Kenai Birding Festival

Kenai Peninsula, Alaska

Spring Festival:
May 17- 20, 2012

Birding News and Features

Bird of the Month

Dusky Thrush

Wednesday, 11 January 2012 15:12

While not seen on the Kenai Peninsula, a vagrant (an idle wanderer?) showed up in Anchorage, Alaska on December 10, 2011 and has stayed in town for nearly a month. This visitor breeds in northern Mongolia, Siberia, or the Russian Far East and is a member of the family Turdidae. Known is scientific circles as Turdus eunomus the common name is Dusky Thrush.

Dusky Thrush can flock together and they migrate and winter in southeast Asia - predominately in China. They are omnivorous eating primarily insects, especially mosquitoes. Earthworms are also in their diet.

They breed in open woodlands and the nest is built in trees. The number of eggs per nest range from 3-5.

Most sightings of Dusky Thrush in North America come from Alaska with only four sightings from Canada and one from the Lower 48 States. The most recent is from Mt. Vernon, Washington in 2002.

Why this bird decided to visit Alaska in the winter is not known but the recent hurricane like storms in the Pacific and its strong migratory behavior may have combined to put it off course. We will never know but one thing is for sure. If there is one in Anchorage there may be one on the Kenai Peninsula so keep you eyes open and your binoculars up.

Kenai Birding Festival

Tuesday, 15 March 2011 00:00

A birding festival designed for all levels. Come and share your interest in the birds on Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula!

The central Kenai Peninsula area offers pristine beaches, beautiful state parks, a fantastic wildlife refuge and, best of all, thousands of birds. This three-day event is designed to showcase and celebrate our area birds. Suitable for the beginner as well as the advanced birder, the event includes a series of discussions and birding field expeditions. Our field excursions offer fantastic birding opportunities without going too far. We have a host of experts ready to help enhance your birding skills. This year we’ve included a children’s component to the program that is sure to excite interest.

Getting Around & Other Details

Registration: This is a FREE event and open to all. There are a few programs and field excursions that require pre-registration including the Children’s Program, float trip, and van trip. Please contact Kenai Watershed Forum at 907-260-5449 or josselyn@kenaiwatershed.org for more information and to register.

What to bring on the field trips: Binoculars and/or scope, rain gear, a good pair of walking shoes or boots and your field guides.

Kenai Visitors & Cultural Center

11471 Kenai Spur Highway • 283-1991
All presentations and the children’s program will be held at the Kenai Visitors & Cultural Center unless otherwise noted in the program.

Contact Information

Kenai Watershed Forum - Josselyn O’Connor
907-260-5449 or josselyn@kenaiwatershed.org

Kenai National Wildlife Refuge - Todd Eskelin
907-262-7021 or Todd_Eskelin@fws.gov

Kenai Visitors & Cultural Center - Natasha Ala
907-283-1991 or natasha@visitkenai.com

Keen Eye Bird Club - Ken and Connie Tarbox
907-262-7767

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Birding Float Trip of the Kenai River

Following in the tradition of the last four years there will be another celebratory birding float trip in 2012 down the Kenai River from Skilak Lake down to Bing's Landing by drift boat. There will be four boats this year, with a local birding expert on each to help you find and identify all our feathered friends on that stretch of the river.

The list of bird sightings below is a summary of birds observed from 2008-2010.