Birding Trip Days 8 to 11: Denali Area.

June 15, 2018. Birding Trip Day 8. Anchorage to Denali Highway.

Today begins the "road trip" portion of our Alaska Expedition. We birded briefly in Anchorage, then headed north and east for a couple of hours before turning back to the northwest (250 miles total).

We began with a visit to Westchester Lagoon in Anchorage where Liz and I had birded on our first day. This time the Red-necked Grebes were carrying babies around on their backs, and the Short-billed Dowitcher chicks were out feeding on their own.

After Westchester, we drove north. We stopped several times to bird and at a cafe for lunch. We especially wanted to see Northern Hawk-Owls and spent some time scanning the treetops of Black Spruce, but without effect. We arrived at our cabins in the evening, just in time for a late buffet dinner with a bit of snow in the air.

Night near Paxson (Tangle River Inn, Mile 20 Denali Highway).

Trip Map.