Brown Bear Tracks

While waiting for others to show up for a hike at Indian River trailhead, I saw someone start up the trail. She came back just a few minutes later and said hello to me – I had not recognized her at first, but she reminded me she had been working with Cascade and Matt on … Read more

Valley Stratus

This photo was taken back in January 2010 (but finally uploaded only earlier this year) – offering a chilly blast from winters past. I am curious how/why the stratus clouds hanging in the valley form and persist. I did not notice if they were quite stable or not, and from other experience know that it … Read more

Indian River Valley

Today I helped out with a visiting class that was going for a walk up Indian River trail. They were from University of San Francisco (if I remember correctly) and doing a course in cooperation with the Sitka Sound Science Center. I’m not exactly sure how it works, but over the past couple of years … Read more

Swainson’s Thrush and Ripe Elderberries

Thrushes seem to be quite fond of red elderberries (Sambucus racemosa). It does not take long for birds to strip a bush of berries, especially in late summer with many recently independent young birds as well as perhaps the starting wave of southbound migrants make use of the food resource. Recently I saw several working … Read more

Caramel Looper (Autographa corusca)

Although the identity is yet to be confirmed, I’m reasonably confident the moth pictured here is the Caramel Looper (Autographa corusca). In Southeast Alaska it has previously been reported from Ketchikan. This record (presuming it is correct), may be the northernmost observation of this species. According to the Pacific Northwest Moths account, the larvae of … Read more