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©2010-2023 Chuck Maas
Category Archives: Wildlife
Summer Harvest
Due to an abundance of fish, Alaska allows dipnetting for personal use for certain runs of salmon with strict permit requirements and seasonal limits. The mouth of the Kenai River is one of the most popular spots for sockeyes (reds) … Continue reading
Winter Visitors
My favorite avian winter visitors are making the rounds of mountain ash trees still bearing fruit and gorging themselves on the bright red berries. Bohemian waxwings lend an element of cheer to the short, cold, and often gray days this … Continue reading
Unusual Style
There are lots of ways to catch fish, even for bears, but this grizzly at Funnel Creek in the Katmai National Preserve is using a style I hadn’t seen before. Snorkeling isn’t that unusual, but to start from a near-90 … Continue reading
Hungry Traveler
They’re still here—in even larger flocks now—moving from food source to food source. And there seem to be plenty of berries left around town so they’re not having to work too hard to find sustenance.
Waxwings
The colorful and loquacious Bohemian waxwings are here as usual in the Anchorage area winging about in large flocks foraging for food. If you happen to be close by as they descend on an opportune mountain ash tree with clusters … Continue reading
Natural Challenges
There’s a story behind this rather benign image of the Sanctuary River in Denali National Park that illustrates choices and consequences and the constant challenges wild creatures face. I happened to be in the park in June on a stormy … Continue reading
Bear Tales
Juvenile brown bears are inquisitive creatures and won’t turn down a free lunch when they can find it. That could include first-run red salmon bound for the Russian River already caught and put on a stringer, or a backpack full … Continue reading
Renewal
It’s that time of year. With nearly 18 ½ hours of sunlight now at latitude 61.2N the non-winter season is in full swing. Trees are leafed out, bird activity is at its peak, moose calves are in vogue, and salmon … Continue reading
Elegant Visitors
December is an opportune month to observe some of our most elegant avian visitors around the Anchorage area as large flocks of Bohemian Waxwings rove about prospecting for edible fruit. They especially enjoy bright red mountain ash berries, though they’re … Continue reading
Local Wildlife
It’s family time for all manner of wild creatures in Southcentral Alaska. Protective moose cows with calves have had run-ins with a number of humans during the last couple of weeks. It pays to keep your distance from big animals … Continue reading