I had a good mix and variety of things to do my last week here. More Dusky island maintenance was a good part of it, but I also got out to see some more of the salmon run, spent half a day at Sheridan Glacier photographing some recently dislodged ice chunks and seeing the transition to fall, and taking one last trip out to the Motus tower we set up this spring. With a lot of rain recently (close to 50 inches in August), I was in the office and had the chance to test, and pass, my Dusky knowledge on the Washington Department of Fish and Game Southwest Canada Goose Test. It is a test that all hunters must pass that hunt in Southwest Washington to help with the identification of Duskies and other subspecies while hunting. I was also able to indulge in some historical photographs of the Copper River Delta and experience years of accelerated ecological succession in seconds. After another awesome wee...
With a storm pushing in later in the week last week, we left camp a day early to beat the weather and sift through some more nest island camera data. We maintained 73 islands before the storm, and will finish the rest in the coming weeks. Beginning with the furthest islands from camp, we fixed anchors, re-drilled island collars, landscaped completely bare islands, and even re-anchored islands that washed to shore. Most of the islands only needed landscaping, so the majority of the work was transplanting Sweetgale, and a few other species, from shore to the islands. Sometimes the Sweetgale digging got tough, so willows and even spruce trees became cover on some islands. On most islands, we would dig three or four clumps of Sweetgale, pile it into out boats, and bring it to the island. Transporting Sweetgale to an island. Group of molting geese with their fledging youngsters along the banks of Alaganik Slough. We bumped this...
After driving back to town from the airport following the Controller Bay Red Knot survey, scenery on the delta was noticeably greener. With some nice sunny and 65 degree days towards the end of the week leading into Memorial Day Weekend, its's safe to say that the Copper River Delta has transitioned into spring and even early summer. On Friday, May 27th, we even saw the first brood of Mallard ducklings along Copper River Highway when we were out tracking down some collared Duskies to photograph for the Alaska State Waterfowl Stamp Contest. Earlier in the week, we found a hen mallard nest with a clutch of eggs, as well as another couple Dusky nests which we deployed cameras on. In doing so, we also informed a group of teachers from Prince William Sound College on the processes of nest searching and setting up cameras. Mid-week, we took a day to get up bright and early to do some birding, looking for songbirds. Early enough to even catch some of the...
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