Audubon Alaska is accepting submissions for our Arctic Ocean Photo Contest from now until April 7th!  We are looking for photos to use in our upcoming  Ecological Atlas of the Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort Seas.   Please submit photos of Arctic seascapes, coastal scenes, sea ice, sea life, and subsistence and other human uses of the Arctic marine environment for a chance to win exciting prizes .
 
  Learn more! arcticOcean
Incorporating Traditional Knowledge into the Ecological Atlas of the Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort Seas nome
 
Audubon Alaska staff members recently traveled to Nome to hold a two-day workshop with Kawerak and Tribal representatives from Savoonga, Diomede, King Island, Stebbins, St. Michael, Elim, Shaktoolik, Koyuk, and Nome Eskimo Community, as well as representatives from the Eskimo Walrus Commission and the Ice Seal Committee. 

Participants reviewed Arctic marine maps of seals, walrus, whales, and sea ice, and contributed local and traditional knowledge to improve the maps. The maps reviewed are part of the upcoming  Ecological Atlas of the Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort Seas , which is due out in July 2017. 

Policy Pulse: Threats to the Arctic National Wildlife Refugepolicypulse
 
Photo by Dave Shaw
For many Americans, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge brings to mind roaming polar bears, frolicking caribou, migratory birds, and tundra wildflowers. The Arctic Coastal Plain, in particular, is a vibrant ecosystem like nowhere else on earth. It is a place where many flyways converge. Birds, from the mighty Tundra Swan, to the diminutive Semipalmated Sandpiper, nest in the Coastal Plain and then make epic migratory journeys to their wintering grounds in backyards and birding spots across the United States and all over the world.

In addition to this vivid imagery, mention of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge also brings to mind a decades-long battle over whether to drill in this pristine corner of Alaska. The new political landscape brings this frightening possibility closer than ever before. As things stand today, the clearest threat to the Refuge comes in the form of the congressional budget reconciliation process.  Read more on our website. 

The 2017 Great American Arctic Birding Challenge birdingchallenge


During the spring, many birds travel from all over the United States in order to reach the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and other ecologically rich areas of the American Arctic. Birds rely on these incredible habitats for their breeding grounds.  

Audubon Alaska invites you to grab your binoculars and find these birds as they pass through your state!

Participate in the 2017 Great American Arctic Birding Challenge from now until June 1st! 

Audubon Alaska Works with US Coast Guard on ATBAsatba
 
Photo taken by crew of NOAA Ship Miller Freeman
Audubon Alaska is proud to have contributed to the science and mapping behind the US Coast Guard's recommended "Areas to be Avoided" (ATBAs) in the Bering Strait.
 
What is an ATBA? An "Area to be Avoided" is a sensitive area that non-local vessel traffic will avoid as to not disrupt vital Arctic marine areas.  Having ATBAs identified in the Bering Strait will be increasingly important as shipping increases in this region in coming years.

Join Audubon Alaska in the Galápagos!gal

Bernard Gagnon
Gal ápagos Hawks. Photo by Bernard Gagnon

Dates:  February 28 - March 10, 2018
Registration opens April 1st. 
Curious and unafraid wildlife, unique geological features, specially adapted endemic flora, and a fascinating history of human habitation characterize the Galápagos Islands. Cruise comfortably aboard the M/C Tip Top II for an up-close experience of this renowned archipelago. As you hike, swim, snorkel, and explore by panga boat, you'll encounter amazing natural landscapes and learn about conservation efforts, history, and evolution.
March for Science in Anchoragemarch

Audubon Alaska will be participating in the March for Science in Anchorage. The March will take place on Earth Day, April 22nd, starting at 10am on the Delaney Park Strip. The crowd will then march to the lawn of the Anchorage Museum for an Earth Day festival. 

By marching, we will be expressing our support for our nation's scientific community. We hope you'll join us in Anchorage or at a March for Science near you!


Audubon Alaska Print Newsletters

printWe know you love Audubon Alaska's monthly e-newsletters, but are you are you signed up to receive our biannual print newsletters? 



QuizHeadlineName that Bird Photo Quiz
Photo by Milo Burcham


Photo by Milo Burcham
Last Month's  Quiz Bird

This Month's Quiz Bird
The previous quiz bird was the Black Scoter. This coastal duck breeds in low-lying wet tundra and higher slopes in treeless terrain. It is more vocal than other scoters. This bird is a Red Watchlist species. 

This month's quiz bird is a montane-nesting shorebird that migrates and winters along rocky shorelines. Populations are small and they are declining. This bird is a Red Watchlist species. 
Don't Forget to Pick.Click.Give for the Birds!  pick

Alaskans: There are less than ten days left to file for the PFD. When you file, you can donate a portion of your PFD to Audubon Alaska.
Thank you for your support!