Sitka Nature Homepage

Highlights of Recent Photo Uploads


Photojournal

The summer of 1999 was the first time I returned to Sitka after my parents had moved south. I had started working on a website the previous school year, and had purchased my first digital camera that spring. I had dabbled with photography and journaling my outdoor adventures with analog tools (film and notebooks) previously. Now converted to digital, with family to keep up to date, I started my photojournal. It now has grown to over 3000 posts spanning 25 years, with more to come.

Recent Updates (includes older recently published or updated entries – go to the Photojournal page for only recent entries):

Lichen under UV Light

Exploring a Bog with UV Light

Clear and frosty overnight with temperatures into the 50s during the day. Light to moderate winds. After my call this morning, I finished gathering …
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Willow Ptarmigan

Sitting with Ptarmigan on Verstovia

Light overcast with broken marine layer early, becoming clear by mid-morning. Light winds and temperatures in the upper 40s. Last night I had been …
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Harlequin Ducks

Loop Around North Sitka Sound

Clear skies. Temperatures into the lower 50s, light winds. Connor and I went for a boat ride today. We dropped in at Starrigavan and …
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Erratic Pool

Stranded at Inner Point

Mostly sunny, with thin overcast moving over later in the day. Calm, with light ot moderate winds developing in the afternoon. Connor asked if …
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American Robin

Early Spring Walk to Totem Park

Clear skies with frost overnight and temperatures into the 50s. Breezy during the day (though not so much at my house). I spent most …
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Low Tide at Sage Beach and John Brown’s Beach

We spent some time down at Sage Beach this morning where Connor gathered some seaweed for the garden and Rowan looked for an (apparently) …
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Radio Show/Podcast

The Sitka Nature Show airs on Raven Radio alternate Sundays 1:30-2:30pm, and recordings are available here sometime after (not infrequently after a long delay). Find the most recently uploaded shows below. I also have a full archive.
Cedar Cluster

Sitka Nature Show #337 – Zach LaPerriere

Download Radio Show The March 23rd show featured a conversation with returning guest Zach LaPerriere. He shared about the process of selecting, permitting and …
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Sitka Nature Show #336 – Alice and Chuck Johnstone (encore)

Download Radio Show The March 9th show featured a conversation with Alice and Chuck Johnstone. Originally recorded in 2012, Alice and Chuck had lived …
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Sitka Nature Show #335 – Adam Haberski (encore)

Download Radio Show The February 23rd show featured a conversation with Adam Haberski. Originally recorded last February when he was working to complete his …
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Herring Egg Salad

Sitka Nature Show #334 – Mary Goddard

Featuring a conversation with Mary Goddard, Sitka-based artist, entrepreneur and plant enthusiast. We talked about art, nature, and food, and how culture and relationship weaves through all of them.
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Explore the Archive

Today in Sitka Nature History:

Spring Birds and Flowers

April 22, 2022

Generally overcast with a little bit of rain late in the day. Temperatures in the low 50s, but without any direct sun the wind felt chilly. I headed down to … Read more

Sitka Nature Show #155 – Phil Mooney

April 22, 2018

Download Radio Show The April 22nd show featured a conversation with Phil Mooney, retired biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. In this conversation Phil shared several stories … Read more

Morning Walk, Afternoon Fire

April 22, 2017

This warm spring day seemed like a good opportunity to work on burning a pile of rotting wood (much of it pulled out of the dirt in the berm) that … Read more

Returning Rain

April 22, 2016

The pattern of dry weather with plenty of sun drew to a close today. Rain was forecast for after 4 this afternoon, but it was after 8pm before enough rain … Read more

Chilly Breeze

April 22, 2015

Yesterday evening’s clearing skies carried over into this morning. Although the sun is now rising around 5:30am, there was still frost on the ground in places shaded from the sun’s … Read more

Lengthening Days

April 22, 2014

This week the daylight seems to have caught me by surprise. I guess it’s already a month past equinox, but for some reason I hadn’t adjusted to the reality of … Read more

Raven Show #2

April 22, 2012

Download Guest was Scott Brylinsky and we talked about birds, moths, bats, and spring greens, among other things. As always, thanks to all who listened. I’m scheduled to do the … Read more

Scaups and Paragliding

April 22, 2008

Daily Observations

April 22, 2007

I took a walk around the beach at the park this morning, then later in the morning, into early afternoon, I went over to Japonski Island to look around at … Read more

Daily Observations

April 22, 2006

Not much time to get out this weekend since I have a project I need to get done, but I did make time for a short walk to Totem Park. … Read more

Migrating Geese

April 22, 2005

I saw a couple of flocks of geese migrating north today. The larger of the two must have been 100 or more. I counted up to twenty and had not … Read more

Winter Wrens

April 22, 2003

The winter wrens have a pretty loud voice for such a small bird. Their song is pretty long and complex sounding. I recorded one singing in front of the house … Read more


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)
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.

13 thoughts on “Sitka Nature Homepage”

  1. 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!

  2. 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!

  3. 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

  4. 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.

  5. 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.

  6. Up In Pelican…Have had a Short-eared Owl around, and a small flock of
    Lapland Longspurs. Don’t see them often !

  7. 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

  8. 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.

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