energy Center has prohibited bringing outside meals into the facility. We’ll make up for it with extra cookies.
Share your best photos with an ultimately appreciative audience. Bring your own laptop if it makes your show better, or take a chance with ours.
Fall Photo Sharing Party
Thursday, September 20, 2018
It’s party season again at Anchorage Audubon, and we’d love it if you’d join us Thursday, Sept. 20, for Anchorage Audubon’s Annual End-Of-Summer Photo Sharing Party. Bring your favorite photos of your summer adventures and make the rest of us totally jealous.
Get together with your birding pals and share photos and tall tales. PLEASE NOTE: This party has traditionally been a potluck which cannot happen this year because the Energy Center has prohibited bringing outside meals into the facility. We’ll make up for it with extra cookies.
Share your best photos with an ultimately appreciative audience. Bring your own laptop if it makes your show better, or take a chance with ours.
Fall Freeze Up Bird Walk
October 20, 2018
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 hot spots 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.
Hi Society!
2018 Christmas Bird Count Final Results
Here’s a late wrap-up of the 2018 Anchorage Christmas Bird Count from December 15, 2018.
There were 155 observers in the field or at feeders (three (3) hard working folks did both!). Weather was cold at 12-20 deg. F, with variable light winds, not actively raining or snowing, with snow pack 6-14″. Cloud cover was almost complete in AM with some clearing in the PM.
The day was the only good day for the count within a 2 week period of almost constant blowing snow. The heavy snowfall on the previous day led to dubious predictions, but the count was overall pretty average for an Anchorage Christmas Count.
The 48 species seen is at the high end of Anchorage Counts, and 20,427 total birds were seen.… Read the rest
Christmas Bird Count 2018 and Tally Potluck Chili Feed
at the First Congregational Church, 2610 E. Northern Lights Blvd – 5:30 PM
WELCOME TO THE ANCHORAGE AUDUBON CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT 2018
Anchorage Audubon Society sponsors the National Audubon Christmas Bird Count each year in December. Anchorage is divided into 5 Areas and those areas are further divided into teams, each led by an experienced birder. Most participants prefer to do the count in the area of their home which is familiar, but some have chosen other areas.
If you are interested in joining the count this year on Saturday, December 15th, and have not participated in the past or want to change your area, please look at the attached map to determine the area of your choice.
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 22, 2019 until 5:00 PM on Saturday March 23, 2019.
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.
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 20 & 21st. 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!
Celebrate the return of spring migrating raptors with this annual Anchorage Audubon field trip of the spring. Migrating raptors that can be seen along the ridge line near MP 118.8… Read the rest
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! … Read the rest
Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival
27th Annual Festival
Alaska’s largest birding festival features a huge array of field trips, seminars, and speakers. Located in the bustling town of Homer, this will certainly be a birding highlight of the year.
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 9, 16, 23, & 30. 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 16, 23, and 30th.… Read the rest
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 16, 23, & 30. 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 23, and 30th.… Read the rest
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 23 & 30. 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 30th.… Read the rest
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.
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 30 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.
This marks the end of the Campbell Creek BLM Birdwalks for 2019.… Read the rest
Yakutat Tern Festival
To highlight the extraordinary natural and cultural resources of Yakutat by establishing a festival celebrating Aleutian terns.
Alaska’s newest Birding Festival is a treat for all. An optional Yakutat Bay charter boat field trip will be available as well as special rates on Alaska Airlines.
The Yakutat Tern Festival has an extensive website. Special rates are offered by Alaska Airlines to and from Yakutat for their Tern Festival.
For more information go to: http://www.yakutatternfestival.org/index.htm
Thursday, May 30 – Sunday, June 2, 2019
Yakutat, Alaska
… Read the restThe 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.)