Juneau Birding and Saturday Wild Events

Saturday Wild 2009

Juneau Audubon sponsored natural history walks.  Free and open to the public.

Join us- weather or not- as we explore the wild side of Southeast Alaska. Some of these walk's dates, time and place may change, therefore it is important to check for more information on these free community walks: check this website, look for posters, listen to the radio or call Mary Lou King 789-7540.  Dress for the weather.

Southeast Alaska bird observations

Winter 2008-2009

Click here to view the report of regional observations for December, 2008 thru February, 2009.  (Large PDF document - .75 Mbytes)

Report compiled by Steven C. Heinl and Andrew W. Piston.

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2009 Great Backyard Bird Count

Juneau is the second most active community participating in the 2009 Great Backyard Bird Count (February 13 - 16, 2009.  Juneau submitted 41 checklists and observed 59 species.  Kodiak observed the highest number of species with 65 species.  Anchorage had the highest level of participation with 55 checklists submitted.

Juneau's results do not include observations for Auke Bay which are tallied separately from Juneau's results.  Ten checklists reporting 44 species were submitted from Auke Bay.

Good Effort,  Juneau!!!!

The 2008 Juneau Christmas Bird Count

Overview -- Prepared by Mark Schwan

CLICK HERE to View Results of the Count

To explore the historical information and learn more about the locations of upcoming Christmas Bird Counts, visit the National Audubon Society’s website at www.audubon.org/bird/cbc/index.html.

Project FeederWatch  2008 - 2009

Connection with nature promotes wellness.  The 2008-09 season of Project FeederWatch gets underway November 8 and runs through April 3.  Participants count the numbers and kinds of birds at their feeders each week and send the information to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Project FeederWatch welcomes participants of all ages and skill levels, from scout troops and retirees to classrooms and nature center visitors.

To learn more and to sign up, visit www.feederwatch.org or call the Lab toll-free at (800) 843-2473.  In return for the $15 fee ($12 for Lab members) participants receive the FeederWatcher’s Handbook, an identification poster of the most common feeder birds in their area, a calendar, complete instructions, and the FeederWatch annual report, Winter Bird Highlights.

Participants submitted more than 115,000 checklists during the 2007-08 FeederWatch season, documenting unusual bird sightings, winter movements, and shifting ranges-­a treasure-trove of information that scientists use to monitor the health of the birds and of the environment.

Note: Photos are available at www.feederwatch.org.  Visit the “Explore Data” section of the web site to find the top 25 birds reported in your region, rare bird sightings, and bird summaries by state or province.
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Juneau Bird Checklist (rev. 2007)  Click Here

2007 Skagway Bird Checklist   Click Here

   
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News and Events      

Upcoming Events

July 18, 2009 Saturday Alpine flowers and birds with Bob Armstrong.

 Meet at the the Mt Roberts Tram Station on South Franklin Street at 8:20 am (special local rate-$5). 

Check out life above the tree line.   Click here to see Poster.

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Photo Contest 

Audubon Magazine Announces Call for Entries for the Audubon Magazine Photography Awards

Audubon magazine is launching the 2009 Audubon Magazine Photography Awards: Birds in Focus, created to celebrate the beauty and diversity of birdlife through the art of photography, and to honor the exceptional work of talented professional, amateur and youth photographers from all over the U.S.

 

Audubon will be accepting submissions online until July 15 in three categories: Professional, Amateur, and Youth. Photographers are encouraged to reveal a new angle or perspective in their work. “Think creatively,” advises Audubon’s design director Kevin Fisher, one of the judges. “Originality and drama rank high at Audubon. Include tight shots, such as close-ups of eyes, feathers. We welcome uncommon perspectives.

 

The Award winners will be announced in December and will see their work showcased within the pages of both Audubon and Nature’s Best Photography magazines, as well as on their respective websites. An impressive array of prizes will be awarded, including top-of-the-line photo and optic equipment from award sponsor, Nikon.

 

Submissions: Accepted May 15 - July 15, 2009. Up to 10 images per entrant.  

For details, visit www.AudubonMagazinePhotoAwards.com

 

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The Raven   The May, 2009 issue of The Raven is now available on-line.   Click here.   The next issue of the Raven will be published in September, 2009.  View back issues of The Raven here. 

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Cyber Birding at Teshekpuk Lake!        Presented by Alaska Audubon

Watch video. Name birds. Win prize. Good stuff. Take the Teshekpuk Lake cyber birding challenge!  Watch the video of the birds and wildlife of Teshekpuk Lake, and jot down the list of the bird species you see and hear in the video.  Email us the list and win a prize from Alaska Audubon, while supplies last (details here).  Binoculars are optional, but field guide is recommended.   TAKE THE TESHEKPUK VIDEO CHALLENGE. READ MORE about Teshekpuk Lake and our recent victory there. TRAVEL TO TESHEKPUK in June 2009 with Audubon and Alaska Discovery. DONATE NOW to help protect Teshekpuk Lake and wildlands across Alaska. Copyright 2009 by National Audubon Society, Inc. All rights reserved.

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New Publications

 

 Now available in stores:  The Mendenhall Wetlands -- a globally recognized Important Bird Area 

 

This book is authored by Juneau Audubon members:  Robert Armstrong, Richard Carstensen, Mary Willson and Marge Hermans Osborn.

 

Because of the variety and complexity of its habitats, the Mendenhall Wetlands is

widely acknowledged to be one of the key stopover points for migratory waterfowl and shorebirds in coastal Alaska.  As of November 2008, observers had recorded sightings of 256 different species of birds. That’s 83 percent of the 308 species seen in the entire Juneau area (from Taku Inlet to Berners Bay) and 73 percent of the 352 bird species seen in all of Southeast Alaska (from Dixon Entrance to Yakutat).

 

In 2007,  the Mendenhall Wetlands was officially recognized as a globally significant bird area by the U.S. IBA Committee.  The Important Bird Area program is an international effort to identify, conserve, and monitor a network of sites that provide essential habitat for bird populations.

 

This new 80 page book on the Mendenhall Wetlands will be available this spring. 

 

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Fairbanks Area Hiking & Birding Guide

Arctic Audubon Society
(Fairbanks, AK)

Produced by the Arctic Audubon Society, this is a 23” x 35” fold-out map showing the locations of 35 popular hiking and birding spots that are easily accessible on public lands. The map includes a guide to local bird species as well as detailed information on each trail.

This publication is available folded (6” x 9”) or unfolded (23” x 35”) and is sold for $13 by mail order (folded only; see contact info. below) or $12 at the following outlets: Alaska Bird Observatory Education Center, Friends of Creamer’s Field Farmhouse Visitor Center, Gulliver’s Books, Beaver Sports, and Geophysical Institute Map Office.

FOR MORE INFO:

Contact Frank Keim, (907) 451-9308 or Gail Mayo (907)479-2954, marcticaudubon@gmail.com;

Arctic Audubon Society, PO Box 82098, Fairbanks, Alaska  99708.

 

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Birds of the Major Mainland Rivers of Southeast Alaska

James A. Johnson, Brad A. Andres, and John A. Bissonette

United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station General Technical Report PNW-GTR-739 July 2008

 

Abstract -- This publication describes the bird communities of major mainland rivers of southeast Alaska and is based on a review of all known relevant studies as well as recent fieldwork.  Synthesizes information on the composition, structure, and habitat relationships of bird communities at 11 major mainland rivers.  Information on current management concerns and research needs are also included.

 

Click here to view document.

 

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Juneau Wildlife Viewing Guide 

The Alaska Department of fish and Game has published a Wildlife Viewing Guide for Juneau.  The pamphlet describes 12 wildlife viewing sites in the Juneau area.  Wildlife viewing tips are included in the pamphlet.  The pamphlet is available from visitor information sites downtown, and at the airport and ferry terminal. 

 

For information about the Alaska Coastal Wildlife Viewing Trail and about wildlife viewing sites in other communities visit www.wildlifeviewing.alaska,gov.

 

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New Brochures Available

National Audubon Society has produced  a series of brochures by Stephen W. Kress, Ph.D. "Attracting Hummingbirds and Orioles" has just been printed.  The other two brochures are "Bird Feeding Basics" and "Seed and Feed Selection Guide".  All three brochures are available at http://www.audubon.org/local/outreachHome.html.  

 

From this website you can view content, download the brochure, or place an order.

 

Juneau Wetlands/Juneau Airport Expansion

Second Juneau Channel Crossing.   For information on the Second Juneau Gastineau Channel Crossing project being developed by the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Works click here and the City and Borough of Juneau click here.

Birds and Plane Safety at Juneau Airport Report This report prepared by Bob Armstrong and Richard Carstensen contains observations and recommendations that may be of use to managers, agencies, and the public, as the Juneau community collectively seeks to improve airport safety, and to maintain or enhance bird habitat on the surrounding wetlands.

Hotspots: Bird Survey of Mendenhall Wetlands - This report prepared by Bob Armstrong, Richard Carstensen, and Mary Willson describes the use of the Mendenhall Wetlands by birds.

For more information on issues affecting the Mendenhall Wetlands click here.

Copyright © 2002 - 2009 Juneau Audubon Society, Inc.

Revised: June 26, 2009.