Bird watching?

[ShannonSto]

Hi! We’re going in late May to Skagway, Ketchikan and Juneau. My teenagers are avid birders. Can anyone help steer us toward excursions or hikes? The tour descriptions only mention eagles, which are wonderful, but I’m sure there are many other species as well. 
 

Thanks in advance

[Crew News]

1 hour ago, ShannonSto said:

Hi! We’re going in late May to Skagway, Ketchikan and Juneau. My teenagers are avid birders. Can anyone help steer us toward excursions or hikes? The tour descriptions only mention eagles, which are wonderful, but I’m sure there are many other species as well. 
 

Thanks in advance

I am not a birder but I have photographed kittiwakes, pigeon and Glaucous gulls all around the ship in Glacier Bay.  I have photographed hummingbirds on the Orca Lodge excursion in Juneau , and Ptarmigans on the Photography excursion in Skagway.  Not on your schedule but I have photographed puffins near Whittier and ravens in downtown Sitka.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ShannonSto]

Thank you so much! Your pictures are amazing. 

[Crew News]

I understand that eagles are common in Alaska and you can see their white heads perched in lots of trees.  On the Bering Sea Crab Fishing excursion in Ketchikan, the boat stops to give lots of eagles a fish snack for about 30 minutes.  My experience is up to 50 eagles will swoop down from the trees to grab a small fish snack and a truly unique photographic opportunity. 

 

Best seat for all photographs is above the life preserver.

 

 

 

 

 

[Northern Aurora]

I suggest googling the Juneau Audubon Society.  In the past their website has had extensive downloadable bird lists for a number of SE Alaska communities.

[jdk4asu]

Although we went five years ago this summer. I can tell you that the eagles in Alaska were like our seagulls on the beach in Southern California... TONS of them, EVERYWHERE! We saw them on the top of lampposts and many other areas. We were docked at Icy Straight point and were fortunate enough that our balcony faced an eagles nest! It was maybe 1,000 yards away and I really could not do much with my camera gear, but they were there. 

 

In Ketchikan, if you can, go to Herring Cove. I think there is a fish hatchery there as there could have been at least 100 eagles hanging out at the mouth of the river. That was on the way to the George Inlet Crab Feast. I was on the bus so I could not stop. But put it in the back of my head whenever we might come back. We are going on our own this summer and am doing whatever I can to get back there as I have heard they are always there.

 

I also had fun time watching them on the stern of our ship in Juneau. It was bow north and the eagles were flying down the mountain around the tram. You'll get eagles I am sure!