Alaska Outdoors

A forest growing on Malaspina Glacier in southern Alaska. (Courtesy Photo / Martin Truffer)

Alaska Science Forum: Elephant Point and trees growing on ice

Pointing out the origins of a name.

A forest growing on Malaspina Glacier in southern Alaska. (Courtesy Photo / Martin Truffer)
This photo available under the Creative Commons license shows a gynandromorph of a common blue butterfly. Gynandromorphy, meaning female-male-morphology, is well-known, apparently, among birds, including chickens and several songbirds of the eastern U.S.; these individuals have one half with male plumage and the other half with female plumage. They also occur in reptiles, amphibians and fishes (as well as a variety of insects and other invertebrates.) (Courtesy Photo / Burkhard Hinnersmann)

On the Trails: Determination of biological sex —it’s a complex topic

The determination of biological sex is a complicated matter, even just focusing on vertabrates.

This photo available under the Creative Commons license shows a gynandromorph of a common blue butterfly. Gynandromorphy, meaning female-male-morphology, is well-known, apparently, among birds, including chickens and several songbirds of the eastern U.S.; these individuals have one half with male plumage and the other half with female plumage. They also occur in reptiles, amphibians and fishes (as well as a variety of insects and other invertebrates.) (Courtesy Photo / Burkhard Hinnersmann)
Cheryl Fellman checks her watch before attempting an Ice Mile. An Ice Mile is a type of endurance swim that tasks swimmers with covering a mile in water that is 41 degrees or colder. Fellman swam a mile in just under 35 minutes on Saturday at Auke Recreation Area. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

Ice day for a swim

Juneau woman completes a mile in near-freezing water

Cheryl Fellman checks her watch before attempting an Ice Mile. An Ice Mile is a type of endurance swim that tasks swimmers with covering a mile in water that is 41 degrees or colder. Fellman swam a mile in just under 35 minutes on Saturday at Auke Recreation Area. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
The Pebble deposit lies at the headwaters of Bristol Bay, the greatest salmon fishery in the world. (Courtesy Photo / Colin Arisman)

Pride of Bristol Bay: Permanent protections in view for Bristol Bay

By Bjorn Dihle For more than two decades, those who care about Bristol Bay — the largest sockeye salmon run on the planet — have… Continue reading

The Pebble deposit lies at the headwaters of Bristol Bay, the greatest salmon fishery in the world. (Courtesy Photo / Colin Arisman)
This photo shows a raven in the snow. (Courtesy Photo / Kerry Howard)

On the Trails: Transition to winter — maybe

A mat of old leaves lined the roadway, each leaf fringed with crystals, making a pretty mosaic…

This photo shows a raven in the snow. (Courtesy Photo / Kerry Howard)
Eaglecrest Ski Area is preparing to open for its 2021-2022 season with infrastructure upgrades and eased COVID mitigation strategies. (Courtesy photo / Nate Morris)

Freshly up-gunned Eaglecrest readying for opening day

New snow guns and hardened nordic trails will great winter sport enthusiasts on opening day.

Eaglecrest Ski Area is preparing to open for its 2021-2022 season with infrastructure upgrades and eased COVID mitigation strategies. (Courtesy photo / Nate Morris)
The author with a Kenai River rainbow caught during his honeymoon in June. (Jeff Lund / for the Juneau Empire)

I Went to the Woods: It’s OK to be happy

Of course, it’s not as easy as going fishing.

The author with a Kenai River rainbow caught during his honeymoon in June. (Jeff Lund / for the Juneau Empire)
The egg mass under the tipped up shell is indicated by A, and the head of the male sculpin by B. (Courtesy Photo / John Palmes)

On the Trails: Caring for offspring

Vertebrates have a broad spectrum of ways to care for their offspring

The egg mass under the tipped up shell is indicated by A, and the head of the male sculpin by B. (Courtesy Photo / John Palmes)
Killer whales in the Gulf of Alaska. (Courtesy Photo / North Gulf Oceanic Society, NMFS research permit 20341)

Alaska Science Forum: Listening to the voices of killer whales

By Ned Rozell In the deep blue ocean just off the coast of Alaska, killer whales are now communicating with one another with clicks and… Continue reading

Killer whales in the Gulf of Alaska. (Courtesy Photo / North Gulf Oceanic Society, NMFS research permit 20341)
This photo shows sandhill cranes in a Southern Wisconsin field. "It’s always a big treat to see them," writes Mary F. Willson. (Courtesy Photo / J.S. Willson)

On the Trails: Visiting old home ground

By Mary F. Willson For the Juneau Empire In mid-October, I made a quick trip back to my old stomping grounds in southern Wisconsin. In… Continue reading

This photo shows sandhill cranes in a Southern Wisconsin field. "It’s always a big treat to see them," writes Mary F. Willson. (Courtesy Photo / J.S. Willson)
A bar-tailed godwit born in Alaska that undertakes one of the greatest non-stop migrations in the animal kingdom, often flying from Alaska straight to New Zealand in the fall. (Courtesy Photo / Zachary Pohlen)

Alaska Science Forum: Blown back to Alaska, bird perseveres

Second time’s the charm.

A bar-tailed godwit born in Alaska that undertakes one of the greatest non-stop migrations in the animal kingdom, often flying from Alaska straight to New Zealand in the fall. (Courtesy Photo / Zachary Pohlen)
An American robin perches on a branch, with toes loosely curled. (Courtesy Photo / Bob Armstrong)

On the Trails: Why don’t birds fall off their perches?

A growing body of evidence suggests that birds have a second organ of equilibrium.

An American robin perches on a branch, with toes loosely curled. (Courtesy Photo / Bob Armstrong)
A male bar-tailed godwit near Prudhoe Bay during the summer breeding season. (Courtesy Photo / Zachary Pohlen)

Alaska Science Forum: Shorebirds depend on wee slivers of Alaska

By Ned Rozell Pencil-beaked shorebirds with the ability to stay airborne for a week — flying all the way from Alaska to New Zealand —… Continue reading

A male bar-tailed godwit near Prudhoe Bay during the summer breeding season. (Courtesy Photo / Zachary Pohlen)
A flying squirrel digs for a truffle in this undated photo. (Courtesy Photo / Bob Armstrong)
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On the Trails: Dispersal of fungal spores

How fungus spreads among us.

A flying squirrel digs for a truffle in this undated photo. (Courtesy Photo / Bob Armstrong)
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Wild Shots: Photos of Mother Nature in Alaska

Reader-submitted photos of Southeast Alaska.

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Fairbanks City Transit System No. 142 of “Into the Wild” fame inside the engineering building on the UAF campus, where UA Museum of the North conservators will work on its preservation. (Courtesy Photo / Ned Rozell)

Alaska Science Forum: Bus 142 to embark on final journey

No longer in transit.

Fairbanks City Transit System No. 142 of “Into the Wild” fame inside the engineering building on the UAF campus, where UA Museum of the North conservators will work on its preservation. (Courtesy Photo / Ned Rozell)
Cheryl Fellman enters the chilly waters of Auke Bay. Freeman is on the verge of becoming one of only 43 Americans — and 422 people worldwide — to swim an official Ice Mile. (Courtesy photo/Cheryl Fellman)

Juneau woman to attempt rare ice swimming feat

Brrrrrr!

Cheryl Fellman enters the chilly waters of Auke Bay. Freeman is on the verge of becoming one of only 43 Americans — and 422 people worldwide — to swim an official Ice Mile. (Courtesy photo/Cheryl Fellman)
Snow and rain are often annoying, but without the right amounts, rivers become too low for good floats and salmon spawning. (Jeff Lund / For the Juneau Empire)

I Went to the Woods: The two types of climate change

It’s about reusable water bottles, but also energy efficient homes.

Snow and rain are often annoying, but without the right amounts, rivers become too low for good floats and salmon spawning. (Jeff Lund / For the Juneau Empire)
This photo shows a brown-headed cowbird. Adult brown-headed cowbirds in North America practice brood parasitism in which they remove eggs from a host nest and replace them with eggs of their own. (Courtesy Photo / DonaldRMiller Photography, Wikimedia)

On the Trails: Infanticide and egg-destruction

Some regular infanticide and egg-destruction occurs between species.

This photo shows a brown-headed cowbird. Adult brown-headed cowbirds in North America practice brood parasitism in which they remove eggs from a host nest and replace them with eggs of their own. (Courtesy Photo / DonaldRMiller Photography, Wikimedia)
A praying mantis eats the remnants of its mate. In most cases, females that are cannibalistic gain reproductive advantages by laying larger, bigger eggs that survive better than those of non-cannibalistic females. Therefore their deceased mates also gain reproductive advantages.(Oliver Koemmerling / Wikimedia)

On the Trails: Having family for dinner

Cannibalism in nature can be a family affair.

A praying mantis eats the remnants of its mate. In most cases, females that are cannibalistic gain reproductive advantages by laying larger, bigger eggs that survive better than those of non-cannibalistic females. Therefore their deceased mates also gain reproductive advantages.(Oliver Koemmerling / Wikimedia)