The crow was on the beach hiding near a driftwood stump and was unable to fly and struggled to walk. These are signs associated with highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) also commonly referred to as "bird flu". See video.
Two dead otters (one recent) on Kasitsna Bay side. We also found another one yesterday on the Kachemak side.
Walked two miles of spit and did not see any others.
A decomposing sleeper shark was found on the beach in Kasitsna Bay.
A flock of Speckle Belly geese re-visit Seldovia.
Partially decomposed whale
Defoliation of willows, alders, and berry bushes may be related to different insect species depending on the plant.
Warm temperatures are likely causing alders and other woody Alaskan plants to bud in fall and early winter. As winter sets in, the buds are damaged and the plants will produce fewer buds come spring.
Dead humpack whale found between Port Graham and Seldovia.
Persistent high pressure over the Gulf of Alaska and Bristol Bay has kept most storms well away from the lower Kenai Peninsula. At Homer, total rainfall June 1-August 16 was only 53% of normal, making this the driest since 2004. The City of Seldovia has issued a "City Water Conservation Notice" on August 20th. The notice doesn't ban any specific water use but requests residents make an effort to use less water by minimizing watering lawns and washing cars and to take shorter showers.
"Nanwalek was in an emergency drought, we had to have water flown in for 60 households."
"Jakolof Creek is dry almost all the way up to the switchbacks and continues to recede. The early run of red salmon may have made it to the lake, but that is probably the only run that has."
We did not see a single sea star in the Kachemak-side tide pools, and boulders we visit each year all looked a little vacant, with a lot of empty, critter-free space.
A species rarely seen in the Seward area.
Spruce branch girdling causing discoloration in tree.
On this occasion he did not just vomit once, but over and over, combined with severe diarrhea and fatigue.
We wondered at the huge number of pinks still in the lagoon. Are they running later then normal?
This project will house all observations from the Chugach Region Resource Commission service area. This includes posts from Seward, Valdez, Nanwalek, Cordova, Tatitlek, and Chenega Bay.
But at least there is a stream...
Washing ashore from Kachemak Bay
Communities on the southern coastline of Kenai Peninsula have noticed changes to trees as a result of the aphid.
Rapid changes raise questions.
Murre die-off in Seldovia continuing.
A large number of bird die-offs
Blue Sail Jellyfish
Sea bird deaths
Polystyrene debris on beaches
Drought and high temperatures have dried the creek and caused thousands of pink salmon and Dolly Varden to die before they could spawn. The event raises questions about vulnerability of area salmon streams to climate change, and for local residents food security.
We have never had cranes stop in here before. Something has changed that these migratory birds are stopping here.
These ladies found a snail that they had never seen before and brought them.
