Highlights of Recent Photo Uploads
Photojournal
Recent Updates (includes older recently published or updated entries – go to the Photojournal page for only recent entries):
Starrigavan at Flood Tide
Thunder Shower
Price Street Vegetation
Beaver Lake Uplands
Low Island and Inner Point
Evening Cloud Break
Radio Show/Podcast
Sitka Nature Show #339 – Laura Kaltenstein
Sitka Nature Show #338 – Andy Szabo and Lauren Eckert
Sitka Nature Show #337 – Zach LaPerriere
Sitka Nature Show #336 – Alice and Chuck Johnstone (encore)
Explore the Archive
Today in Sitka Nature History:
Estuary Life Birds
November 17, 2024
Overcast with light rain mixing with snow later in the day. Precipitation turned to snow later this evening. Temperatures in the 30s. Last night when I was outside, the just-past-full … Read more
Sitka Nature Show #328 – David Jadhon
November 17, 2024
Featuring a conversation with David Jadhon. David had previously visited Sitka for birding, but when this conversation was recorded he had come to search for nudibranchs. We spoke about birding and his burgeoning interest in marine invertebrates. He also shared some of his experiences working as a research assistant on Middleton Island studying the Black-legged Kittiwakes that nest there.
More November Rain and Radio
November 17, 2021
I didn’t get to bed until late last night. Just after laying down, I noticed a flash and wondered what it might have been from. A few seconds later I … Read more
Cooperative Creeper
November 17, 2017
Today was one of those with heavy clouds where even mid-day light levels are more like dusk . Snow continued to fall throughout much of the day, occasionally mixing with … Read more
Swan Lake Fog
November 17, 2014
Fog this morning gave way to partly sunny skies by noon. It seemed as though the fog had lifted and gone completely, though I was not really a position where … Read more
Half-alseep Northern Shoveler
November 17, 2014
A Northern Shoveler was at Swan Lake last week. They only occasionally are seen here in the winter, so it’s getting a bit late for one to be around. This … Read more
Gallery: 20101117 Ruddy Duck and Afternoon Sunset
November 17, 2010
A possible Ruddy Duck was reported on Swan Lake. I was able to find and photograph it, but hope to get better pictures tomorrow. Clear and chilly weather resulted in … Read more
Ruddy Duck
November 17, 2010
Marge Ward called me today a little after noon to let me know she thought there might be a Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) on Swan Lake. I was able to … Read more
Eureka Mountain
November 17, 2007
Selection of random posts from the past 25+ years.
- SitkaBirds email List (subscribe here)
- SitkaBirds List is an e-mail list for birding around Sitka. It serves as to share photos and ask questions about birds or birding in Sitka. Also to notify others of sightings that may be unusual or of interest. If you are interested, please subscribe here. There is also a Sitka Birds Facebook Group (while both are active, the Facebook group has more active participants).
- Sitka Natural History Seminar Series
- To be notified of upcoming talks in the series, you can (subscribe here) to receive the announcements
- The Birds of Sitka, Alaska by J. Dan Webster.
- A comprehensive summary of published historical records (including looks at museum specimens) for the Sitka area.
- Species Checklists for Southeast Alaska (links below are currently only intermittently active, I have some work to do on that site)
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- Birds
- Mammals
- Vascular Plants
- Bryophytes
- Lichens (incomplete)
- Pre-2007 Photojournal
- Photos and journal entries from 1998-2006 (on a different site – I eventually intend to migrate entries to this one)
- Sitka Trails (on another site)
- A trail guide I am working on for trails on the Sitka Road system. It was on (or just off of) many of these trails where I took many of the photos seen here. I started redoing it in early 2024, but haven’t completed the remodel.
THANKS FOR THE INSPIRATION TO COME HOME SOON! CLASS OF ’94 KARI NILES (BLANKENSHIP)
This is an amazing effort, already well underway! As a botanist/naturalist, I naturally went straight to the plant page. Two hemlocks! You are so lucky. Thanks for the great photos and site!
Thanks for the great site. Was referred to by Marge Ward and Marlys Tedin (my aunt). I’m a displaced native (not a blood native, just born there) Now living in Chicago. Your site really tugs my strings to get back there for an extended period of time. Keep it up. Your photography is really coming along! Hard to take a bad shot around that area, if you are “in it” as much as you are. Keep hiking and sending pics. I’ll be there soon!
I had a friend send me some of the sound clips you have made. Wonderful! Do you have a mailing list in which you send out info from time to time? if so, please put me on it! great work! pat
An eastern kingbird: St. Lazaria Island, 2 July 2010…. made forays from its foraging perch in a lone mature Sitka spruce on a slope otherwise dominated by rye grass and salmonberry.
Thank you for posting all this photos, and keeping updated your quest of knowledge and beauty. I feel like walking with you on this wild path, day by day, you who wander, in this distant country. Magic of internet.
Up In Pelican…Have had a Short-eared Owl around, and a small flock of
Lapland Longspurs. Don’t see them often !
Thanks for the report from Pelican – nice to hear what’s going on in some of the less populated areas of the region!
Dear Naturalist,
Do yoy know of a database containing observations of all kinds of species (but certainly mammals and birds are of utmost interest) in the Sitka area? (or perhaps all of southeast Alaska).
I’m writing from Denmark. I once visited Sitka, it was a brief stay, but I hope to return next spring.
Best regards Mads Kusk
Mads – check out Southeast Alaska Natural History Wiki – there are other sources that have a bit more depth for some things, but that’s probably the best single source for what you’re looking for.
Thanks for all your hard work on this site. I have you in my RSS feed and read every post!
Thanks Rab – I appreciate your interest and encouragement!
Thank you for identifying my many plants on iNaturalist. I had no service for 10 days so just took pictures to upload later. The plant life in Yakutat is quite different from the plant life is south Texas. I was however pleasantly surprised to find a number or plants that were native to both.