Great Land of Alaska

Bald Eagles, a rarity in most other parts of the world, are quite abundant in Alaska. They can be found just about anywhere in Southcentral and Southeast, but are most commonly seen around landfills and areas with abundant fish.

Due to their mutual preference for landfills, it's not very uncommon to see Ravens and Bald Eagles perching in the same tree.

This little guy showed up at work one day. He flew into the window and his beak became wedged in the screen. After my co-worker and I freed him from the screen, he sat stunned in my hand for a few minutes until I placed him on the ground among the trees and he flew off.

Canada Geese are very plentiful in Alaska during the summer months. The arrive in the spring and lay their eggs and by the time fall arrives the young geese have grown and are capable of flying south with their parents.

A Grey Owl was hunting outside of the apartments one morning. I read that contrary to popular belief, owl cannot turn their heads more than 130°; however, this owl seems to be showing otherwise. In fact, I saw him at one point turn his head more than 180°.

Harlequin Ducks get their name from their coloration--red, blue, purple, and white. They are somewhat common in the rivers and lakes towards the interior.

When most people think of ducks, the mallard is probably the one that comes to mind. Mallards are probably the most abundant duck in most parts of Alaska. Like most migratory birds in Alaska, they spend their summers here and fly south for the winter.

The Northern Hawk Owl lives in open coniferous and deciduous forests. It, like other members of the hawk family, lives on rodents and other small animals.

Sandhill cranes are a a common visitor to Alaska during the summer months. Their usual habitat is marshy areas and so they are not commonly encountered. Whatever the owners of this house had in their yards, the cranes seemed to like it since they were here for a good portion of the summer.

Seagulls number in the millions in Alaskan waters. 13 different types of gulls are somewhat common in Alaskan waters, and at least six other species are not native but may occasionally stray into Alaska. Gulls are scavengers and play a key role in cleaning up the remains of dead fish and other animals in and near the water.

Tundra Swans are a somewhat common sight in Southcentral Alaska during the spring and fall as they stop in many lakes and ponds on their way to their summertime homes. They usually nest on upland tundra near lakes and ponds.