Lynn Barber

Anchorage is blessed with a multitude of natural areas and trails. Today I walked along two trails – one new to me and one that I visit as often as I can. It was a pleasant day, just below freezing and just a bit breezy in areas.

The first area that I visited was the one new to me, part of the Campbell Creek Greenbelt. The reason I visited it today was that I learned that a Northern Saw-whet Owl had been heard there a couple of times recently and I wanted to get familiar with the area before going back in the darkness (which I plan to do soon). Today there were a couple of Pine Grosbeaks, both chickadee species, and the usual noisy Black-billed Magpies and Common Ravens. And somewhere, maybe, a hidden owl.

The second site was the Campbell Creek Estuary Natural Area (across town from my first walk). While I was there the sun actually came out for a while.

Most of the same birds were present, plus Steller’s Jays. Having a few peanuts left in my pocket, I took out the bag and three jays immediately arrived. With very little hesitation, two of them were brave enough to flit on to my hand, grab a nut and zip away.

It is great that in a land mostly so “wild”, some of the wildlife is so tame.