Revised 2011 bird total:
437 species

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Denali Highway

I just got back to my home in Virginia so I can't do a detailed post but I can do a basic post and will post in more detail later.

For the last part of the great Alaska adventure, we spent a few days on the Denali Highway which is a dirt road runs 130 miles connecting 2 small towns, Cantwell and Paxson.  We stayed at Denali Highway Tours and Cabins, 42 miles from Paxson at a couple's place who are serious dog sledders.  They are building a house and I got to sit up on the hill in what will be either their living room or kitchen for hours and watch with my spotting scope moose and caribou.  It was amazing.  On the Denali Highway I added 3 life birds, Lapland Longspur, Gyrfalcon, and Glaucous Gull.  We got to spend 15 minutes watching the gyr hunt and pester other birds.  Amazing, more info to come.

South of Paxson on the way back to Anchorage not on the Denali Highway, I spotted several Swainson's Hawks, a life bird.

And I got home to exciting news - 2 Swallow-tailed Kites are hanging around just 2 hours from where I live!  Saturday I'll make the run for them.

KestrelSwan

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