Sea to Sky Guiding

09/01/2024

Here is the recap for our 8.24.24 excursion that accompanied the Baleen Whales of the Salish Sea Connection Course!

Where are the whales without teeth, you ask? What other wildlife stole the show on this tour? You'll have to read on to find out if we reached our target or not :)

Wasn't this supposed to be a baleen whale tour? Well, we all got a lot more than we bargained for after making some concessions due to the windy weather. Yes, we had killer whales (with teeth :) haha). But we also had an eleventh hour baleen whale that allowed us to officially say this trip was a su

08/16/2024

Coming up this next week!
Still looking to fill in-person and virtual spots. More details can be found here: https://www.seatoskyguiding.com/baleenwhales or email me directly - [email protected]

08/14/2024

On Saturday August 3rd I held a Seabird Scouting and Puffin Prospects trip that benefitted the Northwest Straits Foundation--an organization doing amazing work to restore and protect shorelines throughout the Salish Sea (as well as other marine conservation endeavors!).

The birds and wildlife on this excursion exceeded expectations, and even after eight seasons of being on the water around this area, I had a "first" during this trip.

My recent blogpost dives into the magic this trip had in store for us, here: https://www.seatoskyguiding.com/blog/seabird-scouting-amp-puffin-prospects

If you'd like to know more about the Northwest Straits Foundation, and/or are moved to donate to their conservation causes, you can do so here: https://nwstraitsfoundation.org/

A recap of this marvelous, small group vessel excursion that benefitted Northwest Straits Foundation!

08/09/2024

Some last looks at Alaska from my 2024 season aboard Snow Goose (with Anchor Excursions), including a couple species we only got some distant peek-a-boo looks at: mountain goats and zooming Dall's porpoises.
You can bet I'll be dreaming of next season! There's no better way to explore the wilderness areas, view wildlife, and build "ship life" community than through these small group tours. They already have their 2025 schedule up, here: www.snowgoosealaska.com

08/08/2024

Yesterday featured some things found along the intertidal, today features some wildflowers, ferns, and plants seen along the journey, as well. The bright colors against some of the gray, overcast days were a ray of sunshine all their own.
In order: 1. Chocolate Lily | 2. Giant Red Indian Paintbrush | 3. Dwarf Fireweed | 4. Bride's Bonnet | 5. Dark-throated Shooting Star | 6. Deer Fern | 7. Western Lily-of-the-Valley | 8. Lupine | 9. Some more Giant Red Indian Paintbrush

08/07/2024

There were a few places along both Alaska excursions where we had the right tide and the right place to explore the intertidal. Mussels, cockles, snails, whelks, seaweeds, kelps, chitons, barnacles, crabs, small fish, urchins, anemones, sea stars, sun stars, and more were discovered by all those that joined in these walks. But, sometimes as a guide/naturalist, the excited questions come rolling in and the camera doesn't come out a whole lot! I'm not complaining--I had so much fun introducing a lot of new-to-intertidal-exploration folks to the wonders found in each zone.

Here a few things I was able to nab photos of: Black Leather Chiton, *possibly* an Aggregating Anemone (not sure the exact species), Thatched Barnacles, and some lovely Bull Kelp.

08/06/2024

Two little alcids that absolutely have my heart are state listed (in Washington) as threatened or endangered where I live. When I head out on the Salish Sea, I treasure each encounter, as they can be fleeting around these parts.

Imagine, then, going to a place where you swear you counted at least 3x more Marbled Murrelets than gulls on your total adventure? A place that had not one, but a few bustling breeding colonies where Tufted (and distant Horned!!) Puffins circled the boat you were on like a snow globe that had been swished in circles. A place where, in a kayak, you came within 20-25 feet of a pair of TUPUs that couldn't care less about your little vessel that was drifting near them. How do you process these exceptional experiences?

My seabird heart exploded in the best way. I'm going to try to keep those moments tucked away for rainy days, as I go back to the "few and far between" looks around here. ❤

08/05/2024

My first mom and otter pup experience. When I say Alaska is a magical, wild place... I can only hope some of these pictures help tell that story!

08/04/2024

Not everyone in Alaska is fond of the bald eagle, or other scavenging birds (ravens, crows), and they really do have eagles and corvids in excess--at least in my SE AK experience.
Even though Washington state also has its fair share, and I have enjoyed them locally, I hadn't captured them perched on ice floes or drying their wings after a rainstorm. A small sampling of bald eagle love.

08/03/2024

SE Alaska gull, tern, and kittiwake (species) photo rollcall:
Photo 1: Herring gull | Photo 2: Short-billed gull (immature) | Photo 3: Bonaparte's gull (non-breeding plumage) | Photo 4: Glaucous-winged gulls on a bait ball | Photo 5: Arctic terns on an ice floe | Photo 6: Black-legged kittiwake in the fog (one of my favorite photos from the whole trip).

08/02/2024

Those massive tidewater glaciers I've been posting about provide icebergs (ice floes, "berg bits," etc.) when they calve off, and the free floating ice provides pupping and resting spots for harbor seals in these glacial areas. They are not the only creatures using the floating ice though!

Eagles, terns, kittiwakes, and gulls were taking a pause there, as well. It might seem counterintuitive, and even dangerous, to place their feet on the ice for periods of time, but many birds have a thermoregulatory adaptation that helps them resist frostbite! The adaptation is a counter-current heat exchange system in their feet, where warm arterial blood and cold blood pass by closely together as it’s pumped through the system. This reduces the actual temperature of the bird's feet so that their feet are closer in temperature to the temperature of the ice. This aids in keeping heat from escaping their legs, reducing the risk of frostbite!

Now you know!

08/02/2024

Last minute seats up for grabs--follow the steps below!

08/01/2024

Seabird identification tips and tricks and Tufted Puffin talk are happening via Zoom TONIGHT! Saturday we cruise! It's not too late to join!

seatoskyguiding.com/puffins

08/01/2024

Some more glacier photos, up close and personal :)

07/31/2024

Glaciers, glaciers, glaciers!
I had such a wonderful time studying up before heading to SE Alaska to guide, and there were a LOT of things I didn't know about these icy wonders. A crash course, for those of you that like to learn while looking ;)

How they're formed: glacial ice is created in places where snow accumulates annually and does not melt. The weight of the newer snow pressing down onto the older, bottom layers causes a change in crystallization, eliminating air at each level of compression. As the crystalized snow grows larger and the air pockets between the grains grows smaller, the ice increases its density until only 20% air remains, mostly as bubbles trapped within the ice. The glacial process depends on temperature, weather, location, and time, so this process could take between 7-100 years. This ice is not consider a glacier, however, until the weight causes movement, where glaciers either grow in mass (advance), or shrink in mass (retreat).

There are several different types of glaciers, but to keep my post streamlined, I am going to focus on tidewater glaciers and the difference between them and hanging glaciers. Hanging glaciers are formed in inland areas (mostly cold, mountainous places) and advance or retreat within valley areas. Tidewater glaciers form in cold, coastal areas where the face of the glacier meets the ocean. Aside from SE AK, Scandinavia and Chile are the last places on earth that have true, tidewater glaciers.

Fun fact. The brilliant shades of cerulean and icy blues are the colors (wavelengths) of the light spectrum that are not absorbed by the ice, but instead, bounced back to our eyes. Places where calving or cracking in the glacier have occurred, reveal older, denser glacial ice (with only 20% air in it), causing the scatter of short-waved blue light.

Calving--was also awesome! I *may* have another video coming up where I caught a brief look!

07/31/2024

Can you imagine hauling out on some floating glacial ice to WARM up? Seems like an oxymoron, but that's what these harbor seals are doing.
This was one of the coolest things (no pun intended!) to see near the glaciers. I especially love the two photos that show the distinct line on the seal's bodies between the fur that's dry and the fur that's still wet.

SO many more glacial ice photos and stories to come!

07/29/2024

Leaving the coastal brown bears, we continue onto golden-brown sea lions with this next post.

Steller sea lions were also a common wildlife sight as we transited through some of the larger straits and places with smaller clusters of rocky islands in SE Alaska. They occupied haul out sites and appeared in foraging "hot spot" areas, often mixed in with porpoises, whales, and birds--all of them vying for the forage fish found in the bait balls below the surface.

The most memorable Steller encounters happened at Adolphus Point in Icy Strait where there were hundreds feeding right along with a large group of humpback whales. Watching the sea lions do their own version of "dolphin leaps" and acrobatics as they scrambled amongst each other was definitely entertaining, but witnessing the absolute feeding frenzy they'd have at the surface after the humpback group went on their deeper dive was intriguing, and something I hadn't experienced before. They would engage in this behavior upon each humpback deep dive, and it made me wonder if they were going after forage fish that were being corralled in the whales' current as they dove deep beneath the surface. Would seem smart, to me!

We also had three individual sea lions that found our floating vessel (engines off, drifting) and the weird, bipedal creatures onboard, very intriguing. They would come toward the boat for looks at us, stay for a minute or two, and would then swim away, only to race each other back to the side of the boat to do it all over again. The guests were absolutely charmed. I was able to take some phone video and hope to be able to share it in another post!

07/28/2024

Whittling it down to the final seats! Come join like-minded individuals, learn something new, view some amazing wildlife (we'll be scouting HARD for Tufted Puffins) and help raise funds for the Northwest Straits Foundation! Details and registration found here: seatoskyguiding.com/puffins

07/28/2024

You may have read the term "coastal brown bear" in my first SE Alaska post and wondered just what species of bear I was actually referring to, and that's a fair question. Are coastal brown bears the same as grizzly bears? And what about Kodiaks? Are they grizzly, coastal brown bear? ...both?

According to Alaska wildlife biologists, coastal brown bears, grizzly bears, and Kodiak bears all fall under the same species, Ursus arctos. But, in fact, grizzly bears and Kodiaks are considered subspecies of Ursus arctos for the following reasons:

Grizzly bears: in the Latin, Ursus arctos horribilus. Grizzly bears are essentially brown bears that inhabit interior environments and do not have access to marine-derived foods (such as intertidal creatures and dead whales). Temperamentally, Alaska grizzlies may exhibit more aggressive tendencies due to their more limited food resources and the efforts necessary to obtain those resources. When comparing coastal brown bears, Kodiaks, and grizzlies, grizzlies typically weigh less than the other bears.

Kodiak bears: in the Latin, Ursus arctos middendorffi. Kodiak bears are coastal brown bears that inhabit Kodiak island and have been isolated, genetically, from other brown bears of mainland Alaska for upwards of 12,000 years. They have a slightly larger bone structure and tend to be the heaviest bear. The largest Kodiak ever recorded weighed in at close to 1700 pounds!

These two coastal brown bears that I managed decent photos of were foraging in estuary and intertidal habitat. Salmon season is not far away (fall), and berries were also almost ripe in early July, so suffice to say there were plenty of resources to keep these coastal brown bears occupied. Both individuals were viewed from the water and went completely unbothered. :)

07/27/2024

Here are some humpback whale spotlights to build upon yesterday's post:

1. SEAK-2042, nicknamed "Lillian." A male (that likely received his nickname prior to confirming his s*x) that currently feeds mostly in SE AK waters and migrates to Hawaii during the breeding season. I say "mostly" because there is only one reported sighting of "Lillian" near Moresby Island (Haida Gwaii) in 2007. Could this have been his initial feeding area before moving onto SE AK? Browsing the other pins, it appears that "Lillian" has fed in different areas of SE AK over the last 6 years, furthering my theory that he may have moved north to find better feeding opportunities.

2. SEAK-1480, nicknamed "SwimRe." A female that feeds in SE AK waters and migrates to Hawaii to give birth and breed. She has been spotted (and recorded via Happy Whale) a whopping 138 times in Alaska and twice in Hawaii. Her s*x was confirmed when seeing her with a calf in 2022.

3. SEAK-1659, nicknamed "Copper." "Copper" is a known male that feeds in SE AK waters from Haines to around the Glacier Bay entrance, Icy Strait, and Chatham Strait areas, migrating to Hawaii during the breeding season. So far, 29 reported sightings of "Copper" are in SE AK, and 3 from Hawaii. Can you spot the hole on the right side of his fluke?

4. SEAK-2155, nicknamed "MaikaMaika." This whale's s*x is currently unknown and they were recently matched to the breeding grounds around Hawaii in January of 2023! When in SE AK waters, reports have been made of this whale from Icy Strait to the south of Admiralty Island in Frederick Sound. The Alaska Whale Foundation has been researching this individual, so I'll be checking back to see if "MaikaMaika's" s*x is ever confirmed!

These four individuals were among ~16 humpbacks that were actively feeding just off Adolphus Point in Icy Strait, which is across from the entrance to Glacier Bay. It's interesting to me that these four were feeding in tandem with one another and have also been matched to the same breeding grounds. Do these whales have relationships in both places, I wonder? Is this just a hotspot for food and purely happenstance that they're in the same place? What do you think?

07/26/2024

Alaskan wilderness views were something spectacular! Now onto some of the wildlife we encountered on these two trips.

I mentioned in my previous post that humpbacks stole the show, so it feels fitting to start with these gentle giants. I had the opportunity to photograph well over 30 humpback individuals and was successful in capturing fluke shots (underside of the tail--each pattern is as unique to each humpback as the human thumbprint is to each human) for 23 of them! I submitted those photos to a website called Happy Whale -- a citizen science platform designed to help log whale data (what species, who, when, where, etc.?)--and they were able to provide me with matches to 20 of those humpbacks. Two fluke photos were only partials that did not yield results, and one humpback is "new to science," so never before photographed and entered into this system!

If you've not heard of Happy Whale before, be sure to go check it out (https://happywhale.com/home)! You don't have to be a photographer or have a fluke shot of a humpback to browse--but it is FUN if you do (and benefits researchers, scientists, and the data set if you submit those photos!).

Not all of these photos are the golden shot needed to identify the individual, but I thought they summed up our experience nonetheless!

Tomorrow I'll be back with a few individual humpback stories/what Happy Whale turned up, so stay tuned!

07/26/2024

If it's been a little quiet on my social media outlets the last few weeks, it's because I was on a BIG adventure! I am just getting back and readjusted after being the onboard naturalist for Anchor Excursion's Snow Goose Alaska tours from mid June-early July.

During my time there, I led two, 9-day trips: the first from Juneau to Sitka and the second from Sitka to, and around, Glacier Bay! We spent our days exploring lots of wilderness areas via skiff, kayaks, our own two feet (hiking), as well as the larger vessel. Each vantage point was unique, and each mode of transportation allowed for experiences that I realized not many humans have ever had/will have without joining a small touring company such as Snow Goose AK.

Alaska is utterly gorgeous and felt so VAST to me, but the wildlife felt like familiar friends. Humpbacks largely stole the show, though coastal brown bears gave them a run for their money. Birds and seals resting on "berg bits" (pieces of glacial ice that had calved off and were free floating) and female otters with their pups were new, exciting sights for me, so also ranked high. The tidewater glaciers were enormous, loud, and ever-changing, and the color of the water leading to each of them was wrought with glacial flour that tinged it a turquoise I can't even describe.

To begin, here are a few landscape shots from this adventure--I will be sharing more photos and other species in the days to come 🙂

**DIFFERENT photos (better suited for square/vertical orientation) on Instagram

06/24/2024

Day 12 (last day!): Central Washington - Ellensburg to Wenas Wildlife Area: A Wildlife Journey Through the Shrubsteppe to the Pine Forest.

Last, but not least, a highlight reel of some photos I've captured throughout the last 7 years/seasons that I've spent a full day over the Cascades in Central Washington.

For more information regarding an Ellensburg to Wenas Wildlife Guiding Day (or possibly days!) in 2025, email [email protected] to get on the early notification list.

06/23/2024

Day 11: Central Washington - Ellensburg to Wenas Wildlife Area: A Wildlife Journey Through the Shrubsteppe to the Pine Forest.

The schrubsteppe and pine forest are home to species that also cross the Cascade Mountain range and utilize habitats in NW Washington, as well, so today I'm sharing photos of several other species that I've seen on both sides of the mountains, but successfully captured photos of on my Ellensburg to Wenas spring trip.

06/22/2024

Day 10: Central Washington - Ellensburg to Wenas Wildlife Area: A Wildlife Journey Through the Shrubsteppe to the Pine Forest.

Typically by the end of this day-long excursion I'm excited to get back on the road to head home, knowing I'll look through all of my photos and tally my final species count the next day. Yes--I do usually drive the 3-ish hours back home (it makes for a long day, but that's part of the journey).

Today's species have proven a challenge for me to get good looks at:
Gray Flycatcher, Calliope Hummingbird, and Yellow-bellied Marmot

I've saved these three for last because I haven't typically had but one good visual encounter with them. I'll hear them a lot--the display buzzing of Calliope Hummingbirds that are establishing and defending territory; the buzzy Gray Flycatcher call coming from the canopy. When I do have the esteemed opportunity to grab some photographs or watch them at work, it makes this spring trip extra special. I mean, just think: part of the fun is wondering what I'm going to find each time I go. If it was the same exact trip every time, where would be the wonder and amazement in that?

Last, but not least: I've seen Yellow-bellied Marmots along this stretch of road. They are decent-sized rodent sporting a common name that sounds more like an insult, and seem to prefer the canyon areas or grassy cliff faces where they have burrows to pop back into or rocky crevices to hide in. They have a very high pitched whistle-like "scream" that they'll emit when predators or dangers are nearby. The first time I heard one I began looking above my head for a raptor. Wiley little guys :)

*I have a few more photo highlights to share, and a few more-common-to-the-westside species but that I've had wonderful encounters with in Central WA, so stay tuned!

06/21/2024

Day 9: Central Washington - Ellensburg to Wenas Wildlife Area: A Wildlife Journey Through the Shrubsteppe to the Pine Forest.

As I'm tallying up some of the small, but vocal birds, and watching ground-dwelling rodents scamper around, I am also meticulously scanning the branches of pines, hoping to find Great Horned Owls and possibly some fledglings. I've had success 4 out of my 7 trips--twice finding nests with owlets, and twice finding an adult having a snooze or watching me back.

What's fun about searching for owls throughout this habitat is that these tall pines that have thin, splayed needles are often easier to scan through than the Douglas Firs, Spruces or Red Cedars on the western side of the state that are draped in foliage and often dark and inaccessible to the eye. Great hiding for them though, right?

It's true, I can and do find Great Horned Owls on the western side of the state--in fact, they're my most sighted owl in many states and even up in British Columbia. But to watch them with owlets and really see their plumage seamlessly blending into the chunkier pine bark is a treat in itself. It's mostly either the silhouette or the yellow eyes that give these guys away, and you have to look real hard, which makes finding one (or more) that much more rewarding.

*I'm happy to be sharing species from one of my favorite spring excursions with you all and hope to encourage others that might like to join me for an Ellensburg Trip next year in 2025!

06/20/2024

Day 8: Central Washington - Ellensburg to Wenas Wildlife Area: A Wildlife Journey Through the Shrubsteppe to the Pine Forest.

I'm still combing the pine forest portion of the Ellensburg to Wenas Wildlife Area trek, and will be for a couple more posts.

Today features:
Yellow-pine Chipmunks - zippy little rodents, smaller than squirrels but closely related. The Yellow-pine variety are present in Washington except for in coastal areas. They prefer brushy habitats in coniferous forests, but can be found in environments that have dense shrubs and rocky outcrops.
Yellow-pine Chipmunk fun fact: their diet is extremely varied and they are known to eat at least 59 species of seed, fruit, fungi, and plant, also supplementing their diet with bird eggs, roots, and sometimes small mammals.

Mountain Chickadees - common in the evergreen forests of Western mountains, and since this stretch of road is pine forest that gains elevation, it's typically not long before I hear their sweetheart whistle in these areas. If these chickadees look familiar, but not quite right, you're probably thinking of their Black-capped cousins that are often common backyard birds and found in deciduous tree stands versus pine.

Cassin's Finches (female pictured; male has light and deep hues of raspberry red) - find nesting sites and breeding areas that span in elevation from 3,000 feet to 10,000 feet, and they prefer mature pines, firs, and spruces that attract insects and supply seeds. Fun fact: during the spring their diet primarily consists of quaking aspen buds (94%). Similar in field marks and size to House Finches and Purple Finches, environment can be a key determining factor!

The next several posts will highlight:
Birds - Great Horned Owl; Gray Flycatcher & Calliope Hummingbird
Mammals - Yellow-bellied Marmot

*I'm happy to be sharing species from one of my favorite spring excursions with you all and hope to encourage others that might like to join me for an Ellensburg Trip next year in 2025!

06/19/2024

Day 7: Central Washington - Ellensburg to Wenas Wildlife Area: A Wildlife Journey Through the Shrubsteppe to the Pine Forest.

There are other birds and animals to be found as the pine forest thickens and the creek continues to wind. The water is a magnet for the birds in this arid environment, and this part of the road is where I've experienced the greatest variety of species. This environment spans the longest stretch of the 17 miles, and so I spend the most amount of time here.

Today I'll feature: the White-breasted Nuthatch and Rocky Mountain Elk.

Nuthatches are a group of birds that wander vertically down trees, picking insects and seeds from the bark as they go. The White-breasted variety is not found in northwest Washington, so I either have to head east 2-3 hours or south 2-3 hours to find their desired habitat. The "nuthatch" part of their names comes from their habit of wedging nuts into tree bark, then using their sharp beaks to whack the outer layer “hatching” out the seed from the inside.

During roughly 50% of my past trips, I've encountered elk along this stretch of road. Of the two subspecies that are found in Washington State, Rocky Mountain Elk primarily occupy the eastern slopes of the Cascades (lighter in color and a little smaller than the Roosevelt Elk of the western side of the Cascades). I've had small herds cross just in front of me, or single individuals that pick their head up to watch me pass by. Shrubsteppe areas provide important grazing opportunities during the fall and winter when snow covers other vegetation.

The next several posts will highlight:
Birds - Mountain Chickadee & Cassin's Finch; Gray Flycatcher & Calliope Hummingbird; Great Horned Owl.
Mammals - Yellow-pine Chipmunk and Yellow-bellied Marmot

*I'm happy to be sharing species from one of my favorite spring excursions with you all and hope to encourage others that might like to join me for an Ellensburg Trip next year in 2025!

06/19/2024

Today is Juneteenth, an annual celebration of the day that slavery TRULY came to an end in the United States. On June 19th, 1865, a military decree issued by U.S. General Gordon Granger reached the enslaved people of Galveston, Texas, informing them that ALL slaves were free people. This decree, finally enforced by the Union Army in a Confederate state, marked the true end of slavery, two and a half years after Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation and the Civil War had come to an end.

I share this history to honor the memory of those enslaved peoples, and the nightmares they endured. It is my utmost hope that sharing this history can begin to educate others that are not aware of this day’s historical significance for Black Americans. It is also my hope to spur allies and encourage the work necessary to bridge the gap in the fight against the injustices, inequality, and racial barriers that persist in this county, despite the progress that has been made since 1865.

While not the most critical issue facing the Black Community, there are safety issues that discourage Black engagement in outdoor recreational and nature-based activities--especially those that take them to remote places. As a nature guide, I want to share Christian Cooper's story of harassment by a white woman in Central Park while on a birding outing in 2020, as his story encapsulates such disparity (details here: https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/christian-cooper-overcame-central-park-karen-and-is-now-a-a-tv-star). While justice was served, this instance underscores the fact that there's work to be done to ensure EVERYONE that steps outside can feel safe in the outdoors.

*I do not pretend to understand the depth and breadth of hurt and wounds that still afflict the Black Community; I do not wish to whitewash this holiday, but rather elevate the importance of it. I strive to continue to do my part to ensure that we can live in a world where, regardless of skin color, there is safety, inclusivity, and equality, across every spectrum, for all. I run my small guiding business under this model and look for ways to improve, continuously.