Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 78
Anchorage bird feeders came down this April heavy with uneaten seed and unresolved questions. Throughout the winter, local birdwatchers remarked on the absence of small passerines-an order of perching birds that includes more than half the world's avian species. Where were the redpolls, the pine grosbeaks, and white-winged crossbills? Last year these birds mobbed feeders and fir trees across the city. How could the flocks vanish like so many melting snowflakes? Science offers important clues....
Alaska’s summer solstice season offers long hours of light, warmer days, and a strong pull for Alaskans to enjoy the natural beauty that surrounds us. For individuals living with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD), June is a great time to embrace the outdoors. Summer’s sunshine brings plenty of chances for fun and connection, but it also comes with a few extra things for caregivers to keep in mind. Whether it’s a gentle walk on a local trail or time spent gardening on a porch, outdoor activities can support emotional well-be...
Only a four-mile drive to Homer enters you into a world of birds. At the Inspiration Ridge Preserve, walk through forests, bogs, meadows, ponds, and creeks, all part of the 693 acres of critical wildlife habitat best known for its visiting summer population of sandhill cranes. The legacy stewardship of the property of Nina Faust and the late Ed Bailey is continued by the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies, which offers guided tours. The 1.5-hour tour covers about two miles at a leisurely pace...
Many of us as children may have wondered what's going on inside the mind of an animal-what are they thinking and feeling? Most animal researchers study science because of their fascination with animals, but for a long time scientific norms made it impossible to even raise the question of animal consciousness without losing scientific credibility. Fortunately, those days have ended, thanks in large part to pioneering work by scientists such as Donald Griffin, who argued from the 1980s to his...
If you are hearing “Pomp and Circumstance” a lot lately, that’s because May brings with it the commencement ceremonies happening at high schools and universities across the state. This month is also a time to reflect on the sacrifice of military personnel killed in battle. Americans also associate Memorial Day weekend with the official start of summer, and that’s no different in Alaska, where you may have noticed scenic byways getting more congested with tourists … Many coastal communities have shorebird festivals, such as the Cooper River Del...
Spring is such a lovely time of year with sunny days, blooming flowers, budding trees and birds chirping. But millions of Americans suffer from seasonal allergies and suffer from wheezing, sneezing, runny noses, itchy eyes and other indignities. Even staying inside won’t necessarily cure the problem because indoor irritants such as pet dander, mold, dust mites and scented cleaning products can all trigger allergic reactions. Your nasal passages and the entire mechanism of the lungs (from the large bronchial tubes to the alveolae, which are t...
Spring comes to Alaska on the wings of nearly five billion birds, making epic journeys under the protection of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Many will breed and nest within the state's 16 National Wildlife Refuges. Americans didn't always preserve wild birds this way. A century ago, birdwatchers would have spotted species from waxwings to warblers to woodpeckers adorning hats. Bird hats became popular in America in the late 19th century, when mass printing of fashion magazines spread the trend...
Fairbanks has a lot to offer the visitor. In March, brave the town's arctic weather to view the Ice Art Championship and its entries of intricately carved, sometimes gravity-defying wonders. An ice challenge The World Ice Art Championships are held from mid-February to March 1. Divisions include the Multi Block Classic is six days of four artists using nine blocks to create a massive piece. The Double Block Classic lasts three days and two carvers use but two blocks for their creation. And, for...
In September 2021, Kawerak Inc. was awarded $3.8 million in funding for Project Regional Educational Model for Online Technology Engagement from the Dept. of Education, Alaska Native Education Program (REMOTE). Project REMOTE's goal was to increase online learning opportunities over three years for 555 Alaska Native learners in the Bering Strait Region. Project REMOTE successfully advanced remote learning capacity by reducing the technology access gap for Alaska Native residents in the Bering...
This year the spirit of Christmas in Alaska may be overwhelmed by the politics of the times and a tsunami of electronic gifts and doodads. But looking through Alaska newspaper clippings from 100 years ago, Christmas had more to do with turkey shoots and a kindly police chief ... Turkey Shoot at Kennecott A very successful turkey shoot was held at Kennecott on Christmas day starting at 10 a.m. and lasting until 3:30 p.m. It was a decided financial success as well as being thoroughly enjoyed by bo...
When termination dust sprinkles Alaska's mountain peaks, the summer tourists depart in campers, cruise ships, and V formations soaring over the yellow birches. An estimated 5 billion birds from 250 species visit Alaska to breed each year, following established migration routes called flyways. But even bountiful Arctic ecosystems can't feed this many birds all year round. At the end of nesting season, these nomads embark on incredible-and increasingly difficult-journeys to their winter homes....
As Alaska's brief summer winds down, the daylight hours lessen and the weather is more often blustery and rainy. This change signals the migratory birds who spent the summer in Alaska finding mates, defending territories, building nests, and raising young, to begin their journey south. Migratory birds face many challenges along their route. They may become disoriented by light pollution and collide with the windows of tall buildings. They have to avoid predators when they stop to refuel and...
Part four in a four-part series. After exploring Peru and Quito to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary, my husband and I flew to Coca. Known as the gateway to Ecuador's Amazon rainforest, the town sits at the confluence of the Napo and Coca rivers. That's where we climbed into a motorized canoe and spent two hours speeding down the Napo to our ship, Anaconda. From the moment we stepped aboard the 148-foot, 20-cabin ship, we were excited to see what Smithsonian Journeys and Audley Travel had...
Part three in a four-part series. After enjoying the first leg of our 50th wedding anniversary trip in Peru, my husband and I moved on to Quito, which marked the beginning of an adventure that immersed us in the rich history and vibrant culture of Ecuador. We were met by an English-speaking driver and guide, which Smithsonian Journeys and Audley Travel had arranged. They whisked us away to La Casona De La Ronda, a charming boutique hotel housed within a Spanish colonial mansion dating back to 17...
The loon drifts in lethargic circles, its white-collared neck drooping into the water. Fish dart below, but the bird cannot eat. Paralysis spreads from its broad webbed feet to the lungs that once sustained five-minute dives. As its organs shut down, the loon will slowly suffocate or starve. Every year, an estimated 16 million birds suffer this torturous death from lead poisoning. Accidental ingestion of lead fishing tackle causes up to half of all adult loon deaths. But with a few small...
First in a four-part series. Ever since Don and I said "we do" in Fairbanks in November 1973, my sweetie and I have been talking about taking a trip to South America to see Machu Picchu, the Galapagos Islands, and the Amazon rainforest. When we saw an ad for a highly discounted Princess cruise from Los Angeles to Santiago, Chile, we decided to "Just Do It" for our 50th wedding anniversary. We then Googled how to get from Chile to our three goals and stumbled across Smithsonian Journeys. The...
Imagine being a tiny songbird who flies across thousands of miles of boreal forest, facing frigid temperatures and snowstorms, searching for the next crop of birch or spruce seeds. All the while calling joyously to your flock mates as if you didn't have a care in the world. Look at your birdfeeder or spruce trees, and you'll likely see a flock of songbirds - common redpolls, pine siskins, or white-winged crossbills. In some winters, you may see an unexpectedly large number of them. Redpolls,...
Our eyes turn to the skies in early spring with the return of the birds that signal warm weather and another generation of their species. In Utqiagvik, it's the welcome sight of the snowbird and, in Fairbanks, the sandhill cranes, with their cries that penetrate and bring us outside to wonder at them. And with the birds, there are the annual festivals, with opportunities to celebrate and learn. Here's a preview. Ketchikan Hummingbird Festival, April, dates to be announced. Celebrate the return...
1. I know you’ve heard this before, but it is so important that it bears repeating: Chew, chew, chew. This means both slowly and thoroughly. To be totally graphic about it, you want anything you swallow to be a soupy consistency. Especially meat. For starters, digestion starts in the mouth. There are thousands of tiny neuro-receptors in the mouth that send messages to the brain about what is about to come down the pike. These messages “prep” the entire digestive system to gear up for the meal or snack that’s on the way. Fatty foods will tr...
Hawaii is the perfect place to go in February- only six hours out of Anchorage, to a nearby time zone just one hour behind, where you land with nary a hint of jet lag and ready to again experience the warmth of the sun. Islands with distinctive differences While Mokoka'i is quiet and not very touristy, Kaua'i bustles with tourist shops and excursions, O'ahu is home to the state's capital Honolulu with its royal palace and of course the famous Diamond Head commanding the harbor, Lāna'i has a...
Bird Treatment and Learning Center (Bird TLC) has ten Ambassador Birds in our education program. We could not release these birds back to the wild due to the severity of their injuries or because they are habituated to or imprinted on humans. Two of these birds are snowy owls, an iconic bird of the far North. Many of us don't have the opportunity to see these owls because they are found primarily on the Arctic tundra. Our Ambassador snowy owl, Annik, whose name means "blizzard" in Iñupiaq,...
There is nothing that sounds like winter more than crackling wood in a woodstove and the thuds and groans of children stacking firewood. But it's important to remember that a maintained stove is a safe stove. Get an annual inspection from a chimney sweep. They'll check for creosote buildup, damage and function in the chimney. To find one, contact local woodstove vendors and ask them for referrals. Ask friends with fireplaces to get referrals or remind them to clean their own. Add a second...
As we near the end of summer, many of us are planning for the winter months ahead: hunting, picking berries, canning vegetables, and freezing summer's food bounty. And the birds who will spend the winter with us are doing the same. Many birds that live in Alaska year-round have clever strategies for ensuring they have enough food to get them through our long, cold winters. If you watch closely, you can see them gathering and caching food at this time of year. Some are scatter hoarders, hiding...
Hi, my name is Anna Mae Andrew and I am 76 years old. My maiden name is Anna Mae Walcott. I have lived in New Stuyahok for more than 50 years-I moved here in 1968. I grew up in Ekook, where it is beautiful all year long. I got married in New Stuyahok to a local named Moxie S. Andrew. My hobbies include sewing, knitting and crocheting cultural things, and also artwork. I love to travel on a boat to my fish camp and camp outdoors up the river, and I love subsistence fishing. Splitting fish during...
Before he became well-known around the country, one of America's most famous prison inmates dug gold nuggets out of a mine in Juneau during 1908. But justice proved swift and sure after he killed a man on Jan. 18, 1909. A coroner's jury convened the evening of the murder, and after hearing testimony from the various parties, returned its verdict that Charles F. Damer met his death at the hands of the rival suitor for the affections of a woman named Kitty O'Brien. The jury included O'Brien as an...
