Anchorage Audubon field trips and events are open to the public unless stated otherwise in the field trip announcement! We welcome all ages and levels of birders and non-birders on our trips. Contact trip leader for more information about each field trip, or contact Field Trip Coordinator Aaron Bowman, 563-0151. We strongly encourage carpooling on all our field trips if possible.

Anchorage Audubon is very grateful to the wonderful field trip leaders who volunteer their time and share their extensive knowledge of birds and natural history. We could not offer these excellent field trips without you! Thank you to Chris Maack, Delesta Fox, John Wenger, Dianne Toebe, Mr. Whitekeys, Aaron Bowman, Sirena Brownlee, Kenna Sue Trickey, Bob Dittrick, Paul Fritz, and Joanna Hubbard.

The calendar includes Audubon sponsored field trips, monthly membership meetings, and other events and trips that may be of interest to the members of the Chapter.

 October 2011: 

Fall Freeze-up Waterfowl Field Trip

 Post-trip Summary:

Today's Anchorage Audubon freeze-up field trip saw 12 participants,
including myself, braving the cool drizzly weather.  Our route took us
from Lake Spenard around Lake Hood to Spenard Crossing and Westchester,
with our final destination being the mouth of Ship Creek.

A total of 22 species were seen during our 4 hours in the field.
Highlights were 4 White-winged Scoters on Lake Hood, and Bald Eagle with
a blue shoulder tag reading 36 (or was it 3G...anyone have information
on these tags?) in the same area.  There were many Gadwall at Spenard
Crossing, a number of beautiful Buffleheads at Westchester and 4
Barrow's Goldeneyes (2 male, 2 female) on the treed SW shoreline.

Those of us who continued to the mouth Ship Creek were rewarded with a
good look at a Thayer's Gull, (possibly two) with a Herring Gull nearby
for a good comparison.

Below is a list of the birds we saw, do let me know if I am missing
anything!  Great birding with you all!

Aaron Bowman


Total Species:22
Total birds counted 339

Canada Goose 32
Gadwall 23
American Wigeon 4
Mallard 65
Northern Pintail 1
Greater Scaup 33
Lesser Scaup 7
White-winged Scoter 4
Bufflehead 21
Common Goldeneye 55
Barrow's Goldeneye 4
Common Merganser 3
Bald Eagle 1
Mew Gull 40
Herring Gull 1
Thayer's Gull 1
Rock Pigeon 25
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Black-billed Magpie 4
Common Raven 2
Black-capped Chickadee 5
European Starling 7 

Date and Time: Saturday, October 15th 10:00 am

Location: Coffee Land Cafe

Leader: Aaron Bowman

   Come search for the last of the seasons migrant waterfowl before freeze-up when it is too late.  We will meet at Coffee Land Cafe near Spenard and Wisconsin and visit Lake Spenard/Hood, Eastchester and Westchester Lagoons and possibly other likely spots.  Enjoy puzzling over both Scaup species and the Goldeneyes and try searching for the less usual Scotters, Long-tailed Ducks and others.  Car pooling from the cafe will help decrease fuel usage and confusion and increase comradery.

Please contact Aaron with questions This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or by phone at 907-563-0151.

November 2011: 

Field Trip: Seward Winter Birding Field Trip

Date and Time: Saturday, February 18, 10:00am

Location: Seward Harbormaster's Office
Description: Join Aaron Bowman and others on February 18th at the Seward Harbormaster's Office for a winter birding excursion in Seward. Search for loons, waterfowl, gulls, alcids, raptors and passerines along the waterfront and in the neighborhoods and enjoy the area's diversity and possibility for the unusual.

Bring a lunch and lots of layers. If you have walkie-talkies, they may be useful to communicate between cars. Donations of sunflower bird seed are also welcome to support a local bird feeder (one of our stops) who is being hit hard by hungry flocks of Pine Grosbeaks this year!

We will start the outing from in front of the Harbormaster’s restrooms in Seward at 10:00 a.m. Be prepared for strong winds. In case of stormy weather this trip may be rescheduled for February 25. If you have any questions, please call Aaron at 563-0151.

MARCH 2012: 

Evening Owl Talk And Walk

Date and time: Friday, March 9, 7:30pm to 10:00pm

Location: Eagle River Nature Center

Ramon Wallace and Sirena Brownlee with the Anchorage Audubon Society will present and informative slide show about Alaskan owls, followed by a 2-3 mile walk.  Dress for being outdoors (make sure your clothes are not "noisy") and bring flashlights. Not appropriate for children. Limited to the first 20 people (ages 16 and up) who register at 694-2108. There is a $5 parking fee for those who are not Eagle River Nature Center members. 

  "How To Be A Better Birder" Forum

Date and Time: Thursday, March 15,  7:00 pm
Location: BP Energy Center 

    The Spring Birding Season is right around the corner, and the Anchorage Audubon Society's March program is an exceptional treat.  We will gather a truly phenomenal panel for our Third annual forum on "How to Be a Better Birder."
     This is an opportunity to go to school with the big guys. When any of us see an expert birder in action, we always seem to ask ourselves the same question:  "How the heck did he know That?"  This is a chance to answer that question.
    Moderator W. Keys will lead the questioning with the goal of allowing us to learn more about birding in one evening than we would usually learn in a whole week!   It'll be just like getting a full scholarship to Harvard, except that the person sitting next to you is likely to have driven in from Wasilla.  The Forum will not be based on questions from the audience, but questions for our esteemed panel may be submitted in advance to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
      Meet us at the BP Energy Center at 7:00 pm., and of course, there will be fabulous prizes and cookies.

APRIL 2012: 

  Gunsight Mountain Hawkwatch Weekend

Date and Time: Saturday and Sunday, April 14 & 15

Location:  Mile 118 on the Glenn Highway

Palmer Hay Flat Walk