Tag Archives: Mountains

Birding, Birds, In Alaska, Mammals, Nature, Photography, Wildllife

The Waters, Wildlife, and Culture Between the Glaciers and Hoonah, Alaska

June 14, 2018 grizjohnson 3 Comments

It is always a big deal when family comes to visit. For me, being a “big deal” is a positive thing! My wife and I are fortunate to live in a place surrounded by natural beauty with something to see or do around every corner. I always strive to show off my little corner of the world in Hoonah, Alaska and decided that my parents, uncle, and two cousins needed to see Glacier Bay National Park and the local whales around Hoonah during their visit. It’s nice when all the right things come together to bring “the full package”! We enjoyed incredible weather and wildlife sightings over 2.5 days.

Glacier Bay Tribal House

Over the last 2 years I have had the incredible experience to be at the dedication of the tribal house and to take part in the raising of two totems at the tribal house. Those two events were so very important to the Huna Tlingit, but they also gave me a tremendous connection to Bartlett Cove and the land where the Huna Shuka Hit resides. When I visit the tribal house I remember the stories of the people, the emotions of the day, and the power of the place. Stepping into the tribal house to observe the house poles, place my hand on the intricate carving of the screens, and smell the sweet aroma of cedar give me a sense of peace. I enjoyed sharing my stories of the raising and dedication with family as we toured around that special place.

Glacier Bay National Park, Tribal House, Huna Shuka Hit, Totem Pole, Carving, Southeast Alaska, Alaska — This is the inside screen of Huna Shuka Hit. This place is incredible to behold and every sense has a new observation to provide your brain as you probe into it complex artistry.

Into the Park

Glacier Bay National Park is almost completely inaccessible unless you have a boat. Its long fjords and glacially-carved mountains extend nearly 90 miles from the entrance of the park at Bartlett Cove. The “Day Boat” of Glacier Bay provides access to visitors all the way to the end of the bitter end of the west arm where Margerie Glacier butts against the ocean and the Grand Pacific Glacier (responsible for carving the fjord of the park) recedes into the distance further than the eye can see. 250 years ago the Grand Pacific Glacier was responsible for pushing the Huna Tlingit out of Glacier Bay National Park when it advanced over 75 miles in only only a few decades. Traditional stories say that at times the glacier moved as fast as a running dog! Science has backed those claims, and it is truly amazing to think what that wall of ice must have looked like!

Family, Glacier Bay National Park, Southeast Alaska, Alaska — We made it to the glacier! My mom, dad, and I in front of Magerie Glacier in Glacier Bay National Park.

Margerie Glacier, Glacier Bay National Park, Southeast Alaska, Alaska — The face of Margerie glacier stands over 200 feet high and is a mile wide. It “calves” ice into the water creating a maze of jumbled ice.

Glacier Bay National Park protected area full of marine and terrestrial wildlife. During our tour we had incredible view of breaching Humpback Whales, families of grizzlies, harems of sealions, rafts of otters, flocks of puffins, and families of goats. Each of these sightings added to the richness of the day and the overpowering feeling that we were in a very special place!

Stellar Sea Lion, Glacier Bay National Park, Southeast Alaska, Alaska — A Stellar Sealion bull chases a pup on the rocks of South Marble Island.

Porcupine, Glacier Bay National Park, Southeast Alaska, Alaska — A porcupine keeps a wary eye on me – half trusting that I meant it no harm.

Brown Bear, Glacier Bay National Park, Southeast Alaska, Alaska — A family of 4 Coastal Brown Bears surveys the scene.

Gloomy Knob, Mountain Goat, Glacier Bay National Park, Southeast Alaska, Alaska — A nanny Mountain Goat and her young (~ 2 week old) kid

Humpback Whale, Breaching, Glacier Bay National Park, Southeast Alaska, Alaska — A breaching Humpback Whale as we trekked into Glacier Bay National Park.

Sea Otter, Glacier Bay National Park, Southeast Alaska, Alaska — A Sea Otter floats on by. Sea Otters have risen to such numbers in the park that they are at risk of eating themselves out of house and home.

Geology, Glacier Bay National Park, Southeast Alaska, Alaska

Stellar's Sea Lion Glacier Bay National Park, Southeast Alaska, Alaska

Tufted Puffin, Glacier Bay National Park, Southeast Alaska, Alaska

Bald Eagle, Glacous Winged Gull, Glacier Bay National Park, Southeast Alaska, Alaska

John Hopkins Glacier, Glacier Bay National Park, Southeast Alaska, Alaska

The face of Margerie glacier stands over 200 feet high and is a mile wide. It “calves” ice into the water creating a maze of jumbled ice.

Iceberg,Glacier Bay National Park, Southeast Alaska, Alaska

Iceberg, Margerie Glacier, Glacier Bay National Park, Southeast Alaska, Alaska

The Whale Tail to End the Tale

We got a pickup in Gustavus from our good friend Capt. Billy Mills of Wooshketaan Tours. He took us across Icy Strait to Point Adolphus which is renowned for its whale watching. The rich waters are fed by the currents coming in from the ocean and from Glacier Bay and create abundant fish populations that bring in apex predators such as whales and sea lions.

Whale, Eagle, Alaska, Southeast Alaska, Whale Watching — A Humpback Whale emerges from the water with an eagle in the background.

As we sped along the 20 miles from Point Adolphus to Hoonah I admired the mountains, the tall groves of Sitka Spruce and Hemlock, and the abundant Sea Otters and Whales. The trip went quickly, and as we approached Flynn cove about 8 miles from Hoonah a gigantic splash ahead of us flung water high in the air. The Humpback Whale that caused it obliged us by breaching 5 times in total! It was the closest I had ever been to a breaching humpback and it was a thrill to share my giddiness with all on board!

Humpback Whale, Alaska, Breaching, Jumping, Southeast Alaska, Hoonah, Whale Watching, Wooshketan Tours — A breaching Humpback Whale erupts from the water outside of Hoonah, Alaska. What a sight!!

With the memory of the breaching still fresh in our memory we turned into Port Frederick and after a brief stop ashore made our way up bay . The spouts of water ahead quickly gave the location of what we were looking for – a large pod of Humpback Whales were bubble net feeding in front of us! In the smooth waters we watched the circle of bubbles form on the surface from the whales below and the mouths of 40-foot humbpacks rise agape through the surface. We were the only boat on the water and got to enjoy the show in the lingering sunset and surrounded by family. I (we) were incredibly blessed to be in that incredible place together.

Humpback Whale, Alaska, Breaching, Jumping, Southeast Alaska, Hoonah, Whale Watching, Wooshketan Tours, Bubblenet Feeding — Bubble Net Feeding Humpback Whales erupt from the water in Port Frederick, Hoonah, Alaska. In the behavior, the whales coordinate an under water screen of bubbles that concentrate baitfish before the whale synchronously scoop of the ball of fish.

Aurora Borealis, feature, Landscape Photography, Northern Lights, Photography

Sightseeing Sitka, Alaska

September 18, 2016 grizjohnson 4 Comments

Sitka, Alaska is known for its mountains which sprout from the ocean and provide a stunning backdrop to the fishing boats which constantly traverse its water. However, Sitka averages 87 inches (7.25 feet) of rain per year which means it is constantly cloudy. It was pretty lucky that our first visit to this scenic city coincided with 3 days of sunshine! We were blown away by the juxtaposition of mountains and ocean. A series of fortunate events allowed us to explore enjoy the region and my camera was constantly clicking.

Mountains and Sunsets

We stepped off our short, 40-minute, flight from Hoonah to Sitka and received an invite. My pilot was an avid hiker and wanted to bring my wife, Kassie, and I out hiking at Mosquito cove. After an instant “yes” on our part we were on our way. The coastal drive brought us to the edge of town (Sitka only has about 17 miles of road), and in short order we were on the trail to Mosquito Cove. Tall spruces provided a high canopy and the loamy smell of the undergrowth mixed with the salty-fresh air of the ocean. The rocky coast reminded me of the shores of Maine, except the tall mountains made it distinctly Alaskan. A colorful sunset met us at the end of the hike and graced us as we returned to the trail head. An amazing way to start our time in Sitka!

The next day we ventured to the top of Harbor Mountain. Winding switchbacks made me a bit car-sick, but the big payout was the views from the top. The many islands of the Sitka region lay below us and the blue skies allowed for miles and miles of views.

Blues skies reflect off a pool on Harbor Mountain, Sitka, Alaska.

The sprawling bays and Islands surround Sitka, Alaska as seen from Harbor Mountain.

I was struck by the character of this dead tree in the alpine on Harbor Mountain, Sitka, Alaska.

DSC_4187-Pano — A colorful sunset puts Mount Edgecumbe in shadows in Sitka, Alaska

From oceans to mountains, the amazing scenery of Sitka, Alaska.

A sunset at Mosquito Cove, Sitka, Alaska.

A sunset through some tall spruces along the trail to Mosquito Cove

The Aurora Borealis and Night Skies

The clear conditions in Sitka happened to align with a level 5 aurora forecast. I knew the only place that I wanted to go was to the dark skies and huge vistas of Harbor Mountain. The Northern Lights began almost as the sun went down and stretched far to the south over Mount Edgecumbe. By 10:30 PM the aurora was far overhead and dancing in incredible sheets of green and pink. I was blown away by its presence over the oceans and landscape.

Aurora Borealis, Sitka Alaska, Harbor Mountain, Green Aurora, Purple Aurora, Ocean, Mountains

The Aurora Borealis arches over Mount Edgecumbe in Sitka, Alaska.

The Aurora Borealis reflects off a pool in a muskeg on top of Harbor Mountain

The Aurora Borealis appeared as the sunset

Pinks ribbons of the Aurora Borealis reflect from a pool on top of Harbor Mountain.

Hues of purple reach to the south near Mount Edgecumbe, Sitka, Alaska.

An incredible display of Aurora reflects of the ocean and highlights the islands outside of Sitka, Alaska.

Can you spot the big dipper?

Tall bands of aurora dance over the ocean in Sitka, Alaska.

The moonless night in Sitka, Alaska made the Milky Way shine. I caught this shooting-star, whose tail stretched long in the sky.

The Milky Way over Harbor Mountain, Sitka, Alaska.

On the Wing

The flight from Sitka to Hoonah was the capstone to a remarkable trip. The sunny conditions persisted and showcased tall mountains, alpine lakes, colorful bays, and long fjords.

Flight, Sitka, Fly, Harris Air, Hoonah, Mountains, Ocean

The flight from Sitka to Hoonah was a filled with mountains and bays.

The stretch of water separating Baranof Island from Chichagof Island.

Mountains on Chichagof Island.

The flight from Sitka, Alaska to Hoonah is filled with mountains and incredible views.

Putting how large the scerery is with a wing from our airplane.

Uncategorized

Colorful Seasons in Alaska

August 21, 2015 grizjohnson Leave a comment

There is nothing more beautiful than a wildflower, but what about them makes them so beautiful? Surely the details in them are often astounding. Long stamens, unique petals, or colorful flowers may dazzle the eyes. Alternatively, the beauty of a wildflower may be linked to its overall surrounding. We often find them perched in rocky crags, in front of mountain vistas, at the edge of our favorite pond, or along our favorite hiking trail. Each wildflower represents a detailed, wild beauty, and that beauty grows as you consider the ecosystem and ecology that surround them.

Wildflowers excel at telling us the progression of summer. In Alaska, one of the first wildflowers of spring, pasque flowers, spring up in large purple and yellow blossoms welcoming the queen bumble bees which have just woken up from a long winter. Similarly, the early blooms of purple mountain saxifrage provide a critical nectar resource for queen bees. However, the timing, or phenology, of wildflowers in Alaska is changing with a warming climate. Changing flower timing can effect insects populations, and in turn birds by growing at different times than they have for milleniums. An example that we (I believe) have all noticed is a quickly melting snowpack. As snowpack melts earlier it has repercussions on when a flower starts to grow and bloom by moving it earlier, and buds may freeze in the still cold temperatures (Inouye 2008). This changes the plant’s fitness and also the flowers available to pollinators. Although the genes of plants may have enough flexibility accommodate some of the effects of climate change, they may need to evolve to ultimately survive (Anderson, Jill T., et al. 2012).

This summer I’ve turned my lens to all of the wildflower blooms I can. I am actually pretty astounded by the number of species I have photographed and learned! When photographing them I both put them in their surroundings, and captured the fine details of their beauty. Some of these images are availble for purchase through my Fine Art America gallery. I hope you enjoy this extensive collection of the colorful seasons of Alaska! Photos are featured in the month that I captured them, rather than when they first start blooming.

June

Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium), Chatanika River, Fairbanks, Alaska

Fragrant Bedstraw (Galium triflorum), Chatanika River, Alaska

Purple Aster (Aster spp), Chatanika River, Alaska

Arctic Bell Heather (Cassiope tetragona), Galbraith Lake, Alaska

Pink Plumes (Bistorta plumosa), Galbraith Lake, Alaska

Whorled Lousewort (Pedicularis verticillata), Galbraith Lake, Alaska

Capitate Valerian (Valeriana capitata), Galbraith Lake, Alaska

Common Name Unknown ( Micranthes hieraciifolia), Galbraith Lake, Alaska

Lousewort (pedicularis spp), Solistice, Galbraith Lake, Alaska

Arctic Poppy/Alaska Poppy (Papaver gorodkovii), Galbraith Lake, North Slope, Alaska

Cuckoo Flower (Cardamine pratensis), Galbraith Lake, North Slope, Alaska

Dwarf Arctic Butterweed (Packera cymbalaria), Galbraith Lake, Alaska

Frigid Arnica (Arnica frigida), Dalton Highway/Haul Road, Finger Mountain, Alaska

Wild Sweet Pea (Hedysarum mackenzii), Delta, Alaska

Arctic Wormwood (Artemisia alaskana), Denali National Park, Alaska

Dwarf Hawksbeard (Crepis nana), Denali National Park, Alaska

Dwarf Fireweed/River Beauty (Chamerion latifolium), Denali National Park, Alaska

Landsdorf’s Lousewort (Pedicularis langsdorfii), Denali National Park, Alaska

Narcissus-flowered Anenome (Anemome narcissiflora), Denali National Park, Eilson Visitor Center, Alaska

One Flower Cinquefoil (Potentilla uniflora), Denali National Park, Polychrome Overlook, Alaska

Showy Locoweed (Oxytropis splendens), Denali National Park, Alaska

Bog Rosemary (Andromeda polifolia), Denali National Park, Alaska

Parry’s Wallflower (Parrya nudicaulis), Denali National Park, Alaska

Arinca (perhaps Frigid Arnica), Denali National Park, Alaska

Lapland Rosebay (Rhododendron lapponicum), Denali National Park, Alaska

Prickley Saxifrage (Saxifraga tricuspidata), Denali National Park, Alaska

Wild Rose (Rosa spp), Fairbanks, Alaska

Bluebell (Mertensia spp), Fairbanks, Alaska

Wild Sweet Pea ( Hedysarum mackenzii), Fort Yukon, Alaska

Northern Jacob’s Ladder (Polemonium boreale), Porcupine River, Gates of the Arctic NWR, Alaska

American Madwort (Alyssum obovatum), Porcupine River, Gates of the Arctic NWR, Alaska

Horsetail, (Equisetum spp.), Porcupine River, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska

Horsetail, (Equisetum spp.), Creamers Field, Fairbanks, Alaska

Cherry (Prunus spp), Creamer’s Field, Alaska

Purple Mountain Saxifrage, Saxifraga oppositifolia, Mendenhall Glacier Trail, Juneau, Alaska

Frigid Shooting Star (Primula frigida), Galbraith lake, Alaska

Pasqueflower (Pulsatilla patens), Fort Yukon, Alaska

Rock Harlequin (Corydalis sempervirens), Fairbanks, Alaska

July

Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium), Fairbanks, Alaska

Harebell (Asyneuma), Twelvemile Summit, Alaska, August

Arctic Rattlebox (Rhinanthus minor), Fairbanks, Alaska

Soapberry (Shepherdia canadensis), Richardson Highway, Alaska

Northern Yarrow ( ) and Narrow-leaf Hawksbeard (Crepis tectorum), Richardson Highway, Alaska

Mountain Avens, Seed, Richardson Highway, Alaska

Hooded lady’s (ladies) tresses, (Spiranthes romanzoffiana), Wander Lake, Fairbanks, Alaska

Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium), Fairbanks, Alaska

Wild Calla/Water Arum, Water Dragon ( Calla palustris), Creamers Field, Fairbanks, Alaska

Narrow-leaf Hawksbeard (Crepis tectorum), Seed, Creamers Field, Fairbanks, Alaska

Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium), Creamers Field, Fairbanks, Alaska

Red Burnet (Sanguisorba officinalis), Denali National Park, Alaska

Sitka Burnet (Sanguisorba stipulata) and Red Burnet (Sanguisorba officinalis), Denali National Park, Alaska

Bog Star (Parnassia palustris), Denali National Park, Alaska

Purple Aster (Aster spp) and Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium), Denali National Park, Alaska

Blueberry (Vaccinium spp), Denali National Park, Alaska

Mastadon Flower (Tephroseris palustris), Denali National Park, Alaska

High-bush Cranberry (Vibrunum edule), Denali National Park, Alaska

Potentilla (Potentilla spp), Denali National Park, Alaska

Purple Aster (Aster spp), Denali National Park, Alaska

Northern Goldenrod ( Salidago multiradiata), Denali National Park, Alaska

Monkshood (Aconitum), Denali National Park, Alaska

Sitka Burnet (Sanguisorba stipulata), Denali National Park, Alaska

Bear Berry (Arctostaphylos spp.), Denali National Park, Alaska

Whitish Gentian (Gentiana algida), Denali National Park, Eilson Visitor Center, Alaska

Four-petaled Gentian (Gentiana propinqua), Denali National Park, Alaska

Northern Goldenrod ( Salidago multiradiata), Denali National Park, Alaska

Wild Geranium (Geranium spp.), Kenai River, Alaska

Large-leaf Avens (Geum macrophyllum), Homer, Alaska

Cow Parsnip, (Heralaceum maximum), Homer, Alaska

Lupine (Lupinus spp), Homer, Alaska

Yellow Paintbrush/ Coastal Paintbrush (Castilleja unalaschensis), Homer Alaska

Yellow Paintbrush/ Coastal Paintbrush (Castilleja unalaschensis), Eagle Summit, Alaska, August

Willow Herb, (Epilobium spp), Homer, Alaska

Squirrel Tail Grass, Northern Sulphur Butterflies, Glenn Highway, Matanuska Glacier, Alaska

Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium), Denali Highway, Alaska

Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium) and Tri-colored Bumblebee, Denali Highway, Alaska

Harebell (Asyneuma), Twelvemile Summit, Alaska, August

Pale Gentian (Gentiana glauca), Denali Highway, Alaska

Lesser Wintergreen (Pyrola minor), Denali Highway, Alaska

Larkspur (Delphinium brachycentrum), Denali Highway, Tangle Lakes, Alaska

August

Rock Harlequin (Corydalis sempervirens), Fairbanks, Alaska

Cottongrass (Eriophorum), Fairbanks, Alaska, August

White Locoweed ( Oxytropis sericea), Steese Highway, Alaska, August

Monkshood (Aconitum), Eagle Summit, Alaska, August

Yellow Paintbrush/ Coastal Paintbrush (Castilleja unalaschensis), Eagle Summit, Alaska, August

Harebell (Asyneuma), Twelvemile Summit, Alaska, August

Arctic Rattlebox (Rhinanthus minor), Fairbanks, Alaska

Soapberry (Shepherdia canadensis), Richardson Highway, Alaska

Northern Yarrow ( ) and Narrow-leaf Hawksbeard (Crepis tectorum), Richardson Highway, Alaska

Mountain Avens, Seed, Richardson Highway, Alaska

Hooded lady’s (ladies) tresses, (Spiranthes romanzoffiana), Wander Lake, Fairbanks, Alaska

Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium), Fairbanks, Alaska

If you’ve made it this far then I want to let you know that these images are available in a single page as well with some images that are not featured in this post:

Wildflowers of Alaska

Identification Sources:

If you are looking for Alaskan wildflower identification I cannot say enough about the utility of these two sites:

http://www.turtlepuddle.org/alaskan/wild/flowers-1.html

http://www.alaskawildflowers.us/

USDA Plant Database http://plants.usda.gov/java/

Literature

Inouye, David W. “Effects of climate change on phenology, frost damage, and floral abundance of montane wildflowers.” Ecology 89.2 (2008): 353-362.

Anderson, Jill T., et al. “Phenotypic plasticity and adaptive evolution contribute to advancing flowering phenology in response to climate change.” Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B: Biological Sciences 279.1743 (2012): 3843-3852.

Adventure, Alaska, Birding

On the Beaches of Homer

July 21, 2015 grizjohnson 8 Comments

The 18+ foot tides of Homer Alaska define life on the seashore. Its consistency and rhythm are the drumbeat of the ocean. During the summer each day, salmon return to the “Fishing Hole” with the incoming and outgoing tide chasing schools of baitfish, only to be chased by fisherman. Shorebirds feed at the tideline and in the exposed rocks which contain many insects and invertebrates in the crevices. Tide pools contained trapped wonders to because observed with curiosity, and which have evolved to survive the temporarily dry conditions. They often closing up, or shrinking under the sand to conserve water. My time in Homer, Alaska was focused around the seashore, fishing, beach combing, birding, and peering into tide pools. These pictures and experiences are both through my lens, and Kassie’s too.

Tide Pools

Peer into a tidepool, and what shall you see? Small creatures, shells, or an anemone.

As the tide goes out, large boulders hold water and sea creatures – tide pool!

The tentacles of a green anenome reach for the surface in a a tide pool.

This large, lone, mussel displays one of its unique characterists. The strong, hair fibers of its holdfast which secure it to a a rock.

Within a tidepool I watched this tiny hermit crab discover, and then attempt to pry loose this limpet for dinner. For scale, this tiny limpet is half the size of a dime, and the crab even smaller.

This particular anenome in the tide pool was very striking. Wedged between two rocks, I was able to capture it through the surface of the water!

(1) The sand flats in between the rocks may holder larger treasures….

(2)… like this starfish! This large star fish was 10 – 12 inches across. We moved it to a wetter, and safer tide pool.

This image of a dead clam among the rocks, and surrounded in seaweed seemed to imbibe the whole concept of tidal change to me.

Diamond Creek Homer — The tideline in Homer is far, far above the ocean level. By nature’s laws, the ocean and the hill have reach an agreement on who’s domain is who’s.

Birding

As we walked along the beach a northwestern crow began to dig a hole along the surf line. To our astonishment it jerked out a thin, silvery, and wriggling Sandlance from the bottom of the hole. Hopping forward a bit further the crow did it again, and again. Other crows were doing the same thing, and were apparently highly efficient hunters. I relayed this video (below) to a birding group, and was informed this hunting behavior may be specific to Homer crows. Have a watch, and let me know your guesses on how they locate the eels. I have not a clue!

Northwestern Crow, Bishop Beach, Homer, Alaska — A disheveled northwestern crow pecks among the rocks looking for leftovers in the tides. He stopped long enough to shoot me an eye.

Black Turnstone Bishop Beach, Homer, Alaska — A black turnstone moves through the rocks in a shallow tidepool. These birds, along with many others, are sought during the Kachemak Bay Shorbird Festival each year, when tens of thousands of shorebirds stop through the food-rich shores of the Kachemak Bay.

Black-legged Kittiwake, Homer, Alaska — A lone black-legged kittiwake stands on the beach, with just a shade of the mountains of Homer visible in the background.

American Bald Eagle, Homer, Alaska — Nesting eagles are a common sight in Homer. This particular pair nests near the outskirts of Homer, and were constantly bringing fish back to its eaglets.

Homer in Its Place

Lupines and Yellow Paintbrush, Homer, Alaska, — Lupines and yellow paintbrush jut out from the hillside along the beach.

Cow Parsnip Homer, Alaska — As we walked up the Diamond Creek trail, we passed under a large canopy of cow parsnip flowers. I was struck by their contrast against the sky.

Shipping Homer, Alaska — Shipping traffic is a common sight throughout Kachemak Bay. As I fished, Kassie capture this great image that puts the grandeur of the mountains in perspective.

Sailboat, tanker, ship, Homer, Alaska — A subtle shift in that same scene, and the sailboat now dominates the foreground.

Fishing Hole Sunset, Homer, Alaska — I fished for salmon at the fishing hole in the lingering sunset. With a fly rod as my weapon of choice I only wrangled one “dollie”, a dolly varden.

Fishing hole, salmon, homer, alaska — As the tide becomes more ideal, the fishermen stack into the Fishing Hole lagoon in Homer. At this place it is possible, if not likely, to catch silvers, sockeye, and king salmon.

Alaska, Birding, feature, Flowers

Birds and Blossoms of the Tundra

June 27, 2015 grizjohnson 5 Comments

Our trip had taken us from Fairbanks,Alaska up the Haul Road (Dalton Highway), over Chandlar Shelf, and peaked at Atigun Pass (4,738′). We traversed the valley on the north side of the Brooks Range, and explored as far as Toolik. Although we were on the tundra, we never went far enough to leave the Brooks Range out of sight. Because of the incredible backdrop the mountains provided, I was compelled to place what we observed in their natural habitat. The resulting pictures and galleries provide a slice of diversity of the flowers and birds found on the tundra.

One of the remarkable birds seen during the trip was a bluethroat. These awesome birds are one of a few species which winter in Asia, but breed on the tundra in Alaska. Due to the amount of migration time needed they spend a lot of time on the wing! When we found it with help from another birder, the male bluethroat was displaying in the air and calling out in the voices of many species. Bluethroats are almost perfect mimics, and as it sang out we could hear the calls of redpolls, gray-cheeked thrushes, and swallows in its repertoire. A bluethroat female will find this male attractive if it can mimic enough other birds. The video below captures a few of the calls of this unique and beautiful bird, and shows of its stunning throat!

The northern hawk owl was another great bird of the trip. These raptors are efficient predators and unlike most owls are active during the mornings, evenings, and even during midday. This adaptation arose from the lack of nighttime in the tundra. The hawk owl we found was perched in the dead limbs of a burned black spruce, and actively twisted its head back and forth at every new sound. Suddenly the twisting head stopped, and it fixed its gaze on some unfortunate small animal on the ground. It dove off the branch with tucked wings, swooped low above the shrubs, but then perched again with empty claws. No breakfast this time! The second video below shows the intense stare of this bird.

This American Golden Plover perched on this mound to survey the tundra.

American Golden Plover surrounded in the mountains.

This longspur chick perches in the warm sun on the tundra.

This least sandpiper was found around small depression filled with water.

A lapland longspur sits on a old stump in the solstice sun.

Male rock ptarmigan leave the female after the eggs are laid, which is how we found this bachelor.

A white-crowned sparrow fluffs up before carrying on with its food.

A northern hawk owl fixes its gaze on some potential food.

This northern hawk owl must have sat on a sharp stick!

Although not the closest picture, the orange and blue throat patch of this bluethroat is stunning!

Bluethroat Video:

Northern Hawk Owl Video:

Yellow, purple, pink, white, and red splashes of color were evident all across the tundra. Each color was associated with a pointed, rounded, tall, or stunted flower and stalk. The flowers of the tundra come in many different colors and shapes! Often the species are associated with a particular habitat type. Alpine arnica were found in the higher alpine tundra, arctic poppies in the short tundra, and bell heather tucked into the low pockets of the tussocks. One of the unexpected flowers of the trip were the frigid shooting stars that lined a small stream south of Toolik Field Station. Although I have wanted to see them for years now, I never thought the first time would be on the tundra! The flowers are aptly named, as their unique shape trails behind them as if they fell from the sky.

Oeder’s Lousewort, Galbraith Lake, Alaska

Frigid Shooting Star, North Slope, Alaska

Beautiful Jacob’s Ladder, Atigun Gorge, Alaska

Dwarf Arctic Butterweed, Galbraith Lake, Alaska

I am about to sing the unsong of the mosquito because each bite from the armies of flocked, winged, beasts can cause doubt that they serve any purpose but to cause misery. However, during the trip I documented one of the mosquito’s greatest contributions to the ecosystem. In the tundra, bees and butterflies are not as abundant as they are in forested areas, however, as shown above the variety and abundance of flowers have to be pollinated by something! In step the buzzing, nagging, mosquito. Male mosquitoes do not feed on blood, but rather nectar and thus spread pollen. Their hunger ensures that the blooms of the tundra create seeds and propagate for the next year.

Mosquito Pollination — A mosquito extends its proboscis peacefully into a pink plume to take a sip. It will carry pollen to the next pink plume it feeds on!

Frigid Shooting Star Mosquito — A mosquito perches on a frigid shooting star. It serves as further proof that they like nectar meals, but also gives some scale to the shooting star flowers. They are not that big!

Bird List — Our bird list for the trip, a total of 42 species 🙂

Alaska, Landscape Photography

Solstice, Solitude, Soliloquy

June 25, 2015 grizjohnson 14 Comments

By the time we reached Galbraith Lake, North Slope, Alaska, the low light of the solstice sun to the north was casting shadows on the peaks of the Brooks Range, which finally lay to the south of us after hours of driving. Although rain showers had passed through earlier in the day, the lingering clouds were just cotton in the sky, lit to the orange color of hot coils of a stove. Our trip was planned for three days, and our mantra was to have “nowhere to be, and all day to get there”! We observed, absorbed, and enjoyed the birds, flowers, and beauty of the Tundra during solstice. Due to the many photos from the trip, the results will be broken into two chapters, “Solstice, Solitude, Soliloquy”, and “Birds and Blossoms of the Tundra”. I hope you enjoy this first installment!

During the day we drove the Haul Road to various hiking destinations. A creek bed, a bird sighting, or a nice pull-off were all excuses to hike around and check out a new region. Although the road was busy with traveling semi-trucks and tourists, as soon as you walked away from the road the solitude was immediate. Few others hike around on the tundra at this time of the year, and its vast expanse ensures that even if they do, you do not have to see them unless you choose to. Since creek beds offer a natural hiking corridor through and around ankle twisting tundra humps, tussocks, we used them often. The small, bubbling rivers bottoms flowed through rockfields created by spring melts, and were just a fraction of their size during the melt a few weeks prior. However, flow was higher than normal for the time of year, as a snow storm just 10 days earlier fed them from the mountains. I was drawn to the colors and sizes of rocks on the stream beds, and the mountains behind them which birthed the running waters.

Brooks Range River. — A small mountain stream runs out of the mountains south of Atigun Pass.

Haul Road River — The Haul Road runs over this stream, and is visible in this shot. Multple stream braids flowed into each other in small rapids.

Brooks Range Reflection — West of Atigun Gorge, this small pond is joined to Galbraith lake and reflected the still snow-covered peaks of the northern Brooks Range.

Brooks Range Panorama — The north edge of the Brooks Range was lit up each night in the low light of the midnight sun. What a scene!

At the end of each day we set up camp on the tundra, targeting soft patches of sphagnum moss for our sleeping pads. The mattress companies of the world should take note of the comfort of the tundra – it is unparalleled in soft-yet-supportive sleep. From our camp we took small hikes to check out the local flora and birds. The hikes always brought something new to see and experience. Near one of our camps we discovered this baby longspur (either a Smith’s or Lapland) on the tundra. It perched on the moss in the warm sun, and was likely waiting for food from its parent. Unable to escape, this baby bird’s instinct was to sit as still as possible. I snapped a few shots, and then stepped away so its parents could rejoin and feed it.

As we walked around each night I looked for settings to put up a solstice timelapse. The advantage of a timelapse over a single shot is to show the traveling path of the sun as it reaches the horizon and then curves back into the sky. Over the Brooks Range, being so far north, the sun stayed far above the horizon – it hadn’t dropped below the horizon there for over a month. This was in stark contrast to shooting at Finger Mountain about 15 miles south of the Arctic Circle where the sun just dipped below the curve of the earth. The resulting shots from each location have been fused together, and shown individually below. The lighting of the composite shots, in particular, I believe is very striking. Since each image is made of 8-10 shots over time, each plant has been lit from many angles. Because of this, extreme detail can be seen in each flower in the tundra foreground.

P6220881 — This solstice shot was shot June 21 – 22nd from Finger Mountain, about 7 miles south of the Arctic Circle. Smoke from the over 200 active wild fires in the state (at the time) came in from the south, staining the sky red.

Finger Mountain Solstice Composite — This composite timelapse shot was taken over 4.5 hours. Since this was shot just south of the Arctic Circle, the sun disappears behind the horizon at ~2AM.

Solstice Sundial — This solstice shot was taken from Galbraith Lake Campground. In the foreground, an Oeder’s Lousewort stands as a sundial.

Solstice Composite Galbraith Lake — This composite makes the foreground of the tundra particularly epic. The small mountain avens that would be hid in a single shot really pop out when lit from many angles!

Solstice Tent — This solstice shot was taken June 20 – 21st, just west of Atigun gorge over camp for the night.

Mosquito Army — Our trip to the tundra was spectacular, but was not without its setbacks! Clouds of mosquitoes emerged about 10 PM each night, and were thick in the face, eyes, and back of the neck until we went to bed. However, during the night they receeded, and the mornings were quite pleasant again.

Brooks Range Camp — Kassie, Jess and I at camp with the Brooks Range in the Background.

A trip to the Tundra will bring as much to experience as the eye can behold and the brain can perceive. I’m looking forward to the next chapter of birds and blossoms!

Alaska, Mammals, Micro 4/3 Photography, Photography

A Portrait of the Great One

June 14, 2015 grizjohnson 6 Comments

You never know what you will experience when you start into Denali National Park. I guess the beginner’s luck of my brother Sean and sister-in-law Jada, first time Park visitors, was what allowed us some of the magnificent views of Mount Denali. During my previous trips to the park I have never experienced the magnitude of the Mountain like we did. The first time we saw it from about 50-60 miles away the twin summits were fully exposed against blue bird skies, and it lay across a broad river valley. We crossed the valley and crested a rise which brought full views of the Mountain. The beauty and size of Denali simultaneously released endorphins and adrenaline which made me smile and babble about its incredible beauty. The significance of its name,the Great One, was evident!

Denali National Park, Black and White — A full panorama of Denali as seen from Eilson Visitor Center. I love this black and white transformation of this shot.

Denali Pano — As we moved further into the park, clouds starting to form over Denali. The twin summits were slowly hidden from sight.

P6090048-Pano — A full view of Mount Brooks and Denali from Wonder Lake. Clouds had moved over the top of the mountain.

Denali Wonder Lake — The clouds formed quickly, obscuring the summit

Here was our first view of Denali across a broad river valley. The far rise brought us to our first full (and spectacular) views of Denali!

Alpine Tundra and Denali — A common tundra alpine tundra flower, Narcisus Anenome, sits in front of the Great One. Wildflowers like these were everywhere in the park.

Denali Group — The lucky group in our first opportunity to get a photo in front of Denali. From this point on the mountain continued to grow was we go closer and closer…

Denali Group, Wonder Lake — …And then we were a lot closer! The mountain stood far above all else!

As we sat and and soaked in the views of the Mountain from Wonder Lake Campground, I took advantage of the time by shooting a nice timelapse. It’s fascinating watching the clouds form over the peaks! Check it out here :

Our entire trip was marked with fun wildlife sightings and remarkable beauty. In particular, wildflowers were found on each slope accenting the mountain scenery. Mountain Avens, One Flower Cinquefoil, Moss Campion and many others. Rather than write, I’ll let the captions and pictures speak for themselves on this one!

Caribou Savage River — As we walked back along the Savage River trail, and group of bachelor bulls had moved across the trail. It was easily my best opportunities to see caribou to date!

Curious Caribou — Although the caribou did not mind me much, this one was eyeing me up a bit. This shot gives you a great idea of how big those antlers are!

Caribou Science — One of these caribou is not like the others. I’m not talking about its coat, nose, or antlers. The middle one is wearing a collar! I’m not sure of the intent of this study, but he’s being monitored.

Arctic Ground Squirrel — Arctic ground squirrels are winter survival masters. Once hibernating, their heart rate slows, metabolism slows, and brain activity nearly ceases. However, they wake up once per month enough to re-establish brain activity before falling back into deep hibernation.

Dall Sheep Kids — Three ewe dall sheep perch on the cliffs below us near polychrome pass. This particular spot offered shade, and as always, the mountains protected them from terrestrial predators. Although safe from four-leggers, golden eagles are known to take the kids (lambs)!

Teklanika Ridgeline — Hiking the ridgeline over Teklanika Campground. Endless scenery!

Savage River Hike — At the end of the Savage River loop, the valley gorge pours over loose boulders. We found a natural bench and took advantage of it. I love this group shot!

Savage River Bridge — A small footbridge cross the Savage River as it flows down the gorge. Alaska scenery is the best!

Polychrome Pass Wildflowers — One-leaf cinquefoil in the alpine tundra of Polychrome Pass. The Polychrome Mountains in the distance were shrouded and beautiful!

Alpine Arnica — Alpine arnica are a common and beautiful flower in the rocky slopes and along the roads. We hiked to this ridgeline just a mile or two out of Teklanika Campground.

Alpine Moon — As if the shrouded clouds weren’t enough, the moon appeared above the polychrome mountains. Can you pick it out?

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Highlights of an Alaskan Bird-a-thon

May 17, 2015 grizjohnson 5 Comments

The Alaska Songbird Institute has a goal for people during their second annual “Bird-a-thon” : find as many birds as you can within 24 hours in Alaska. We, team MRI (Madi, Ross, and Ian), decided to take the task seriously! We started our 24 hour window at 8:00 PM by birding a range of Fairbanks hot-spots. From there we headed south along the Richardson highway with the goal of making it Paxson to bird the Denali Highway – a 134 mile stretch of wetland potholes and alpine tundra chock-ful of birds.

May 15th was the first day the Denali Highway was officially open, and much of the Denali Highway’s tundra was still covered in snow due to 3000′ elevation gain. Because of the low-productivity of snow-covered areas, we targeted melt areas and ponds. There were many, many species of birds. Some of them, such as red-throated loons were still passing through to breed on lakes further north over the Brooks Range, using the Denali Highway region as a “stopover” until the ponds further north were ice free. But, the site was not a stopover for most. Many of the birds were there to make a nest and raise young in the 24 hour light. The tundra is the summer home of many species which are found in vastly different habitats during the winter. For instance, the long-tailed jaeger is an ocean bird. During the summer they nest in the tundra and eat berries and small rodents. Quite a change from the fish they traditionally consume! Wilson’s warbler migrate to South America, and arctic terns migrate to Antarctica (the longest animal migration). In fact, the Alaskan tundra is so unique and special that birds from six of the seven continents can be found on it. For those that see the tundra frozen in the winter, it is easy to forget the tundra is a highly valuable and necessary ecosystem!

Long-tailed Jaeger, check out that tail!

American Widgeon taking flight over the mountains

Wilson’s Warbler – one of my favorites!

A Willow Ptarmigan in front of the mountains

Cliff Swallow coming in for a landing!

White-crowned Sparrow showing off its namesake

A pair of Barrow’s Goldeneye. Such a beautiful duck!

A male Barrow’s Goldeneye – such an eye!

White-crowned Sparrow on the runway.

Lifer! Golden-crowned Sparrow 🙂

Aside from the birds, the scenery of the Denali Highway is never ending! The melting ponds and flowing rivers created a patchwork of light and dark across the land. To the north, the horizon was ragged like torn cloth with the mountains of the Alaska Range. In the twilight at 2:00 AM (because it no longer gets fully dark here), the Alaskan Range stabbed through the colors of the sunset and on bluebird days like the one we had its snow covered peaks starkly contrasted the thawing tundra and blue sky.

A sprawling mountain vista juxtaposed to the Denali Highway.

A beautiful lake and mountain scene. This lake held black scoters, a common loon, and surf scoters along with many species of waterfowl.

Just a beautiful view!

The sun sits high in the sky as we get closer to summer! Here’s a beautiful vista along the Denali Highway.

Perched up high on a hillside, we watched moose, caribou, and long-tailed jaegers from this particular position on the Denali Highway.

A piece of driftwood is set high and dry after the spring melt.

A shallow melt water stream pours of round boulders and rocks.

This panorama captures an active melt pond. The ice that was left concentrated many shorebirds and waterfowl in the open water.

In the twlight of the sun at ~2:00 Am the Alaska Range was lit up over Donnelly Creek.

Along with the birds, there was plenty of mammals to see. By the end of the trip we watched well over 20 moose and probably 30 caribou. Arctic ground squirrels fed along the roadsides, and frolicked across the snow. The young animals of spring are out and about, and we enjoyed watching a red fox kit chew on some grass outside of its den after we returned to Fairbanks.

Alaska Range Caribou — A herd of caribou navigate around a pond with the expanse of the tundra behind them.

Velvet Bulls — Two bull caribou lounge about in velvet antlers.

Fox Kit — This fox kit was a joy to watch. You can tell by the smooth walls of this den that they have spent quite a bit time going in and out.

So, bringing it back to where it all started, why go birding for 24 hours straight? It seems that it might be a bit crazy (for instance getting about 3-4 hours of sleep). To understand that, you simply have to understand what I believe birding is. Birding is a chance to observe the natural environment either individually or with friends. An opportunity to go birding with a two great friends (we rock, MRI!) in a place as remote and diverse as Interior Alaska is a moment to relax and learn something new (essentially a guarantee); it should not be passed up. Even if observing wildlife is not for you, my definition of “birding” can be modified to fit almost any hobby. Don’t pass up opportunities to learn and be with good friends. After 24 hours, we identified 68 species of birds; a pretty remarkable list and I cannot wait until next year’s Bird-a-thon!

Alaska, Landscape Photography, Micro 4/3 Photography

Unique and Beautiful Juneau

May 3, 2015 grizjohnson 10 Comments

Juneau, Alaska is one of the busiest places in the state due to its unsurpassed beauty, and accessibility by cruise ships. The town is surrounded in mountains which are often hidden in fog and rain, but grace the eyes when the sun comes out. Downtown is full of oddities which reflect the independent people renowned for living there. Due to the surrounding mountains, most of Downtown is accessed by an intricate boardwalk and staircase system which connects houses and properties perched on its steep slopes. Its amazing that houses could be built there at all! As I walked around Juneau and the greater surrounding area, I was struck but its uniqueness and setting. Here are 10 shots to help convey the beauty of the area.

The steep hillsides of Juneau, and the surrounding mountains forces buildings to be built on high-grade slopes. Here's a colorful array of buildings in upper, down-town Juneau as seen from the boardwalks. — The steep hillsides of Juneau, and the surrounding mountains forces buildings to be built on high-grade slopes. Here’s a colorful array of buildings in upper, down-town Juneau as seen from the boardwalks.

These iron chickens caught my eye as I walked through the streets of Juneau.

A raft of scoters and other sea-birds sits in Juneau Harbor on a sunny day. Surrounded in mountains, the scenery is endless!

Spring was in full bloom in Juneau, and early rising skunk cabin dotted the landscape in bright yellow.

High up in the hillsides of Juneau, the Perseverance Basin boardwalk and trail offer beautiful view of Junea.

The ice caves of the Mendenhall glacier are stunning, and glaciers define the entire Southeast Region of Alaska, including Juneau.

This old mining building is a piece of the Treadwell mine of the late 1800s. In April 1917 this mine was flooded by a high tide, and "questionable" mining practices (http://www.juneau.org/parkrec/facilities/documents/treadbroch1.pdf) — This old mining building is a piece of the Treadwell mine of the late 1800s. In April 1917 this mine was flooded by a high tide, and “questionable” mining practices (http://www.juneau.org/parkrec/facilities/documents/treadbroch1.pdf)

Early blueberries are a species which have flowers before that bloom before leaf out. The water drop perched precariously here caught my eye.

This is a panorama captures the mountain range across Favorite Channel from Eagle Beach.

A mountain sits on the far side of the inlet at Eagle Beach. I was fortunate to have some sun on my last day in Juneau.

Alaska, Aurora Borealis, In Alaska, Micro 4/3 Photography

Experiencing the Aurora Borealis in Denali National Park

November 16, 2014 grizjohnson 8 Comments

This last week has been really amazing in regards to the weather in Fairbanks, Alaska. While my Minnesota family and friends hunted whitetails in 20 degree weather, we enjoyed temperatures nearing 30 degrees all week. To boot, it was sunny, you betcha! The Geophysical Institute forecasted high aurora activity starting on Friday night the 14th and extending all the way through Monday! With the warm weather, and aurora forecast it was just a matter of deciding where to go!

Panav, Logan and I arrived at the gates of Denali National Park at 9:30 PM. The winter regulations only allowed us to drive in 3 miles, and from there we packed our gear another 1.5. We located a place where the black spruces were shorter, and the mountains stood tall around us. The heart of Denali Park was absolutely dark, and as far as I know we were the only ones in the park that night! Meteors from the Leonid meteor shower flashed overhead leaving their long trails and thrilling the watchers on earth. This shower peaks on 11/17/2014 – so be sure to check it out if you have some clear skies tonight! Over the mountains, the aurora was already building as our three shutters started popping, and we did not have to wait long for the lights to explode around us. Energy of the northern lights always seems to originate from on horizon, and on this night the jagged horizon in front of us swelled with an intense green light that erupted overhead throwing pinks and greens in racing lines overhead.

The building aurora over Denali had a real treat in store for us! It was almost a year ago that I posted about my first “incredible” (I use quotations because they’re all pretty amazing) aurora, and I tried to explain the corona of the aurora. Officially, it is defined as “a circle of light made by the apparent convergence of the streamers of the aurora borealis” (MW Dictionary). My analogy was to think of single beam of the corona as a pencil, which you balance on your nose and then concentrate on the eraser; the corona is made of hundreds of green, red, and pink ‘pencils’! It is fast moving and pulses with energy. I am happy to say that I’ve captured a corona on timelapse for the first time!

Before leaving you with the the timelapse and images from the night I would like you to know I now have a page on Facebook, come check it out and follow along : www.facebook.com/ianlww. Thanks all!

Glacier Bay Tribal House

Into the Park

The Whale Tail to End the Tale

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Mountains and Sunsets

The Aurora Borealis and Night Skies

On the Wing

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June

July

August

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Tide Pools

Birding

Homer in Its Place

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