2023 Big Day Count – 5 PM Saturday May 20 to 5 PM Sunday May 21.
| Greater White-fronted Goose |
| Snow Goose |
| Cackling Goose |
| Canada Goose |
| Trumpeter Swan |
| Gadwall |
| American Wigeon |
| Mallard |
| Northern Shoveler |
| Northern Pintail |
| Green-winged Teal |
| Redhead |
| Ring-necked Duck |
| Greater Scaup |
| Lesser Scaup |
| Harlequin Duck |
| Surf Scoter |
| White-winged Scoter |
| Bufflehead |
| Common Goldeneye |
| Barrow’s Goldeneye |
| Hooded Merganser |
| Common Merganser |
| Red-breasted Merganser |
| Willow Ptarmigan |
| Pacific Loon |
| Common Loon |
| Horned Grebe |
| Red-necked Grebe |
| Osprey |
| Bald Eagle |
| Northern Harrier |
| Red-tailed Hawk/Harlan’s |
| Golden Eagle |
| Sandhill Crane |
| Black-bellied Plover |
| American Golden Plover * |
| Semipalmated Plover |
| Spotted Sandpiper |
| Greater Yellowlegs |
| Lesser Yellowlegs |
| Whimbrel |
| Hudsonian Godwit |
| Dunlin |
| Least Sandpiper |
| Pectoral Sandpiper |
| Semipalmated Sandpiper |
| Western Sandpiper |
| Short-billed Dowitcher |
| Long-billed Dowitcher |
| Wilson’s Snipe |
| Red-necked Phalarope |
| Bonaparte’s Gull |
| Short-billed Gull |
| HerringXGlaucous wing hybrid* |
| Glaucous-winged Gull |
| Arctic Tern |
| Rock Pigeon |
| Great Horned Owl |
| Boreal Owl |
| Northern Saw-whet Owl |
| Belted Kingfisher |
| Downy Woodpecker |
| Hairy Woodpecker |
| American 3-toed Woodpecker |
| Northern Flicker |
| Merlin |
| Peregrine Falcon |
| Olive-sided Flycatcher |
| Western Wood-Pewee |
| Hammond’s Flycatcher |
| Canada Jay |
| Black-billed Magpie |
| Common Raven |
| Tree Swallow |
| Violet-green Swallow |
| Bank Swallow |
| Cliff Swallow |
| Black-capped Chickadee |
| Boreal Chickadee |
| Red-breasted Nuthatch |
| Brown Creeper |
| American Dipper |
| Golden-crowned Kinglet |
| Ruby-crowned Kinglet |
| Swainson’s Thrush |
| Hermit Thrush |
| American Robin |
| Varied Thrush |
| European Starling |
| American Pipit |
| Bohemian Waxwing |
| Lapland Longspur |
| Northern Waterthrush |
| Orange-crowned Warbler |
| Yellow Warbler |
| Blackpoll Warbler |
| Yellow-rumped Warbler |
| Townsend’s Warbler |
| Wilson’s Warbler |
| Savannah Sparrow |
| Fox Sparrow |
| Song Sparrow |
| Lincoln’s Sparrow |
| White-crowned Sparrow |
| Golden-crowned Sparrow |
| Dark-eyed Junco |
| Rusty Blackbird |
| Pine Grosbeak |
| White-winged Crossbill |
| Common Redpoll |
The Mat-Su Birders’ Big Day Count is a friendly, low-pressure, springtime club event to see who can record the most species of birds in a 24 hour period. Numbers of birds of each species are not important in this competition, just the number of bird species that you’ve seen. The birds that you count must be alive, wild, and unrestrained.
You can count bird species that you see anywhere in the Mat-Su Borough, and any that you see while you are inside the Mat-Su Borough. A good example of bird species that you can count when you are inside the Mat-Su Borough, but the birds are not, is at Reflections Lake. As you walk around the trail around that lake, where the trail runs along that lake’s south coast/border, if you look to the south, you can see waterfowl on the Knik River. At that location, the Knik River is in the Anchorage Municipality. However, if you’re on the trail around Reflections Lake, inside the Mat-Su Borough, you can count any bird species that you see on the Knik River, even though they are outside of the Mat-Su Borough. I’ve attached a map of the borough. Usually we have a wrap up party/potluck but this year we will not. If folks want to zoom meet we can certainly do that, but Please let me know via email or at the next meeting. We DO need to update our checklist, but a working checklist that you can use to help facilitate your count is on our website https://matsubirders.
Popular local starting points for the BDC are at Island Lake (off of Pittman Road), the Palmer Hay Flats at the Hayfield Road access point, Goose Bay State Game Refuge at the end of Knik-Goose Bay Road, Reflections Lake (off of the Glenn Hwy) at the Palmer Hay Flats, the Eklutna Tailrace opposite the Eklutna Power Plant on the Old Glenn Hwy., Hatcher Pass, Jim and Mud Lakes at the end of Maud Road, and the Old Matanuska townsite. If you do plan to access Mud Lake, you need a permit (reinstated for 2021) from Eklutna Native Inc. To obtain a land permit form, email your request to info@eklutnainc.com. Completed permit form and proof of valid and current medical insurance and photo ID required.
May 7, 2023
Annual Goose Bay State Game Refuge Birding Walk on this Sunday May 07, at 11:00 AM
now for good birding. Some songbirds are just starting to show up and many ponds in other places are still frozen.
Dress for the weather, you will need knee high or hip boots, as there will be spots where the water will be above the top of hiking boots and it is quite muddy along the way. If you have a hiking stick, that may be helpful. The total distance walking will be roughly 1.75 – 2 miles and we’ll be out for about 2, or so. Also bring your binoculars, scope, field guide book/app, water, snacks, sun protectant, and be ready for a little bit of walking. A lightweight portable chair or stool, one that you’d want to carry a couple miles, can be an added convenience. Usually we don’t need bug dope yet, but bring some just in case.
April 22 and 23, 2023
The Harlan’s Hawk Capitol of the World!
Mile 118 Glenn Highway, Sheep Mountain, Alaska
2021 Christmas Bird Count held December 19.
2021 Hatcher Pass Gold Mint Trail Bird Walk
Sunday June 6 — led by Robin Turk — rain or shine!
Meet at the Little Su Bridge and leave at 7 am to drive up to the Gold Mint Trail Parking lot. It is a 1.5 mile walk to a beaver pond where we will turn around. While the trail is fairly short the walk usually takes 3-4 hours while we stop for birds along the way.
We’ll be meeting at the Hatcher Pass entrance parking area (see .jpeg below) just after you cross the Little Su River bridge at the entrance to Hatcher Pass. We’ll meet at 7:00 AM Sunday morning and then drive up to the Gold Mint Trail parking lot about 7:30 AM. Some of you may wish to car pool up since there is a $5.00 parking fee (or a State Parks parking pass) at the Gold Mint Trail parking lot. Note: There are restroom facilities at that parking lot.
If you’ve never been to Hatcher Pass, here are the directions:
From Palmer: Take the Glenn Highway north out of Palmer until you reach Palmer-Fishhook Road. Turn left onto Palmer-Fishhook Road and take Palmer-Fishhook Road all the way north to Hatcher Pass.
From Wasilla: From the Parks Highway, turn north onto Main Street which changes to Wasilla-Fishhook Road after you pass the Bogard Road intersection. Stay on Wasilla-Fishhook Road north out of Wasilla and follow it all the way until it intersects with Palmer-Fishhook Road. Turn left onto Palmer-Fishhook and follow it into Hatcher Pass.
From Willow: It’s possible that Hatcher Pass Road (Fishhook-Willow) may be open over the top of Hatcher Pass, but unless you know for sure, it would be safer to drive down to Wasilla and take Wasilla-Fishhook Road.
Bring your binoculars, field guide/app, and a spotting scope (if you have one). You might also want to bring some emergency mosquito dope in case we’re attacked.
Most years, we hike north up the Gold Mint Trail for about a mile and a half to the beaver pond (with Harlequin Ducks) that’s next to the trail. We usually break there (some people bring lunch)
2021 Big Day Count – 5 PM Saturday May 22 to 5 PM Sunday May 23.
The Mat-Su Birders’ Big Day Count is a friendly, low-pressure, springtime club event to see who can record the most species of birds in a 24 hour period. Numbers of birds of each species are not important in this competition, just the number of bird species that you’ve seen. The birds that you count must be alive, wild, and unrestrained.
You can count bird species that you see anywhere in the Mat-Su Borough, and any that you see while you are inside the Mat-Su Borough. A good example of bird species that you can count when you are inside the Mat-Su Borough, but the birds are not, is at Reflections Lake. As you walk around the trail around that lake, where the trail runs along that lake’s south coast/border, if you look to the south, you can see waterfowl on the Knik River. At that location, the Knik River is in the Anchorage Municipality. However, if you’re on the trail around Reflections Lake, inside the Mat-Su Borough, you can count any bird species that you see on the Knik River, even though they are outside of the Mat-Su Borough. I’ve attached a map of the borough. Usually we have a wrap up party/potluck but this year we will not. If folks want to zoom meet we can certainly do that, but Please let me know via email or at the next meeting. We DO need to update our checklist, but a working checklist that you can use to help facilitate your count is on our website https://matsubirders.
Popular local starting points for the BDC are at Island Lake (off of Pittman Road), the Palmer Hay Flats at the Hayfield Road access point, Goose Bay State Game Refuge at the end of Knik-Goose Bay Road, Reflections Lake (off of the Glenn Hwy) at the Palmer Hay Flats, the Eklutna Tailrace opposite the Eklutna Power Plant on the Old Glenn Hwy., Hatcher Pass, Jim and Mud Lakes at the end of Maud Road, and the Old Matanuska townsite. If you do plan to access Mud Lake, you need a permit (reinstated for 2021) from Eklutna Native Inc. To obtain a land permit form, email your request to info@eklutnainc.com. Completed permit form and proof of valid and current medical insurance and photo ID required. Honestly, I don’t know how much this is enforced because it has continued to be used as a shooting gallery.
2019 Big Day Count – 5 PM Saturday May 18th to 5 PM Sunday May 19th.
The 2018 Mat-Su Birders Big Day Count (BDC) is scheduled for Saturday, May 18th and Sunday, May 19th. The Count starts at 5 PM Saturday afternoon and runs through 5 PM Sunday afternoon.
The Mat-Su Birders’ Big Day Count is a friendly, low-pressure, springtime club event to see who can record the most species of birds in a 24 hour period. Numbers of birds of each species are not important in this competition, just the number of bird species that you’ve seen. The birds that you count must be alive, wild, and unrestrained.
Starting at 5 PM Saturday you can count bird species that you see anywhere in the Mat-Su Borough, and any that you see while you are inside the Mat-Su Borough. A good example of bird species that you can count when you are inside the Mat-Su Borough, but the birds are not, is at Reflections Lake. As you walk around the trail around that lake, where the trail runs along that lake’s south coast/border, if you look to the south, you can see waterfowl on the Knik River. At that location, the Knik River is in the Anchorage Municipality. However, if you’re on the trail around Reflections Lake, inside the Mat-Su Borough, you can count any bird species that you see on the Knik River, even though they are outside of the Mat-Su Borough.
One area that has raised questions in the past is much of the land between Eureka on the Glenn Highway and the Lake Louise area. If you plan to go to Lake Louise to count species, a few miles after you pass the Eureka Roadhouse enroute to Lake Louise, you will leave the Matanuska-Susitna Borough and enter the Valdez-Cordova Census Area. You continue on until you reach Lake Louise Road, which heads north to Lake Louise. Once on that road, you will almost be at Lake Louise before you reenter the Matanuska-Susitna Borough. Any species that you see while you’re in the Valdez-Cordova Census Area cannot be counted.
Historically, the highest overall species’ total for our BDC was in 1993 when competitors saw a total of 104 species. So far, the highest team count was in 2017 with Dan Crowson’s 85 species. However, even if you aren’t able to chase birds all over the Mat-Su Borough, we’d still like to hear what species you see in your yard or neighborhood!
One of the best ways to record the species that you see is to use a copy of the “BIRDS OF SOUTH/CENTRAL MATANUSKA-SUSITNA BOROUGH, ALASKA” to record what you see. If you don’t have a copy of that checklist, you can download one from our Mat-Su Birders website at <https://matsubirders.org>. There are two Mat-Su lists. One prints on 8 X 14 inch paper, and one that prints on letter size 8 1/2 x 11 paper is missing the cover and legend.
One other thing to keep in mind; if you see any species that would be considered a rarity in the Mat-Su, if at all possible, try and get a photograph to substantiate your observation.
Popular local starting points are the Palmer Hay Flats at the Hayfield Road access point, Goose Bay State Game Refuge at the end of Knik-Goose Bay Road, Reflections Lake (off of the Glenn Hwy) at the Palmer Hay Flats, the Eklutna Tailrace opposite the Eklutna Power Plant on the Old Glenn Hwy., Hatcher Pass, and the Old Matanuska townsite. If you plan to bird Jim and Mud Lakes at the end of Maud Road, it’s best to do it early in the AM, but there may be people camping at Jim Lake. Also, if you plan to bird Mud Lake, you should have a permit from Eklutna, Inc. to use the Mud Lake parking area, either for parking or birding. You can find out how to obtain a permit by going to the Mat-Su Birders’ website and look for the “Birding in Mat-Su” feature on the home page or just follow this to the “MUD-JIM-SWAN LAKES AREA” and read the first paragraph in that article.
There is no Big Day potluck this year. Please email your count to matsubirders@gmail dot com
Plan to join us and kick off the Big Day Count for the Mat-Su Birders’ 4th Annual Goose Bay State Game Refuge Birding Walk at 5 PM Saturday, May 18, 2019.
Our Walk will be led again by Dan Crowson, who has been accumulating bird records from several trips to Goose Bay SGR, including the first Mat-Su records for Wilson’s Phalarope.
Please look at this MAP. We’ll meet at the airport parking area at the end of Knik-Goose Bay Road at 9:00 AM. At 9:15 AM, we’ll all drive around Cameo Drive (the original beginning of Burma Road) to where we’ll park and start birding at the best entrance to the Refuge.
Dan says to dress for the weather, and plan on using knee or hip boots, as there will probably be some spots where the water might be above the top of hiking boots. If you have a good hiking stick, that may be helpful. Also bring your binoculars, scope, field guide book/app, and be ready for some good birding.
As you can see from the MAP, we will meet all the way down at the end of Knik-Goose Bay Road (about 19-20 miles from Wasilla), so allow time for the drive to the meeting place by the Goose Bay Airstrip.
Look forward to seeing some interesting birds!
The Gunsight Mountain Hawk Watch Weekend – Info
2019 Event Sponsored by Anchorage Audubon: April 20 – 21
2018 Sunday, December 16 — Christmas Bird Count… more info here
Sunday, May 6 — Eklutna Tailrace & Reflections Lake
Starting at 8:00 AM at the Eklutna Tailrace parking lot, across from the Eklutna Power Plant, we’ll check out the birds along the Tailrace and in the several ponds on the north side of the Tailrace.
After the Eklutna Tailrace Birding Walk, we’ll head over to Reflections Lake for a birding walk around the lake, including taking advantage of what the new observation tower can show us.
Dan Crowson will be leading both walks, so bring your binocs, bird guide, spotting scope, etc., and dress for the weather.
Below are two maps; the first showing the overall relationship of Reflections Lake, alongside the new Glenn Hwy., and the Eklutna Tailrace area along the Old Glenn Hwy., and the second map showing the layout at the Eklutna Tailrace and where to park.
Hoping for a great birding Sunday!
