Author: Michelle Michaud

Eagle Lake and Jaeger Bog Birding Hotspots

Eagle Lake

Eagle Lake is great birding for songbirds. Mew Gulls and a Pacific Loon pair nests at the lake. Several shorebird species also nest here: Yellowleg and Wilson’s Snipe.  The Jaeger Bog hosts a nesting pair of dark morph Parasitic Jaegers.  Both locations are great for songbirds. Merlins and Northern Harrier can occasionally be spotted here.

Directions:

Eagle Lake: Drive approximately 18-19 miles out East End Road. Turn left on Basargin Road (aka Circle Lake Road), drive approximately 2.7 miles to the Y in the road. Go right. Drive another (approximate) 1.1miles. There will be a pull off on the side of the road. Park here. Walk down (northeast) the road about 100 feet or so. There will be a small trail on the left hand side of the road. This trail leads to the lake. The lake is less than ¼ mile off the road. Boots are necessary as this trail as it can be very wet and muddy.

Trail to Eagle Lake from Basargin Road

Jaeger Bog: Drive approximately 18-19 miles out East End Road. Turn left on Basargin Road (aka Circle Lake Road), drive approximately 2.7 miles to the Y in the road. Go left. Drive 0.5 miles. There may be a closed gate. If so, park off the road and walk approximately 0.5 miles. There will be a large bog on the left hand side of the road. If the gate is open drive up the hill and down to a small pull-out at the bottom of the hill and on the right hand side of the road. Scope the bog on the left for Dark Morph Parasitic Jaegers that nest here annually. A variety of songbirds can be found here as well.

Be aware. This is bear and moose country.

Bird Species Observed or Heard at Eagle Lake

  • Pacific Loon
  • Trumpeter Swan
  • Common Goldeneye
  • Mallard
  • Eurasian Widgeon
  • Green-winged Teal
  • Northern Pintail
  • Ring-necked Duck
  • Red-necked Grebe
  • Spotted Sandpiper
  • Solitary Sandpiper
  • Least Sandpiper
  • Lesser Yellowleg
  • Greater Yellowleg
  • Wilson’s Snipe
  • Red-necked Phalarope
  • Mew Gull
  • Glaucous-winged Gull
  • Herring Gull
  • Black-legged Kittiwake
  • Bonaparte’s Gull
  • Arctic Tern
  • Parasitic Jaeger
  • Bald Eagle
  • Merlin
  • Sandhill Crane
  • Common Raven
  • Black-blled Magpie
  • Gray Jay
  • Northwestern Crow
  • American-three-toed Woodpecker
  • Tree Swallow
  • Bank Swallow
  • Olive-sided Flycatcher
  • Hermit’s Thrush
  • American Robin
  • Swainson’s Thrush
  • Varied Thrush
  • Gray-checked Thrush
  • Black-capped Chickadee
  • Boreal Chickadee
  • Red-breasted Nuthatch
  • Ruby-crowned Kinglet
  • Orange-crowned Warbler
  • Yellow-rumped Warbler
  • Wilson’s Warbler
  • Golden-crowned Sparrow
  • Song Sparrow
  • Lincoln’s Sparrow
  • Fox Sparrow
  • Rusty Blackbird
  • White-winged Crossbill

Bird Species Seen or Heard at Jaeger Bog and surrounding area:

  • Parasitic Jaeger
  • Arctic Tern
  • Mew Gull
  • Sandhill Crane
  • Willow Ptarmigan
  • Northern Harrier
  • Bald Eagle
  • Wilson’s Snipe
  • Greater Yellowleg
  • Least Sandpiper
  • Hermit Thrush
  • Gray-cheeked Thrush
  • Common Raven
  • Wilson’s Warbler
  • Yellow Warbler
  • Yellow-rumped Warbler
  • Fox Sparrow
  • Savannah Sparrow
  • Golden-crowned Sparrow
  • Common Redpoll

Check out ebird for the latest complete list of birds seen at this location:  http://ebird.org/ebird/ak/explore

It’s A Great Day to Bird

 

Anchor Point Beach – Birding Hotspot

Beach heading towards mouth of the Anchor River
Anchor River

The Anchor Point Beach is a good beach for migrating (spring and outbound) shorebirds.  Spring migration begins in late April and peak mid May (spring migration).  Outbound migration begins late June and you can find shorebirds into September, and occasionally October. 

The best place to see shorebirds is generally within 500 feet of the parking lot or at the mouth of the river, approximately 1.3 miles from the parking lot.  Shorebirds can also be observed along the Anchor River.  There is a road that parallels the river. 

In the day-use parking lot and campground, a variety of songbirds can be observed during the spring and summer. 

Seabirds can be observed on or flying over Cook Inlet.  Outbound migration (July-September) can bring an abundance of seabirds, including Sooty Shearwaters, Tufted and Horned Puffins, and Murrelets (Marbled and Kittletz). 

Be sure to also check out the wetlands next to the parking lot in the spring and fall for waterfowl and shorebirds. 

Be aware of the tides.  Tides in Alaska can be extreme at times.  It is always best to visit the beach during an outgoing tide.  Shorebirds are best observed when the tide is between 12-14 feet. 

Directions: 

From Homer take the Sterling Highway to Anchor Point.  Turn left on to the Old Sterling Highway (left), drive over the bridge, and take the first right (Anchor Point Road).  Drive this road to the end and park in the parking lot.  A $5.00 parking fee is charged. 

List of Bird Species Observed at Anchor Point Beach/Anchor River

Over 170 species have been observed at the parking long, along the Anchor River, over Cook Inlet, or along the beach at Anchor Point throughout the year. 

  • Mallard
  • American Widgeon
  • Eurasian Widgeon
  • Gadwall
  • Greater Scaup
  • Lesser Scaup
  • Long-tailed Duck
  • Red-Breasted Merganser
  • Common Merganser
  • Canvasback
  • Northern Pintail
  • Northern Shoveler
  • Green-winged Teal
  • Common Goldeneye
  • Barrow’s Goldeneye
  • Harlequin Duck
  • Common Eider
  • Steller’s Eider
  • Bufflehead
  • Ring-necked Duck
  • Surf Scoter
  • White-winged Scoter
  • Black Scoter
  • Canada Goose
  • Brandt
  • Greater-White Fronted Goose
  • Snow Goose
  • Cackling Goose
  • Trumpeter Swan
  • Red-necked Grebe
  • Horned Grebe
  • Pacific Loon
  • Common Loon
  • Red-throated Loon
  • Yellow-billed Loon
  • Sooty Shearwater
  • Buller’s Shearwater
  • Short-tailed Shearwater
  • Pelagic Cormorant
  • Great Blue Heron
  • Sandhill Crane
  • Spruce Grouse
  • Ring-necked Pheasant
  • Short-eared Owl
  • Northern Harrier
  • Turkey Vulture
  • Golden Eagle
  • Bald Eagle
  • Red-tailed Hawk
  • Northern Goshawk
  • Peregrine Falcon
  • Merlin
  • Osprey
  • Rough-legged Hawk
  • Sharp-shinned Hawk
  • Black-bellied Plover
  • American Golden Plover
  • Pacific Golden Plover
  • Killdeer
  • Semi-palmated Plover
  • Whimbrel
  • Marbled Godwit
  • Hudsonian Godwit
  • Bar-tailed Godwit
  • Bristle-thighed Curlew
  • Greater Yellowleg
  • Lesser Yellowleg
  • Dunlin
  • Western Sandpiper
  • Least Sandpiper
  • Semi-palmated Sandpiper
  • Pectoral Sandpiper
  • Rock Sandpiper
  • Buff-breasted Sandpiper 
  • Sanderling
  • Baird’s Sandpiper
  • Short-billed Dowitcher
  • Long-billed Dowitcher
  • Wandering Tattler
  • Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
  • Solitary Sandpiper
  • Red Knot
  • Black Turnstone
  • Ruddy Turnstone
  • Surfbird
  • Red Phalarope
  • Wilson’s Snipe
  • Black Oystercatcher
  • Pigeon Gullimot
  • Marbled Murrelet
  • Kittletz Murrelet
  • Ancient Murrelet
  • Common Murre
  • Horned Puffin
  • Tufted Puffin
  • Cassin’s Auklet
  • Rhinocerous Auklet
  • Parakeet Auklet
  • Parasitic Jaeger
  • Pomeraine Jaeger
  • Long-tailed Jaeger
  • Glaucous-winged Gull
  • Glaucous Gull
  • Mew Gull
  • Lesser Black-backed Gull
  • Black-egged Kittiwake
  • Sabine’s Gull
  • Bonaparte’s Gull
  • Herring Gull
  • Thayer’s Gull
  • Northern Fulmar
  • Arctic Tern
  • Aleutian Tern
  • Caspian Tern
  • Rock Pigeon
  • Hairy Woodpecker
  • Downy Woodpecker
  • American Three-toed Woodpecker
  • Northern Flicker
  • American Dipper
  • Common Raven
  • Northwestern Crow
  • Black-billed Magpie
  • Gray Jay
  • Steller’s Jay
  • Northern Shrike
  • American Robin
  • Hermit Thrush
  • Varied Thrush
  • Swainson’s Thrush
  • Tree Swallow
  • Bank Swallow
  • Violet-Green Swallow
  • Cliff Swallow
  • Black-capped Chickadee
  • Boreal Chickadee
  • Brown Creeper
  • Red-breasted Nuthatch
  • Rudy-crowned Kinglet
  • Golden-crowned Kinglet
  • Pacific Wren
  • Alder Flycatcher
  • Olive-sided Flycatcher
  • Western Wood-Pewee
  • Northern Waterthrush
  • Yellow-rumped Warbler
  • Orange-crowned Warbler
  • Townsend’s Warbler
  • Song Sparrow
  • Fox Sparrow
  • Golden-crowned Sparrow
  • White-crowned Sparrow
  • Savannah Sparrow
  • Lapland Longspur
  • Lincoln’s Sparrow
  • Snow Bunting
  • American Pipit
  • Eastern Yellow Wagtail
  • Rusty Blackbird
  • Red-winged Blackbird
  • Eurasian Starling
  • Eurasian Skylark
  • Horned Lark
  • Red Crossbill
  • White-winged Crossbill
  • Pine Siskin
  • Common Redpoll
  • Pine Grosbeak
  • Gray-crowned Rosy Finch

Check the latest ebird for a listing of sightings:  http://ebird.org/content/ak/

Rock Sandpiper
Reb-breasted Merganser and ducklings
Hatch Year Common Raven on boat trailer near parking lot

 

IT’S A GREAT DAY TO BIRD

Eveline State Recreation Area

Eveline State Recreation Site

This is a small, 80-acre state recreation site location out East End Road near McNeil Canyon.  The park offers several different summer trails (and winter ski/snowshoe trails, as well), with no trail longer than 1.25 miles.  During the summer there are a variety of wildflowers in the meadows and along the trails.  Not to be missed.

Trail Map
Boardwalk on Alpine Meadows Trail
View from Glacier View Trail

More than 45 bird species have been spotted in the park.  In the spring and summer, the best time to bird is during the morning hours.  Key breeding species include: Golden-crowned Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Alder Flycatcher, and Orange-crowned Warbler.

Remember this is bear and moose country.  Be Aware.  

Directions:

From East End Road in Homer drive approximately 13.5 miles to Alpine Meadows Road.  There will be a state park sign just before the road.  Turn left onto Alpine Meadows and drive approximately ½ mile to the park.  There is a small parking lot on the left-hand side of the road.

Bird List:

  • Bald Eagle
  • Merlin
  • Sharp-shinned Hawk
  • Northern Goshawk
  • Northern Hawk Owl
  • Red-tailed Hawk
  • Sandhill Crane
  • Spruce Grouse
  • Willow Ptarmigan
  • Wilson’s Snipe
  • Lesser Yellowleg
  • Gray Jay
  • Black-billed Magpie
  • Common Raven
  • Steller’s Jay
  • Northern Shrike
  • Alder Flycatcher
  • Black-capped Chickadee
  • Boreal Chickadee
  • Red-breasted Nuthatch
  • Golden-crowned Kinglet
  • Ruby-crowned Kinglet
  • Hairy Woodpecker
  • Downy Woodpecker
  • Hermit Thrush
  • Swainson’s Thrush
  • Gray-cheeked Thrush
  • American Robin
  • Varied Thrush
  • Wilson’s Warbler
  • Yellow-rumped Warbler
  • Yellow Warbler
  • Orange-crowned Warbler
  • Townsends Warbler (R)
  • Blackpoll Warbler (R)
  • Golden-crowned Sparrow
  • Fox Sparrow
  • Savannah Sparrow
  • Lincoln’s Sparrow (UC)
  • Lapland Longspur
  • Pine Grosbeak
  • White-winged Crossbill
  • Red Crossbill
  • Pine Siskin
  • Common Redpoll

Please note that many of these species are uncommon to rare.  Check the latest ebird for the most recent sightings:  http://ebird.org/content/ak/

Gray Jay
Hatch Year Varied Thrush
Orange-crowned Warbler

 

 

 

 

Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival – 2013 Big Spit Plus Challenge

The Kachemak Bay Birders would like to thank everyone who participated in, or donated prizes to, this year's (2013) Big Spit Plus Challenge during the 21st Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival.  The event could not have occurred without you.  This year's Big Spit Plus was expanded in time (2.5 days) and location (Stariski River South to Homer and East to Fox River Flats and trips on the waters of Kachemak Bay). 

Participanting teams and the number of birds observed

YOUTH

1st Place: Mr. Whitekeys and Friends found 80 species

            Grace, Damien, Eve, Atlas, and Max Burke

2nd Place: Birding Buntings found 55 species

            Nolan and Landon Bunting

FAMILY/MIXED GROUP

1st Place: Pedaling Plovers found 104 species

            Erick and Lori Paulsrud

2nd Place: Many Sparrows found 57 species

            Silas, Aurora and Anna Firth

Participation: Family Big Year found 41 species

            Mike, Jen, Katie and Rosie McCrudden

 

DONORS

Bay Excursions (Karl Stoltzfus)–discounts on trips out on the Bay

Gary Lyon–print

Kachemak Crane Watch?gift certificates to the Homer Book Store

Kachemak Bay Conservation Society?youth prizes and bags

Captain's Coffee?beverage coupons

Don Jose's?gift certificate for a meal

Cosmic Kitchen–gift certificate for a meal

Two Sisters–gift certificate for a meal

Fat Olive's–gift certificate for a meal

 

Thank you everyone

Bird Window Strikes

Over 270 species of birds in the United States and Canada have been documented striking windows, and each year millions of birds die from striking windows.

 

The Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania is working on project identifying bird window collisions and they would like you help. The college, however, is only looking for information on those birds not currently on their list of bird window strikes. The list of birds they have documented as striking windows is available on their website.

 

For more information on how to report a bird strike or for a list of birds already identified, check out their website: 

http://www.muhlenberg.edu/main/academics/biology//faculty/klem/ACO/GlassHome.htm

 

For more information on how to prevent window strikes go to the American Bird Conservancy's website: http://www.abcbirds.org/abcprograms/policy/collisions/glass.html where you can download their brochure on what you can do to prevent window strikes.

Color Bands on Birds

Have you ever been out bird watching and noticed that one of the birds has color bands on one or both legs?

According to Alaska Audubon, researchers attach color and numeric markers to birds to track individual birds. With color bands, each bird receives a unique combination of colors. For some birds, color bands are placed on their leg(s).  For some large waterfowl, such as swans, researchers use collars instead of bands. For large soaring birds, such as golden eagles, researchers may use wing tags. These are large number tags attached to the wings so they are visible when the birds fly high overhead.

Banding helps us understand where birds migrate, where they may stop along the way, and where they spend the winter away from Alaska. Finding these locations is essential to maintaining healthy bird populations. If there is habitat loss at stopover sites along migration routes or on wintering grounds, that affects the populations of birds in Alaska.

It is important for researchers to know where these birds are spotted. If you come across a bird with color bands on its leg(s), write the colors down in order (top to bottom), and be sure to note if they’re on the right or left leg. For birds with collar bands or wing tags, write down the number. The information recorded should be submitted to the U.S. Geological Survey, North American Bird Banding Program at:

http://www.reportband.gov/

Citizen Science Opportunities

Citizen Scientists Needed

Not a wildlife biologist, but would love to participate in bird or habitat monitoring?  The individuals and organizations below could use your participation in one or more of the following citizen science projects. To learn more about each of the projects, just click on the link below for the project that interests you.

  • Kachemak Bay Shorebird Monitoring
  • Alaska Loon and Grebe Watch Monitoring Program
  • Christmas Bird Count
  • Coastal Observation And Seabird Survey Team (COASST)
  • Great Backyard Bird Count
  • eBird
  • Nest Watch
  • Project Feederwatch
  • Yard-map

Kachemak Bay Shorebird Monitoring

Count and record shorebirds arriving at Kachemak Bay during spring migration (mid-April to late-May)

For more information: Kachemak Bay Birders – George Matz at geomatz@alaska.net

Alaska Loon and Grebe Watch Monitoring Program

Record Loon and Grebe observations at your lake or a nearby lake (late May to late August)

For more information: http://aknhp.uaa.alaska.edu/zoology/citizen-science/alaska-loon-grebe-watch/

Christmas Bird Count

With a team count birds in a particular radius on a particular day in December
For more information: National Audubon Society http://www.audubon.org/conservation/science/christmas-bird-count

Local Contact: Dave Erikson at derikson@alaska.net or Lani Raymond at lani67@alaska.net

COASST – Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team

Walk an assigned area of beach monthly and record any dead birds found (year round).

For more information: http://depts.washington.edu/coasst/

Great Backyard Bird Count

Count the number and kinds of birds seen at least 15 minutes on one or more the days 4 count days in mid February.

For more information: Cornell Lab of Ornithology http://gbbc.birdcount.org/

eBird

Record and submit your personal checklist of birds seen at any time and any location

For more information: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/

Nest Watch

Observe and record any nests/eggs/babies observed in natural habitat or in nest boxes during breeding season (April through August in Alaska)

For more information: Cornell Lab of Ornithology http://nestwatch.org/

Project Feeder Watch

Count and record birds seen at your feeders (November to April)

For more information: Cornell Lab of Ornithology http://feederwatch.org/

YardMap

Record bird habitat in your yard (or other area)

For more information: Cornell Lab of Ornithology http://content.yardmap.org/

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