We are thankful for our Audubon Alaska supporters and for everything you do to help the wild places we all love in Alaska. Thank you for speaking up and standing strong, giving a voice to conservation. As we enter the uncharted waters ahead, we know that we can work together to keep fighting for the wildlife and birds we all treasure.
  Photo by Gerrit Vyn, Cornell Lab of Ornithology Macaulay Library
ArcticDrillAlaska Delegation Threatens to Drill in Arctic Refuge

Just after the election results were announced, the Alaska delegation called for drilling on the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Audubon will be stepping up our efforts to protect this crucial place that serves as the heart of the Arctic Refuge. Earlier in November, Gwich'in leaders met with President Obama to ask for permanent protection for the coastal plain because of its cultural significance. This year, there was record support for an Arctic Refuge Wilderness bill-help keep the momentum going by sending a letter to your members of Congress supporting permanent protection for the coastal plain. Keep an eye out for more you can do in the coming months! 
 
Photo by David Shaw
ArcticChampionThe Arctic Loses a Champion

The Arctic lost an esteemed champion, former North Slope Borough Mayor Edward Itta, in early November. Itta promoted a balance between traditional Inupiaq ways of life and modernization, representing the people of America's Arctic in Alaska, Washington DC, and internationally. He received national recognition when President Obama appointed him to the US Arctic Research Commission in 2012. His thoughtful leadership will be greatly missed. Learn more about his remarkable life .

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GivingTuesday1
Christmas Bird Count: A frosty raven Photo by Beth Grassi
CBCGet Ready for the Christmas Bird Count

The 117th Christmas Bird Count is coming up soon-counts will happen December 14-January 5. From Ketchikan to Nome, every year Alaskans bundle up to celebrate the holiday season by braving the elements for the Audubon Christmas Bird Count. View a map of counts expected to happen in Alaska to find one near you; some counts already have dates posted, and contact information for count organizers. We hope to see you out there !

Photo by John Tichotsky
CBCforKidsChristmas Bird Count for Kids

The Christmas Bird Count for Kids at Anchorage's Alaska Zoo on December 10 is a great introduction to the Christmas Bird Count. This event offers a unique opportunity for kids to become a part of this celebrated annual tradition:
  • Learn what it means to become a "citizen scientist."
  • Discover how local birds tough out the Alaska winter.
  • Explore the outdoors with experienced birders while practicing observational skills.
  • Bird-related freebies for all!
We are still looking for bird group leaders, so please contact Beth Grassi by email or at 907-276-7034 if you are interested in helping out.  
 
See event details on our Facebook events.

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Artwork by Erin Cooper
CordovaAlaska Bird Conference in Cordova December 6-8

Every two years the Alaska Bird Conference offers the opportunity to learn about all the newest research on Alaska's birds. The conference grew from the often-expressed need for exchange of information among those in government, universities, non-government organizations, and the private sector who are working with Alaska's diverse and abundant birds. This year, the conference is in Cordova, with three full days of meetings, plenaries, posters, and presentations. You can now view the scientific program for the upcoming conference and register on the Alaska Bird Conference website.

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PuffinIntro
Horned Puffin
Photo by Milo Burcham
A Page from the Arctic Marine Atlas: Everybody Loves Puffins

Horned and Tufted Puffins are among the most easily recognizable avian species in the Arctic. These seabirds nest in colonies of earthen burrows along the rocky cliffs of the United States and Russian coastlines. They excavate their burrows close together (sometimes more than one nest per square meter) and return to the same burrow year after year.
BirdQuiz Name that Bird Photo Quiz
Tom Koerner, US Fish & Wildlife Service



Previous Quiz Bird

This Month's Quiz Bird
The previous quiz bird was Northern Harrier.

More than 9,000 of these birds nest in the globally-significant Fenimore Pass and Atka Island Marine IBA in the Aleutian Islands. They nest either in burrows dug into the soil or in rock crevices.


PuffinThey are known for carrying billfuls of small fish such as sand lance, juvenile pollock, and capelin to their young during the breeding season, though adults frequently consume a substantial proportion of squid, euphausiids (small shrimp-like crustaceans), and other invertebrates.
 
Puffins arrive at breeding grounds in early May in pairs, or form pairs shortly afterward, and soon build a nest and lay a single, whitish egg. They will then alternately incubate and forage until the chick hatches, in approximately 45 days. Both sexes have two lateral brood patches they use to keep their egg warm (Sealy 1973b). The chick hatches in July or early August. The parents feed the chick for approximately 45 days until it fledges. At that point, the chick is on its own and the parents return to the sea.

Want to learn more about the Arctic Marine Atlas? See this article about creating the atlas by Audubon Alaska's GIS Biologist Ben Sullender.