West Chester Lagoon, Anchorage, Alaska

Last stop of the day before going to eat at Kay's was the West Chester Lagoon.  Alaska has been in a heat wave the temperatures have been between 65-80 degrees instead of the 58-65 degrees we had been expecting on our vacation. At the lagoon we found native Alaskan's were dressed in bathing suits and shorts when it was about 72 degrees with a breeze.  I was in slacks, shirt and jacket.  They were laughing at the tourists being "overdressed."  At the lagoon there were some shorebirds out at the island.  I was able to ID some Short-bellied Dowitchers before they all flew off.  There were also Arctic Terns, Mallards, Scaup- both Greater and Lesser, a Red-necked Grebe, American Wigeon, a selection gulls, Black-billed Magpie and more.

Birding - Nummy Island

  

This morning I stole 2 hours to go birding before I went to work.  The forecast for today is 50 degrees with winds about 10 MPH so I'll be leaving work early.  I normally only work about 24 hrs per week but have been working 32-40+ hrs per week so today's a day to recharge my mental batteries.  First stop was Nummy Island where at first I saw my first of the season Yellow Legs. I also saw a Great Blue Heron fishing, Red-throated Loons, Horned Grebe and had close looks at about 2 dozen Greater Scaup.

Lake Lilly, CMP

American Wigeon

Great Blue Heron catches lunch!

Greater Scaup at Lake Lilly