As always, this year’s Birdathon had surprises for its participants. Earth and Beyond contributor Robin Song tells about her day birding with a friend. Earth and Beyond is a locally produced program on KTNA. The audio runs 5:15. Text of the program is below.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

It was the first Friday in May and the beginning of the annual 24-hour Birdathon. I had been looking forward to this for several weeks. (more…)

Three Magpies, photo by Robin Song

Are they beautiful to you, or do you find their raucous calls obnoxious? Or both? Earth and Beyond volunteer contributor Robin Song tells about the natural history of our most colorful corvid, the black-billed magpie.

(This program originally aired in May, 2007).

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

The Susitna River reportedly broke free of ice Tuesday morning with no major ice jams or flooding to speak of. The National Weather Service River Forecast center issued no warning for the Susitna River. Donnie Billington lives seven miles up the tracks and observed that the Susitna River ran high this morning, from bank to bank. He said that the river was still frozen Monday, and that today around 7:30 a.m. it cut loose with pancake ice chunks floating downriver. Billington observed about 15 feet of ice pushed off against the side, but that no jams occurred at the 90 degree bends downstream from his house. So far, no flooding has been reported. (more…)

The group of Talkeetna and Trapper Creek birders who gathered around a beach fire Saturday evening turned in a collective list of 69 species for the annual Birdathon event.

One of last year’s winners, Robert Ambrose, claimed the highest number counted, with 52 species, so the “crown” went back home with him.  He was joined for most of his birding hours by second place birder Bill FitzGerald. Both of the men birded entirely by bicycle and on foot. Ambrose was the only birder to see a long-tailed jaeger, and the pair spotted a golden eagle and heard a saw-whet owl. (more…)

In this locally produced Earth and Beyond program, host Robin Song continues her travels in Oregon and California, where she found a magpie with a YELLOW bill, in the only valley in which they’re found. She rescues a gull, the sees still-large waves generated by the tsunami, and visits several natural areas with friends. Audio runs 8 minutes.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Photos by Robin Song

Spotted Towhee in Ashland, photo by Robin Song

We learn about springtime birds and wildlife in the Northwest, where host Robin Song traveled recently. Natural Observations is a regular summer feature of KTNA’s Earth and Beyond program. Audio runs 8 min 45 sec.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

At the beginning of this month, Governor Sean Parnell declared April ‘Bear Awareness’ Month.  That is leading several coalitions around the state to continue their awareness programs and work with residents to remember that this is the time of year when bear wake up and start roaming the area.  The Northern Susitna Valley’s Bear Necessities Coalition is one such group.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

(more…)

Host and producer Kathleen Fleming says good-bye for the season, as lightening night skies take over darkness. She tells about the calendar of diminishing night, the full moon, the upcoming Lyrid meteor showers, the date of Easter, some info. on outdoor lighting and light pollution, and one difference between astrology and astronomy. StarDate Susitna is a regular winter segment on KTNA’s locally-produced Earth and Beyond program. We welcome summer contributors!

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

The Alaska Earthquake Information Center located an earthquake Friday night at 10 pm. centered under Trapper Creek, just 4 miles east of Talkeetna and 40 miles north of Willow. The quake was measured at 3.1 and was at a depth of 10 km.  The event was felt in Trapper Creek and Talkeetna. No reports of damage were received.