I have a few more wonderful memories from my recent trip to Juneau, Alaska, this time in the realm of flora and fauna. To start, it was such a thrill to watch a black bear forage for greens on the side of the road. He was probably fresh from hibernation and very hungry (dandelions seemed to be his favorite).
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| Black bear out near Eagle River area |
It was also fascinating to see the engineering work of the beavers near Mendenhall Glacier. The beavers dam a waterway, which floods the land and creates a pond and a new home for the beaver family. The dead trees are a little unsightly, but they are used by the beavers and help create an ecosystem for other critters. Nothing goes to waste.
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| Beaver dam near Mendenhall Glacier |
Birds are abundant in Southeast Alaska (a good pair of binoculars should always be in the car or the back pack). I reported on the birds we spotted on the Audubon cruise. Here are a few more avian species that I saw while out and about (the quality isn't great, so I'm obviously challenged when photographing birds with my cell phone)!
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| An unkindness of ravens near the landfill |
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| Clockwise from top left: Red-breasted sapsucker, eagle in the tree top, eagle in flight, and a single raven on an old snag |
Trees are abundant in Southeast Alaska, and especially green and lush in the Juneau area due to so much rain. My dad worked for the U.S. Forest Service as a research scientist, specializing in Sitka spruce and other native trees. Our family hikes were filled with interesting information about trees, shrubs, and the ecosystems that supported them. Dad's enthusiasm was contagious, and I credit my interest in plants to those family hikes.
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| Spruce tree on one of the islands in the wetlands |
My brother Dave also shared interesting information about plants, wildlife, and the terrain as we hiked and roamed during my visit. In addition, my childhood friend Ulla showed me some of the trees that were dislodged, when the Mendenhall River flooded with water that had built up behind Mendenhall Glacier (a jökulhlaup).
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| Emerging spruce tips (bright green) and cones (red) |
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| Trees dislodged by a jökulhlaup |
The flowers were emerging very slowly during my six-week visit, probably due to the long cool spring. Luckily the hardy dandelions were everywhere, just in time for hungry bears and deer. I know from my trip last year (June-September 2024) that many more native and exotic plants will bloom this summer: Alaskan roses, astilbe, buttercup, fireweed, forget-me-not, foxglove, garden loosestrife, iris, ladies' mantle, orange hawkweed, peonies, Shasta daisy, thistle, and more!
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| Clockwise from top left: salmonberry blossom, shooting stars, lupines, and dandelions |
Finally, I'm always on the lookout for interesting moss, lichen and algae! I was not disappointed. I found specimens near the glacier, on the beach, in the forest, on the wetlands, and in my parent's yard. I collected a few samples that might be good candidates for dye sources, with the right mordants, additives, and fixatives.
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| Clockwise from top left: lichens on a rock outcrop, detail of a lichen, algae, a colony of algae, lichen on the ground, lichen hanging from a tree |
That wraps it up. I really enjoyed spending six weeks in Alaska with family and friends, watching spring unfold, and enjoying community life. I love the grand and small beauty, and love all the rain. It's also good to be back in my home and garden, with family and friends and our garden!
