Audubon Alaska

08/21/2026

What happens in an Alaska bog can make a big difference for a shorebird’s survival. This story takes us into Cook Inlet’s 2026 breeding season, where researchers tracked Hudsonian Godwit chicks, explored the surprising relationship between godwits and Short-billed Gulls, and revisited Anchorage-area bogs first surveyed in the 1990s.

The findings offer a fascinating look at how predation, water levels, insects, habitat changes, and development shape shorebird success—and why even a small patch of wetland can be incredibly valuable.

Shorebird news from Cook Inlet’s 2026 breeding season.

08/19/2026

It's the end of a Cearah!

Cearah spent the summer as Audubon Alaska’s Outreach and Communications Advocate where she played a key role in launching the Anchorage Birding Trail, promoting community bird walks and bike rides, and supporting projects on ptarmigan subsistence research, Indigenous place names in Southeast Alaska, and activities for the 2026 BARC Science and Culture Fair in Utqiaġvik.

We’ll miss you, Cearah!

08/17/2026

"Look, I need bird-friendly habitat along my migration path to rest and refuel. Because what’s a tour without stops? Just call us the Red Knot Chili Peppers.”

The Red Knot nests in the far north, mostly well above the Arctic Circle, and its winter range includes shorelines around the world, all the way to Australia and southern South America. They must have a killer playlist.

08/16/2026

In a new episode of the K9 Conservationists podcast, host Kayla Fratt talks with John Schoen about his work in Alaska and the history and future of the Tongass National Forest Roadless Rule.

Schoen, a longtime Alaska conservationist and former Audubon Alaska scientist, brings decades of experience studying the Tongass and advocating for the protection of its remarkable old-growth forests and wildlife.

The conversation offers a chance to hear from someone who has spent much of his career asking an important question: How do we make conservation decisions that will protect Alaska's wild places for generations to come?

Listen to the episode via Spotify

https://open.spotify.com/episode/0EXyMV6ednN7FtjP8MDECB

K9 Conservationists · Episode

08/14/2026

Audubon Alaska was thrilled to join the 2026 BARC Science Fair in Utqiaġvik, where this year’s theme—Aviktuaqatigiigñiq, or “sharing”—felt especially meaningful.

We spent time outside with students, leading bird walks across the tundra and looking closely at the birds that make Utqiaġvik such an important stop in the global migration network. Then, during the evening lecture series, we shared how migratory birds connect Utqiaġvik to communities and ecosystems thousands of miles away—and why protecting these birds requires shared stewardship throughout their entire annual cycle.

Quyanaq to the BARC Science Fair organizers, students, educators, families, and community members who make this gathering so special every year!

08/10/2026

"Don't forget to TERN in your salmon harvest report to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game - Official this month!"

Looks like this Arctic Tern is giving a not-so-gentle reminder about the August 31 deadline for any salmon folks did—or did not—catch during dipnetting season. However, this guy should be OK. Arctic Terns often forage by hovering briefly, then plunging to catch prey below the water's surface—no net required.

08/09/2026

Need a recommendation? Check out this piece that explores what makes the Tongass so extraordinary, from its wildlife and salmon streams to the communities and cultures that depend on it. It's a reminder of why protecting this incredible landscape matters for birds—and all of us.

Read in the Juneau Independent.

Several characteristics of the Tongass National Forest are unique. It is part of the largest temperate rainforest in the world and extends from Yakutat, Alaska to northern California. It is home to healthy populations of five species of Pacific salmon: pink, chum, coho, sockeye and Chinook salmon. T...

08/06/2026

Southeast Alaska is filled with a plethora of hiking trails, but navigating which ones are best for your needs can be difficult.

The guide "Day Hiking: Southeast Alaska" is full of information about the difficulty of the hikes, where exactly the trailhead is, and what gear to bring. It includes trails like Volunteer Park, Mount Dewey, Rainbow Falls, and Thoms Lake, all of which are also on Audubon Alaska's Southeast Alaska Birding Trail as excellent places to bird!

Check out the Wrangell Sentinel piece here to learn more about the guidebook and all the trails it has to offer.

When visiting Wrangell, it’s always a nice day to take a hike — because there’s really no such thing as bad weather in Alaska, only bad raingear. Most of the recommended Wrangell day hikes …

08/05/2026

Summer is the perfect time to hike and bird, and it's easy to do both at the same time!

The Anchorage Birding Trail connects 35 birding destinations across the municipality—from coastal paths and forest trails to alpine hikes with breathtaking views. Sites include adventurous treks through the Glen Alps, South Fork in Eagle River, Crow Pass in Girdwood, and more.

Learn more about the here!

Created to make birding more welcoming to people of all experience levels, from longtime Anchorage residents to visitors discovering Alaska birds for the first time.

08/03/2026

“First, these aren't horns. They're fancy golden feather tufts. And yes, I disappear underwater every time someone points binoculars at them.”

The Horned Grebe is similar to the Eared Grebe, but much less gregarious; it seldom nests in colonies and seldom gathers in large flocks at other seasons. It clearly has grebevances with crowds and onlookers.