Raven Radio Show #54 – Lauren Oakes

Download Radio Show The 25 May 2014 show featured a conversation with Lauren Oakes recorded back in April when she was in town to give a talk on her research into what happens in the aftermath of yellow cedar decline. If you have questions or observations you want to share, please feel free to leave … Read more

Long Shot Mystery Bird

Back in March 2011, I was out with a friend at the edge of the kelp patch near Low Island and saw a lone bird I did not recognize. From a distance it appeared to have something of a scoter-like profile – at least the head a bill. However, it was much too pale for … Read more

Rainbow in front of Mt. Verstovia

I was impressed by the intensity of this rainbow I saw recently, and also by its width. I remember reading that the brightness of a rainbow has to do with the size of the water droplets that the sun is shining through, but I do not know if this would have anything to do with … Read more

Harbor Mountain Walk

Another sunny day, though this one seemed include a lot of smoke/haze, probably blown over from the forest fires that have been burning in South Central Alaska. Today was the first day the third gate on Harbor Mountain road was open, and I went up there to go for a walk with an ethnobotany class … Read more

Yellow Jacket Nest

On a recent walk to the park, I was interested to notice at least two different chunks of yellow jacket nests on the ground along the trail. I’m not sure what species was working on them – I’ve seen a couple of different ones here – but I imagine it’s the queens getting things going. … Read more