Ack, it’s nearly August! But the birds are still here, and we’ve got ideas for you.

This email is one way you can learn about the events, education, and conservation activities of Anchorage Audubon. You can also check our website.

High Tides in July!

Thanks to everyone who joined us for the High Tides in July series. We hosted five meetups at the Audubon wayside platform along the Coastal Trail. Some days were sunny and others were rainy. Regardless, these were great opportunities to just hang out, improve bird ID skills, see birds up close, and marvel at how the birds responded to those big tides.

August Field Trips

Take a Different Kind of Red-eye…the One in Your Backyard!

Welcome to the season of fall nocturnal migration. Several bird species, including Lapland longspurs, and Swainson’s and gray-cheeked thrushes migrate south at night in mid-August. So, if you are up late or super early, step outside and listen for their calls. The Merlin app can identify the call notes of thrushes and longspurs migrating at night. However, be wary of all species suggestions from Merlin that might occur when using the app, since visual confirmation isn’t possible in the dark. Got questions about the Merlin app? Let us know at info@anchorageaudubon.org

Meander the Mize at Kincaid Park

Tuesday, August 18th and 19th at 6:30 pm. Meet in front of the Kincaid Chalet.

Chickadees, warblers, and woodpeckers! Mixed species flocks of forest birds can often be seen in autumn as these species forage in preparation for migration and colder temps. This kind of group foraging likely improves insect and predator detection. Come walk along the Mize Loop, a roughly 2-to-3-mile trail at Kincaid Park, and we'll see what we can find. The trail is easy walking with a few small, but steep inclines. Bring water, good walking shoes, and multiple layers to stay warm and dry.

John Pearce is the onsite coordinator for this event.

Peep Birds and eBird

Tuesday, August 25th through Thursday, August 27th.

Meet at the two benches near the Fish Creek bridge, just west of the Audubon wayside platform, along the Coastal Trail. See specific dates and times below.

What is a peep and when would you enter that species in an eBird checklist? What if you can’t tell the difference between lesser and greater yellowlegs but still want to count them on your checklist? And what to do about short-billed and long-billed dowitchers? Last year during late August, there was a variety of small shorebirds – sometimes collectively referred to as peeps – near the mouth of Fish Creek. These included species such as Western sandpipers, semipalmated sandpipers, and least sandpipers.

We plan to look for these peeps again at Fish Creek and also go over how to best enter sightings into eBird checklists when we aren’t 100% sure of the species.

John Pearce is the onsite coordinator for this event.

Point Woronzof Walk

Saturday, August 29 from 10 am to noon. Meet at the main parking lot for Point Woronzof overlook park, just past the end of the Anchorage Airport runway.

There are multiple birding options around Point Woronzof, including sea watch, coastal beach, and mixed forest locations. We’ll check all these spots and discuss how to bird such different habitats. After a short loop around the parking area, we’ll either walk the beach or the paved Coastal Trail about a mile to the south and then back again. Our total route will be approximately 2 to 3 miles. Bring snacks, water, and appropriate layers for the weather. There is a porta potty in the parking lot.

John Pearce is the onsite coordinator for this event.

Busy Season for Outreach!

Anchorage Audubon board members Hannah Brewster, Louann Feldmann, John Pearce and some fabulous volunteers held outreach events at multiple locations in Anchorage in July. These included Bike the Moose (July 18th), Bird TLC Family Day (July 19th) and Visit Anchorage (July 22nd).

At these events, we shared information on locations to see birds, the importance of park and trailside habitat for birds, how to use binoculars and see differences that are helpful in recognizing bird species, and how to have fun outside! Bike the Moose riders were so appreciative for the hot chocolate at our booth and the flamingo selfie station.

Partnership with the Anchorage Park Foundation

The Anchorage Park Foundation invited Anchorage Audubon to lead a guided bird walk at Cheney Lake in mid-August during a Park Foundation event. We look forward to partnering with the Anchorage Park Foundation on this and other similar events in the future because it's a natural collaboration – Anchorage parks and trails provide healthy spaces for people and wildlife.

These bird walks and outreach events in parks will help us better connect with park users and neighborhoods across Anchorage about our enthusiasm for birds and green spaces, a top priority for Anchorage Audubon.

The Importance of Bird Habitat near the Former Clitheroe Center

Members of Anchorage Audubon and others have been discussing the importance of grassland and coastal marsh habitats for birds near the former Clitheroe Center and recycling facility along the Coastal Trail near the airport. These discussions have included onsite visits with the Municipality of Anchorage, Turnagain Community Council, and others. The area supports a wide variety and large numbers of birds during spring migration and serves as important breeding habitat for lesser yellowlegs, sandhill cranes and other species. We will share more details later this fall about possible access, signage, and other improvements that can highlight and protect the important habitats in this area.

Do you have ideas or interests about other bird habitat areas in Anchorage that might need some attention? Let us know at info@anchorageaudubon.org

Local Anchorage Migratory Bird Research and Monitoring

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game just completed the 14th year of the Birds 'n' Bogs Program, a volunteer-based effort designed to collect valuable information about boreal wetland birds in Southcentral Alaska. The goal of the Birds 'n' Bogs Program is to document the abundance and distribution of birds of conservation concern, such as common, Pacific, and red-throated loons, red-necked and horned grebes, lesser and greater yellowlegs, solitary sandpipers, rusty blackbirds, olive-sided flycatchers, and tree and violet-green swallows.

Arin Underwood, a biologist with ADF&G, coordinates volunteers who conduct surveys during the breeding season in wetlands around Anchorage and the Matsu Valley. "This program helps biologists monitor population trends and identify important habitats for these wetland-associated birds. It is also a terrific opportunity to learn about boreal birds that are basically in our backyards," said Arin. More information can be found at the Birds n' Bogs webpage.

Additionally, this year Underwood and colleagues completed another season of studying the demography and migration of Lesser Yellowlegs that nest in Anchorage. "The main goal of this work is to estimate annual survival and breeding success, which are important drivers of population trends," said Arin. Read more about this work, and what you can do to help, at the ADF&G Fish and Wildlife News page here.

WHAT’S AHEAD?

We are dreaming up adventures for September and already have some great speakers lined up for the fall and winter. Our speaker series program will start September 17th at the BP Energy Center. We’ll post additional information to the Events page of our website in late August.

Enjoy the birds!