Alaska Outdoors

Seeing and hearing things while isolating outside

Seeing and hearing things while isolating outside

“I had to wonder if this was just usual Jeff Lund, or if this was COVID Lund.”

Seeing and hearing things while isolating outside
An Arctic tern flies with a sand lance in its mouth. the birds have one of the longest migrations in the world and nest for the summer in Juneau, where they mate and lay eggs. (Courtesy Photo | Gwen Baluss)

Seabirds re-tern to Juneau

This year is guaranteed to be different from the past few.

An Arctic tern flies with a sand lance in its mouth. the birds have one of the longest migrations in the world and nest for the summer in Juneau, where they mate and lay eggs. (Courtesy Photo | Gwen Baluss)
Courtesy Photo | Jürgen Otto via Creative Commons Peacock spiders take their name from their showy courtship displays. The cost of failure in courtship is sometimes high for the spiders native to Australia. If a female is seriously offended by a male’s advances, she might eat him.

Fantastic spiders and where to find them

Spiders are generally predatory, with good vision.

Courtesy Photo | Jürgen Otto via Creative Commons Peacock spiders take their name from their showy courtship displays. The cost of failure in courtship is sometimes high for the spiders native to Australia. If a female is seriously offended by a male’s advances, she might eat him.
We have been grounded, birds have not

We have been grounded, birds have not

Migration is on.

We have been grounded, birds have not
Sustainable Alaska: Reopening Alaska Responsibly

Sustainable Alaska: Reopening Alaska Responsibly

Today, we face an all-new challenge and it’s time to work together.

Sustainable Alaska: Reopening Alaska Responsibly
The Townsend’s warbler is a migratory bird that just returned to Juneau. They winter in Mexico and can be found singing on local trails and wooded neighborhoods. (Courtesy Photo | Gwen Baluss)

Watch out: Audubon Society birding event still on

Annual event tallies birds around Southeast Alaska and raises funds.

The Townsend’s warbler is a migratory bird that just returned to Juneau. They winter in Mexico and can be found singing on local trails and wooded neighborhoods. (Courtesy Photo | Gwen Baluss)
Courtesy Photo | Frank Zmuda, Alaska Department of Fish and Game Beavers live from northern Mexico to northern Alaska.

Beaver invasion on the Baldwin Peninsula

Researchers counted an increase from two to 98 beaver dams near Kotzebue between 2002 and 2019.

Courtesy Photo | Frank Zmuda, Alaska Department of Fish and Game Beavers live from northern Mexico to northern Alaska.
There’s a strip of lightly seasoned grouse in Jeff Lund’s version of a hooter popper. (Jeff Lund | For the Juneau Empire)

Sometimes, it’s not about numbers

If you start to over analyze everything you’re in danger of missing the point.

There’s a strip of lightly seasoned grouse in Jeff Lund’s version of a hooter popper. (Jeff Lund | For the Juneau Empire)
Spring is really here now

Spring is really here now

Robins are hopping along the roadsides and singing in the trees.

Spring is really here now
One building remains busy during quiet time

One building remains busy during quiet time

They’re processing tests.

One building remains busy during quiet time
There’s widespread deception in the natural world

There’s widespread deception in the natural world

Deliberate deceitfulness is well-known among animals that cache food and others.

There’s widespread deception in the natural world
Riley the wolf on the Denali Park Road with one of her packmates in 2017. (Courtesy Photo | National Park Service)

Life of Riley reaches its end

She was a tough wolf until the end.

Riley the wolf on the Denali Park Road with one of her packmates in 2017. (Courtesy Photo | National Park Service)
Complaining about a lost fish or low water in times like these is evidence that you probably have it better than most and should act accordingly. (Jeff Lund | For the Juneau Empire)

Steelhead fishing in the time of Covid-19

Being healthy and employed makes me treasure simple pleasures like a lost fish.

Complaining about a lost fish or low water in times like these is evidence that you probably have it better than most and should act accordingly. (Jeff Lund | For the Juneau Empire)
Seeing what we can’t: How vertebrates use ultraviolet vision

Seeing what we can’t: How vertebrates use ultraviolet vision

Fish, birds and some mammals use UV.

Seeing what we can’t: How vertebrates use ultraviolet vision
Courtesy Photo | Ken Hill,National Park Service A National Park Service climate-observing station in Howard Pass records some of Alaska’s most extreme weather. Howard Pass is a broad crossing of the Brooks Range between Alaska’s North Slope and the Noatak River drainage.

It both is and isn’t a real low point.

Howard Pass, a rock-stubbled tundra plateau in the western Brooks Range, is one of the lowest points in the mountains that arc across northern Alaska.… Continue reading

Courtesy Photo | Ken Hill,National Park Service A National Park Service climate-observing station in Howard Pass records some of Alaska’s most extreme weather. Howard Pass is a broad crossing of the Brooks Range between Alaska’s North Slope and the Noatak River drainage.
Visions of community in a time of crisis

Visions of community in a time of crisis

As Alaskans, we indeed know how to support one another.

Visions of community in a time of crisis
The domino effect is on display at Eaglecrest Ski Area on April 1. (Courtesy Photo | Denise Carroll).

Spring or winter? Mother Nature sends mixed signals

“Winter came back with a vengeance. Oh woe!”

The domino effect is on display at Eaglecrest Ski Area on April 1. (Courtesy Photo | Denise Carroll).
Lessons from dusty, stinky bones

Lessons from dusty, stinky bones

Gagging in the name of science.

Lessons from dusty, stinky bones
In this February photo, a moose munches on a tree in downtown Anchorage, Alaska. Alaska wildlife officials have a message for residents: Please don’t feed the moose. State Fish and Game officials said Wednesday, April 1, 2020, they’ve seen an uptick in people feeding moose such foods as carrots and apples after a heavy snow season that left many of animals thin and nutritionally vulnerable. Plus, intentionally feeding moose is illegal, and can result in a misdemeanor violation of state game feeding laws. Unintentional feeding can result in a $300 ticket from Alaska Wildlife Troopers. (AP Photo | Mark Thiessen, File)

Alaska officials to residents: Don’t feed the moose

State officials said they’ve seen an uptick in people feeding moose carrots and apples.

In this February photo, a moose munches on a tree in downtown Anchorage, Alaska. Alaska wildlife officials have a message for residents: Please don’t feed the moose. State Fish and Game officials said Wednesday, April 1, 2020, they’ve seen an uptick in people feeding moose such foods as carrots and apples after a heavy snow season that left many of animals thin and nutritionally vulnerable. Plus, intentionally feeding moose is illegal, and can result in a misdemeanor violation of state game feeding laws. Unintentional feeding can result in a $300 ticket from Alaska Wildlife Troopers. (AP Photo | Mark Thiessen, File)
Jeff Lund is nearly finished with his two weeks in quarantine after a week fly fishing with old friends on Northern California Rivers. (Jeff Lund | For the Juneau Empire)

Sanctuary of stress: Finding relief in unplugging at home

Tie rather than scroll. Read paper, not screens.

Jeff Lund is nearly finished with his two weeks in quarantine after a week fly fishing with old friends on Northern California Rivers. (Jeff Lund | For the Juneau Empire)