Category Archives: Fauna

Avian Winter Residents

Not all birds migrate. Among the winter residents in Southcentral Alaska are black-capped chickadees and red-breasted nuthatches seen visiting a peanut butter feeder above.  Boreal chickadees, and both hairy and downy woodpeckers also stop by regularly.

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Feeding Time

Lots of young birds around his time of year.  Two eaglets are well cared for in this big nest in the top of an old cottonwood tree in south Anchorage.

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Persistent Woodpecker

I’ve had a nest box attached to a birch tree in the backyard for several years in an attempt to attract chickadees.  That hasn’t happened, but recently a male hairy woodpecker showed up and began drumming on the front of … Continue reading

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Harvest Time

Summers are short and autumn comes early in Alaska.  Fall colors are already evident in many areas, and small creatures—like the Collared Pika below—are working diligently to lay up stores for the winter.  It’s a busy time between now and … Continue reading

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Owlet

The big eyes of a young Great-horned Owl track movement from its perch on a limb well above its nest in a tall cottonwood tree.  Not yet quite able to fly, it is exploring as much territory as possible.

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Nurturing

It’s the time of year for lots of new life, including eaglets.  This young one receives a morsel of food from an adult.

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Late Winter Visitor

It’s early March already, but Bohemian Waxwings are still roving in flocks around Southcentral Alaska looking for remaining fruit, especially mountain ash berries. After a flock has gorged on berries, you’ll often see them fly down to the ground and … Continue reading

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Happy Thanksgiving

Turkeys are the symbolic emblem for our formal American day of giving thanks.  This rafter of wild turkeys in California (also called a gang, posse, or flock) was made up largely of toms which were very busy strutting in an … Continue reading

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Fall Migration

For the last 4-5 weeks swans have been migrating south and stopping for food and rest at Potter Marsh in Anchorage. These large white birds—both Trumpeters and Tundras—stay only a short while before continuing their journey toward temperate wintering grounds. … Continue reading

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