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The LEO Network is a worldwide network of observers and experts that share their observations of environmental change.
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Observations

Local emergency declared after high seas damage Homer Spit
Homer Mayor Rachel Lord declared a local emergency after water and debris washed over the Homer Spit last weekend, damaging parts of the road and forcing closures.
Homer, Alaska, United States
KBBI AM 890

Landslide triggers 55-foot tsunami wave at Kenai Fjords National Park
Heavy rains and melting glaciers are making landslides in the area more common, says a geologist.
Pedersen Bay, Alaska
Alaska Public Media

2 more seals admitted to SeaLife Center
Two harbor seal pups, one from Naknek and another from Wrangell, were recently rescued and are receiving care at the Alaska SeaLife Center due to malnourishment and other health issues.
Homer, Alaska, United States
Homer News

Rural Chugach Electric customers deal with 'excessive' winter outages
Chugach Electric acknowledges the high frequency of winter power outages in Cooper Landing and Moose Pass, attributing them to heavy snowfall and considering solutions like local maintenance crews.
Moose Pass, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Unprecedented double glacial dam release brings flooding to the Kenai
Usually, the Snow Glacier and Skilak lakes release every two or three years. Both at the same time is unprecedented.
Skilak Lake
Alaska Public Media

What's making the water yellow in Kasitsna Bay?
Discoloration of water in bay. Is this an algal bloom?
Seldovia Village, Alaska, United States
Mike Brubaker, Kris Holderied, Stephen Payton

Grubby's son captured as Homer faces growing opossum problem
It turns out that Grubby the opossum — who hitched a ride to Alaska in a shipping container in March — had babies.
Homer, Alaska, United States

Alaska SeaLife Center admits first fur seal patient in 6 years
The female seal pup — estimated to be around six months old — was seen swimming “erratically” near the shore in Sitka last month, according to a press release from the center. Worried Sitka residents then reported the pup to the center’s 24-hour stranding hotline.
Seward, Alaska, United States

Sea otter lunch for bald eagle
Two dead otters (one recent) on Kasitsna Bay side. We also found another one yesterday on the Kachemak side.
McDonald Spit, Alaska, United States
Angela Doroff, Michael Opheim , Barbara Mahoney, Rose Masui, Mike Brubaker, Kris Holderied, Stephen Payton

One lane of traffic open near Cooper Landing after Sterling Highway landslide
The creek slide is the latest environmental incident to strike the Kenai Peninsula this week: a massive landslide in Seward on May 7 continues to block Lowell Point Road, a wildfire broke out near Sportsman’s Landing on May 8 and a separate wildfire broke out on May 10 near Wildman’s.
Cooper Landing, Alaska, United States
Peninsula Clarion

Lowell Point Road closed due to landslide - Shelter open at Seward High School
The landslide, estimated to be 300 feet wide, has completely cut off the community of Lowell Point. Lowell Point Road is the only land access between Lowell Point and the City of Seward. As a result the City of Seward cannot access critical wastewater facilities.
Seward, Alaska, United States
Seward Journal

Tangled Up in Blue: Skipping skating
I was looking forward to ice skating this winter. I had bought a pair of Nordic blades. This morning, I woke up to over a foot of snow. It is an early storm for Seward, which was blanketed in white this morning.
Seward, Alaska, United States
Homer News

Alaska sees early cold snap, and it's not going away anytime soon
It's cold. And those frigid temperatures aren't going away anytime soon. The cold has set in across most of Alaska and set daily record lows in places like Homer, King Salmon and Bethel. It's relatively early to be seeing such cold.

Burn ban issued for Kenai Peninsula
High-fire danger prompts burn ban this week, A burn suspension is in effect for the Kenai Peninsula due to high fire danger, high fire activity and limited firefighting resources, according to a special notice from the Alaska Department of Natural Resources.
Homer News

Red bloom in bay isn’t harmful
However, if ingested by oysters and other shellfish, the sudden burst of a ciliate form of zooplankton — or animal plankton — called Mesodinium rubrum could turn their meat pink.

Sleeper Shark (Somniosus pacificus) in Kasitsna Bay
A decomposing sleeper shark was found on the beach in Kasitsna Bay.
Seldovia Village, Alaska, United States
Michael Opheim , Chyna Williams, Gay Sheffield

Whale Carcass on McDonald Spit
Partially decomposed whale
McDonald Spit, Alaska, United States

Homer residents briefly evacuate after quake, tsunami warning
Coastal Alaskans were roused out of bed last night following a 7.8 magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami warning. The warning was canceled within a matter of hours.

Green Sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris) in Kachemak Bay
Until 2007, there have been only three verified reports of green sturgeon in the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea, and two anecdotal reports from the Copper River and Unalaska areas.
Halibut Cove, Alaska, United States

Alaska SeaLife Center takes on 6 rescued harbor seal pups
The Seward facility began housing five seals found in the Cook Inlet area and another that was rescued in Juneau.
Anchorage Daily News

Snowmachiner dies in avalanche near Cooper Lake
A snowmachiner was killed Monday afternoon in an avalanche on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska State Troopers reported late Monday night.
Cooper Landing, Alaska, United States
KTUU

Boisterous bay
A winter storm combined with a 20.7-foot high tide hammered the north shore of Kachemak Bay last Thursday.

Homer man survives bear attack
The man was walking his dogs on a well-used trail when he came across a sow with two cubs, a Fish and Game assistant area wildlife biologist said.
Anchorage Daily News

Big Year for Highbush Cranberries (Viburnum edule)
Highbush cranberries benefited from unusually warm, sunny conditions.
Seldovia Village, Alaska, United States

Unidentified Foam on Fallen Leaves
Unusual foam on autumn fallen leaves does not belong to a spittlebug, but may be a type of fungus.
Seldovia, Alaska, United States
Jessie Moan, Stephen Payton, Derek Sikes

Large Northern Sea Nettle (Chrysaora melanaster) Die-off
A large group of dead northern sea nettles (*Chrysaora melanaster*) found near the shore in Kasitsna Bay.
McDonald Spit, Alaska, United States

Rapid release of water from glacier-dammed lake prompts Kenai flood advisory
The National Weather Service has issued a flood advisory for Kenai Lake and the Kenai River near Cooper Landing.
Cooper Landing, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Jakolof Creek Fish Die-off
"Jakolof Creek is dry almost all the way up to the switchbacks and continues to recede. The early run of red salmon may have made it to the lake, but that is probably the only run that has."
Head of Jakolof Bay on Jakolof Creek
Brian Berube, Stephen Payton, Glenn Hollowell, Michael Opheim , Ryan Brubaker

Moderate drought hits the Kenai Peninsula
It’s official: the Kenai Peninsula is in a moderate drought. After months of warm weather and little rain, the United States Drought Monitor designated the region abnormally dry. The drought is creating a crisis for farmers who are having to water their crops more often while at the same time their wells are drying up. There are roughly 260 farms on the peninsula.

Common Loon (Gavia immer) Calling Circle
Large groups of loons are rarely observed in the summer on Homer's Beluga Lake. Over a dozen were observed calling back and forth on Beluga Lake.

Alaska’s changing climate
Local residents debated whether a massive release of spruce pollen, which accumulated on every surface—including car bonnets, picnic tables and the nearby Kachemak Bay—amounted to a “golden sheen” or a “yellow scum”. The fine dust turned the surface of the sea the colour of butter and left a bright, lemony line on shore that marked the extent of high tide and gave off a sickly sweet smell. This huge release of pollen might be yet another symptom of a rapidly changing environment.
The Economist

Farmers concerned about heat, lack of rain
As lower Kenai Peninsula temperatures have soared recently, local farmers and gardeners have concerns about how June’s lack of rain and steady warm temperatures will affect their businesses in the weeks ahead.

Juvenile Elephant Seal (Mirounga angustirostris) Hauled Out
A species rarely seen in the Seward area.

Strong winds may have been a factor in avalanche that killed skier in Kenai Mountains, report says
Jeffrey Cheng, 33, died in the slide. One of his friends managed to hold on to a tree as waves of avalanche debris washed over his head. The third member of their group wasn’t caught.
Moose Pass, Alaska, United States

Birders spy 70 species during Christmas Bird Count
The Homer Tribune - Offering news of the people, places and events of Homer and the lower Kenai Peninsula

Dead Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris)
Dead sea otter (*Enhydra lutris*) found on the beach with no obvious sign of injury although it did show signs of hair loss.
McDonald Spit, Alaska

Sea Nettle Jellyfish (Chrysaora melanaster) are Landing
Sea Nettle (*Chrysaora melanaster*) jellyfish washed up on the beach.

Unusual Grasshopper Sighting
Grasshopper seen in area with typically few sightings
Seldovia, Alaska, United States

Very sick dog after eating from the beach
On this occasion he did not just vomit once, but over and over, combined with severe diarrhea and fatigue.
Kris Holderied, Michael Opheim , Gillian Brubaker , Rose Masui, Raphaela Stimmelmayr, Brian Berube, Mike Brubaker

Cougar Sighted on Upper Kenai River
A rare sighting near the confluence of the Russian River.

No Sea Stars on Bishop's Beach
Sea Star Wasting Disease has caused sea stars to die off since 2013. As of 2018, there are still no sea stars on Bishops Beach in Homer.

First the rabbits disappeared. Now Seward’s coyotes are killing dogs.
Coyotes have killed at least three dogs in Seward, and police are trying to trap the predators before they get more.

A glacier dam bursts and creates minor flooding on the Kenai
Sport fishermen are struggling to reel in the rainbow trout and Dolly Varden that usually are so abundant in fall.
Snow River Bridge, Alaska, United States
Alaska Dispatch News

Pink salmon found in odd places near Homer
Pink salmon are showing up in unexpected places around the Homer area.

Cloudberries (Rubus chamaemorus) in Seldovia
Cloudberries observed in new area around Seldovia.
Jakolof Bay Headwaters, Alaska, United States

Giant Wrymouth (Cryptacanthodes giganteusin)
Jakolof Bay, Alaska, United States
Kris Holderied, Stephen Payton, Mandy Lindeberg

That's a lot of Humpies (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha)
We wondered at the huge number of pinks still in the lagoon. Are they running later then normal?
Tutka Bay Lagoon, Alaska, United States

Can sea stars make a comeback in Kachemak Bay?
Sea star wasting syndrome, or disease as it has become known, hit Kachemak Bay hard in 2016, killing about 90 percent of sunflower and true star populations.
Kachemak Bay, Alaska, United States

Retreating Exit Glacier has become an icon of climate change
The celebrity glacier on the Kenai Peninsula, though relatively small and getting smaller, looms large in the public consciousness.
Exit Glacier, Alaska, United States
Alaska Dispatch News

Unidentified Ant
Jakolof Bay, Alaska, United States

Emptied tide pools tell the story of Kachemak Bay’s disrupted ecosystem
Beach walks this summer find many familiar creatures absent. This changing natural world demands attention and caring.
Bear Cove, Alaska, United States
Alaska Dispatch News

Too many pink salmon in Kachemak Bay?
If Alaska expands how many pink salmon its hatcheries — such as the one in Tutka Bay — produce, will there be unintended consequences that harm Kachemak Bay?
Tutka Bay, Alaska, United States

Sea star populations in Kachemak Bay annihilated by wasting disease
Sea star wasting disease, a type of densovirus, reduced the count of sea stars in Kachemak Bay from 180 last spring to a measly five this year.

Stranded, lethargic ringed seal found far south of normal icy habitat
A parasite-riddled seal afraid of the water is the first Alaska marine mammal rescued in 2017. The seal will not be returned to the wild if it continues to survive rehabilitation at the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward.

After die-off, sea stars face uncertain future
Sea star wasting syndrome was first documented in Kachemak Bay in 2014, but it wasn’t until last summer that the mysterious infection began killing sea stars in large numbers.
KBBI

Erosion at Homer Spit is speeding up
Land's End Resort was built more than 50 years ago, and during that time, the Homer Spit has changed dramatically. A change in the direction and intensity of winds may be driving the faster erosion.

Freezing Rain on Kenai Peninsula
Hazardous driving conditions due to freezing rain.
Caribou Hills, Alaska, United States

Kachemak Bay has seen massive die-offs of sea stars and other species. What’s going on?
Kachemak Bay has witnessed massive die-offs of sea stars, murres and razor clams. Whats going on?

Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus) Mortality
Died on beach.

Low Stream Water for Pink Salmon
But at least there is a stream...
Seldovia, Alaska, United States
Stephen Payton, Michael Opheim , Ryan Brubaker

Dead Sea Lion (Eumetopias jubatus)
Marine Mammal

Eight-spotted Forester (Alypia octomaculata) Moth or Langston's Forester (Alypia langtoni)
An Eight-spotted Langson's (Fabricius, 1775) or Langson's Forester Couper observed lower Kenai Peninsula of Alaska.
Jakolof Bay, Alaska, USA

Spruce Aphid (Elatobium abietinum) Damage
Nuka Passage, Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, United States

Spruce aphid (Elatobium abietinum Wal)
Communities on the southern coastline of Kenai Peninsula have noticed changes to trees as a result of the aphid.
Kasitana Bay, Alaska, United States

Fish and Game look to round up invasive starlings
The Department of Fish and Game plans to trap a flock of birds not native to Alaska that is trying to move in. The agency says starlings could cause big problems for humans and other birds native to the area. They want to get rid of the flock before their numbers grow.

Dead Murres (Uria aalge)
Sea bird mortality observed on southeast end of Homer Spit

Polystyrene Debris
Polystyrene debris on beaches

Pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) Die-off, Jakolof Creek
Drought and high temperatures have dried the creek and caused thousands of pink salmon and Dolly Varden to die before they could spawn. The event raises questions about vulnerability of area salmon streams to climate change, and for local residents food security.
Jakolof Creek, Alaska, United States
Michael Opheim , Stephen Payton, Ryan Brubaker

Dead Birds On McDonald's Spit
Dead birds on beach

Sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria) an Unusual Catch
Sablefish an unusual catch
Seldovia, Alaska United States

Dead Northern Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris)
7-10-14 Stranded sea otter - McDonald Spit, Alaska, USA
Seldovia, Alaska, USA

Early Blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum)
Early blueberries in Jakolof Bay, Alaska

Bugs Swarm at 2017 Mount Marathon Race
The 2017 Mount Marathon races were run under cloudy skies and damp conditions. A man swats at bugs that swarmed at the top of Mount Marathon during the race Tuesday, July 4, 2017 in Seward.

High Spruce Pollen
5-25-14 High spruce pollen McDonald Spit, Alaska, USA

Red Phytoplankton Bloom
7-11-13 Red phytoplankton bloom - Jakolof Bay, Alaska, USA
Jakalof Bay, Alaska, United States
Kris Holderied, Dean Stockwell, Mike Brubaker

Road Washout
There were extreme rain events in September of 2012 that caused landslides, erosion and ultimately blockage of a culvert over Jakolof Creek.
Jakolof River, Alaska, United States

Longnose Skate (Raja rihina)
An unusual skeleton of a fish was found on the tide line in Kasitsna Bay.
Kasitsna Bay, Alaska, United States

An opossum’s arrival in Homer spurs capture efforts, memes and a campaign to #FreeGrubby
Alaska does not have opossums, but as of last month Homer had at least one. The mammal, considered an invasive species in Alaska, turned up in a shipping container from Washington state. It later escaped ingniting a flurry of opinions on the fate of this unusual visitor.

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