Jim Magowen/Turnagain Times
A bald eagle perches on a tree. Eagles can be seen along Turnagain Arm year-round.
A bald eagle perches on a tree. Eagles can be seen along Turnagain Arm year-round.
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Jim Magowen/Turnagain Times A bald eagle perches on a tree. Eagles can be seen along Turnagain Arm year-round. |
By Jim Magowen
Turnagain Times Correspondent
Winter wildlife viewing in the Turnagain Arm area is for everyone, not just the hardy and physically fit. It adds excitement to hiking, skiing, snowshoeing or just taking a drive.
In winter you are more likely to see tracks than animals.
We are often unaware of wildlife encounters in summer, but, according to Tom Harrison, Chugach State Park Superintendent, the presence of elusive species such as, lynx and ermine is often revealed by their tracks in the snow.
Rabbit tracks ending where a hawk’s wingtips brushed the snow around a spot of blood and a tuft of fur, tell a graphic story, perhaps making an interesting school report or sparking interest in a wildlife career.
Binoculars or a spotting scope are essential for winter viewing because, as Harrison pointed out, a Sheep and goat are harder to spot on a white background.
Winter wildlife viewing is not limited to hikers and skiers. Turnagain Arm is wonderful for wildlife viewing from a vehicle (please obey stopping and parking regulations for safety’s sake!). Mature rams, normally found in the high peaks, far from the ewes and young rams, start coming down to where the females are in October when the breeding season starts, so, while sheep are not seen as often, when they are, there could be a monster ram or two in the group.
Goats, rarely seen along Turnagain, inhabit higher and more rugged areas than sheep
Bird Point parking area is usually closed in winter because of snow but, Harrison said, if it is open and the ranger is there, he is happy to talk about the goats and point them out if they are in view.
Hibernating grizzlies sometimes come out for a winter stroll. Returning from a hike, a visitor from back east spotted a fresh track, in the snow, crossing the group’s earlier tracks and asked a ranger, “Hey, what makes a track that looks like a large catcher’s mitt? When the question was answered, fatigue evaporated as the group nervously scanned the surrounding woods for a brownie until they reached the cars.
Some years ago, a UAA winter climbing class turned back when they met a sow and cub on a ridge near the Hope turnoff.
Harrison pointed out, that was probably a wise decision because bears aroused from hibernation may be hungry and in a bad mood.
Unlike the rare winter grizzly encounter, when hiking on snow-covered hillsides you are almost certain to jump flocks of ptarmigan. They wait until a hiker almost steps on them, then explode into flight, with the same affect on the heart rate as a grizzly sighting.
Laura Magowan, an owl presenter with Bird Treatment and Learning Center reports that most of the hawks and owls have left for warmer places, but there have been a few late season sightings of northern hawk owls lately and a few eagles may hang around in winter.
To get the most from a wildlife viewing expedition visit Alaska Department of Fish & Game’s website www.wildlifeviewing.alaska.gov. Kids, from one to 100 can vie to check off the most species on the wildlife checklist available from the website.