Nature

A beach marmot carries nest material to its den. (Photo by Jos Bakker)

On the Trails: Spring is really happening

A spate of fine, sunny weather in mid-April was most welcome. Those clear skies, however, meant that the nights were still about crispy, and at… Continue reading

 

Pseudoscorpions are very small predators of springtails and mites. (Photo by Bob Armstrong)

On the Trails: Intertidal explorations

A bit of exploration of the rocky intertidal zone near Shaman Island yielded lots of big sea stars (mostly five-armed), little green sea urchins, and… Continue reading

 

Astrophysicists Lindsay Glesener, left, and Sabrina Savage enjoy the sunshine on an observation deck at the Neil Davis Science Center on a hilltop at Poker Flat Research Range north of Fairbanks. (Photo by Ned Rozell)

Alaska Science Forum: Waiting for the sun at Poker Flat

POKER FLAT RESEARCH RANGE — Under a bluebird sky and perched above a resilient winter snowpack, two sounding rockets point upward, ready to blast through… Continue reading

 

Purple mountain saxifrage blooms on cliffs along Perseverance Trail in early April. (Photo by Pam Bergeson)

On the Trails: Flowers and their visitors

Flowers influence their visitors in several ways. Visitors may be attracted by floral color, shape, or scents. Flowers offer rewards — nectar and pollen. But… Continue reading

Purple mountain saxifrage blooms on cliffs along Perseverance Trail in early April. (Photo by Pam Bergeson)
A male rusty blackbird in breeding dress. (Photo by Bob Armstrong)

On the Trails: A hungry goshawk and some early spring observations

Every late afternoon, a bunch of mallards is in the habit of coming to snack on fallen birdseed that accumulates on my ice-covered pond. And… Continue reading

A male rusty blackbird in breeding dress. (Photo by Bob Armstrong)
A harbor seal lazily floats in the calm cool downtown harbor waters on March 21. (Photo by Denise Carroll)

Wild Shots

To showcase our readers’ work to the widest possible audience, Wild Shots have been moved in front of the Juneau Empire’s paywall. Don’t have a… Continue reading

A harbor seal lazily floats in the calm cool downtown harbor waters on March 21. (Photo by Denise Carroll)
A robin feeds on insects along the shore of Mendenhall Lake. (Photo by Bob Armstrong)

On the Trails: Robins come, and it’s springtime

Spring comes, quite reliably, but sometimes reluctantly, by fits and starts. Every year we go through a process of counting the increasing hours of daylight,… Continue reading

A robin feeds on insects along the shore of Mendenhall Lake. (Photo by Bob Armstrong)
A palm cockatoo, which among males is known for its loud drumming behavior. (JJ Harrison/CC BY-SA 3.0)

On the Trails: Drummers on land and in water

In an orchestra, drums are a central feature of the percussion section, in which sounds are made by an object striking another one, creating aerial… Continue reading

A palm cockatoo, which among males is known for its loud drumming behavior. (JJ Harrison/CC BY-SA 3.0)
A pine grosbeak munches on some old berries. (Photo by Kerry Howard)

On the Trails: Animal tracks and pine grosbeaks

February had an extra day this year, a cold and gusty one. Those gusts were enough to knock me off balance and make it temporarily… Continue reading

A pine grosbeak munches on some old berries. (Photo by Kerry Howard)
An infection of dwarf mistletoe has caused the deformation of tree branches, making what is called a witch’s broom. (Photo by Bob Armstrong)

On the Trails: Witch’s brooms and gumboots

Local creatures have often been given the names of early explorers and naturalists that visited our northern shores and forests. So (until the names are… Continue reading

An infection of dwarf mistletoe has caused the deformation of tree branches, making what is called a witch’s broom. (Photo by Bob Armstrong)
A female varied thrush pauses to look around during her foraging bout. (Photo by Helen Unruh)

On the Trails: Early signs of spring

The ground is heavily blanketed with snow. The snow berms in my driveway (and, dangerously, at some street intersections too) are still over six feet… Continue reading

A female varied thrush pauses to look around during her foraging bout. (Photo by Helen Unruh)
A female white-winged crossbill contemplates a partly open spruce cone. (Photo by Helen Unruh)

On the Trails: Crossbills

Most birds have bills with tips that come together when the jaws close. But not crossbills — hence their common name. The crossed bill tips… Continue reading

A female white-winged crossbill contemplates a partly open spruce cone. (Photo by Helen Unruh)
Mendenhall Glacier and Mendenhall Lake on Jan. 28. (Photo by Deana Barajas)

Wild Shots

To showcase our readers’ work to the widest possible audience, Wild Shots have been moved in front of the Juneau Empire’s paywall. Don’t have a… Continue reading

Mendenhall Glacier and Mendenhall Lake on Jan. 28. (Photo by Deana Barajas)
Redpolls have come to Juneau in large numbers this year. (Photo by Mark Schwan)

On the Trails: Snow flies and other wintery things

January brought us two massive snowfalls, piling up about six feet deep, and pretty much shutting down the whole city for a couple of days.… Continue reading

Redpolls have come to Juneau in large numbers this year. (Photo by Mark Schwan)
A mallard feeding on rockweed in North Tee Harbor. (Photo by Bob Armstrong)

On the Trails: Mallards eating rockweed (and how plants hear)

Mallards are omnivores, eating seeds, little invertebrates, an occasional tiny fish, and whatnot. Recent midwinter observations at North Tee Harbor documented them grazing on rockweed,… Continue reading

A mallard feeding on rockweed in North Tee Harbor. (Photo by Bob Armstrong)
A tiny tree bears a great weight along the Montana Creek Trail on Jan. 21. (Photo by Deana Barajas)

Wild Shots

To showcase our readers’ work to the widest possible audience, Wild Shots have been moved in front of the Juneau Empire’s paywall. Don’t have a… Continue reading

A tiny tree bears a great weight along the Montana Creek Trail on Jan. 21. (Photo by Deana Barajas)
Tracks from a hermit crab that wandered over the sands at Eagle Beach. (Photo by Mary F. Willson)

On the Trails: Animal tracks (and bird feeder activities)

One of my winter pleasures is traipsing around after a nice snowfall and looking for animal tracks. In mid-January, I walked up my driveway to… Continue reading

Tracks from a hermit crab that wandered over the sands at Eagle Beach. (Photo by Mary F. Willson)
Wigeon Ponds is one of the areas adjacent to the Mendenhall Wetlands State Game Refuge purchased by the Southeast Alaska Land Trust, which is producing an updated digital map of the entire wetlands area. (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service photo)

Mendenhall wetlands area to get first new full map since 1979

Change in vegetation, tidal areas, land “rebound” after glacial retreat shown — along with area’s name.

Wigeon Ponds is one of the areas adjacent to the Mendenhall Wetlands State Game Refuge purchased by the Southeast Alaska Land Trust, which is producing an updated digital map of the entire wetlands area. (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service photo)
A deer’s eyes reflect headlights from an approaching vehicle. (Harold Neal / CC BY-SA 2.0)

On the Trails: Eyeshine and rumination

The eyes of a wary cat or dog on the roadside at night can reflect the light of oncoming cars, often with startling vividness. That’s… Continue reading

A deer’s eyes reflect headlights from an approaching vehicle. (Harold Neal / CC BY-SA 2.0)
Sun on the peaks from the Boy Scout Beach Trail on New Year’s Day. (Photo by Deborah Rudis)

Wild Shots

To showcase our readers’ work to the widest possible audience, Wild Shots have been moved in front of the Juneau Empire’s paywall. Don’t have a… Continue reading

Sun on the peaks from the Boy Scout Beach Trail on New Year’s Day. (Photo by Deborah Rudis)