On a Lifelong Journey to Learn my Place
Featuring a conversation with Victoria Vosburg and Jen Cedarleaf. We talked about the upcoming Christmas Bird Count and how folks can prepare and participate. They also provided an update on the current status of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (once again present in the Sitka area).
Featuring a conversation with Rowan Goff. She has grown up in Sitka, and since she was small has enjoyed finding animals (especially small ones) and sharing what she’s found with her family. We each shared about some of our nature observations around Sitka. These included a coho salmon sighting in Indian River, well-worn otter trails, bird nests, and insects of various sorts and stages of life.
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.
Featuring a conversation with Matt Bracken, Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California Irvine. Matt grew up in Petersburg, Alaska and has been returning to Southeast Alaska each summer for the past decade to continue studies investigating marine biodiversity and ecological resilience, especially in the intertidal zones.
Featuring a conversation with Gavin McNichol, assistant professor at the University of Illinois Chicago. We discussed his work studying wetland soil biochemistry. He is currently starting a project in Sitka studying the impact of Yellow Cedar decline on microclimate and soil carbon.
Featuring a conversation with marine biologist Lauren Wild. Lauren shared about recent work to better understand how Gray Whales are utilizing Sitka Sound. This work began in response to increasing numbers beginning in 2018. She also discussed how Humpback Whales have been doing after lean years during the marine heat wave of a decade ago.