Alaska Birding Trip -- June 2018
 Liz hiking in the woods on the Anchorage Coastal Trail |
June 06, 2018. Anchorage. This was a free day in Anchorage, and we used it well. We used Uber to get to Westchester Lagoon, a pond and marsh area. The lagoon was full of fun birds, and then we walked miles and miles along the coast on the Anchorage Coastal Trail. The first few miles of the trail ran along mud flats where we were treated to lots of marsh birds, Arctic Terns, Cackling Geese, Lesser Sandhill Cranes, and Hudsonian Godwits. The Godwits are very rare, so seeing five in two groups was a rare treat. The rest of our hike, the remainingmiles, was in the forest atop headlands overlooking the sea. Here, we were treated to Bank Swallows nesting in the cliff face, Common Redpolls, Swainson's Thrushes out in the trail, Alder Flycatchers, and several species of warblers. At the end of the day, we Ubered back to the hotel. Our legs and feet are tired, so tomorrow is going to be an easier day. Night in Anchorage (Coast International Inn). |
 Westchester Lagoon |
 Waterfowl and shorebirds on Winchester Island |
 The Coastal Trail starts at Westchester Lagoon |
 Caution sign on trail at Winchester Lagoon |
 Holy Cow -- reduce speed for Moose! |
 Birding the tidal portion of Winchester Lagoon |
 Ducks and shorebirds at the back of the marsh |
 Greater Scaup |
 Red-necked Grebe |
 Mew Gull |
 Black-billed Magpie |
 Lesser Yellowlegs |
 Along Coastal Trail, birding over enormous mudflats |
 Lesser Sandhill Crane calling |
 Lesser Sandhill Cranes on mudflats |
 Hidsonian Godwits |
 What's that in the distance? ... |
 ... another pair of Lesser Sandhill Cranes |
 Liz birding over a tidal creek |
 Coastal trail goes into the woods |
 Pond in the Anchorage Earthquake Park |
 Atop bluffs, looking back at where we started near downtown |
Hiking in the woods |
 Dragonfly |
 Common Redpoll |
 Alder Flycatches |
 Trail goes past end of Anchorage International Airport |
 Noisy place to bird |
 This White-crowned Sparrow doesn't mind the noise |
 Another dragonfly |
 Coastal Trail goes through Point Woronzof Park |
 We backtracked to a parking lot and called Uber to take us home |
Note: All distances, elevations, and other facts are approximate.
; Last updated 180608
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