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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

New kind of plant on the beach
A new plant species is establishing itself in the area and impacting native beach greens.
Aleksandrovsk, Alaska, United States

Dead Sea Otters
No obvious cause of death for this adult and juvenile otter.
McDonald Spit, Alaska, United States
Kris Holderied, Stephen Payton, Barbara Mahoney, Mike Brubaker

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

Something is eating salmonberry leaves
"This season we have observed many salmonberry bushes that appear to be defoliated. It seems something is eating the leaves. We have also noticed the berries look sickly."
Seldovia, Alaska, United States
Jessie Moan, Mike Rasy , Katie Spellman, DeShana York, Stephen Payton

Salmonberries are a month late
"We usually pick salmon berries in early July."
Seldovia Village, Alaska, United States
Mike Brubaker, Katie Spellman, Stephen Payton

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

In the absence of fireweed
A 24-hour, 245 mile survey of fireweed plants from Anchorage to Seldovia revealed an almost complete absence of flowering.
Seldovia Village, Alaska, United States

Oyster catchers return to Nanwalek
Black oystercatchers have returned to Nanwalek, Alaska, and three eggs have been spotted on the beach.
Nanwalek, Alaska, United States

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 Public Media

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

Dead sea otter
Walked two miles of spit and did not see any others.
Barbara Mahoney, Stephen Payton, Mike Brubaker, Michael Opheim , Kris Holderied

Infestation of caterpillars
A resident of Seldovia reported an infestation of worms infesting an area of salmonberry brush and nettle.

High clam mortality rate forces closure on east Cook Inlet next year
An approximate 69% of adult razor clams at Ninilchik beaches and 84% at Clam Gulch beaches have died. The department said the cause of the high natural mortality rate of the clams remains unknown, but may be due to a combination of heavy surf, habitat changes, environmental stressor and predation.
Clam Gulch, Alaska, United States
Peninsula Clarion

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.
Alaska Public Media

Changes in fish size and parasite load of Kasilof sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka)
"My husband and I have been dipnetting on the Kasilof since 2014. This year we noticed more small fish than usual and all but ~5 of the 35 fish we caught had parasites."
Kasilof, Alaska, United States

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

Low king counts to close Anchor River, Deep Creek to fishing
“The midpoint of the Anchor River king salmon run was extremely late. These fish are really having some odd, unprecedented run timing and behavior."
Kasilof, Alaska, United States

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.
Homer News

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

New Arrival - Speckle Belly Geese (Anser albifrons)
A flock of Speckle Belly geese re-visit Seldovia.
Seldovia, Alaska, United States

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

Dead Baby Sea Otter (Enhydra Lutris)
First time we have ever seen a dead pup.

Mysterious Holes in Leaves
Defoliation of willows, alders, and berry bushes may be related to different insect species depending on the plant.

Northwestern Crow (Corvus caurinus) with Ticks
Ticks spotted on a Northwestern crow may have picked up ticks while scavenging for food.
Port Graham, Alaska, United States

Dead Sea Cucumbers (Cucumaria miniata) on Beach
Strong winds might have blown sea cucumbers (*Cucumaria miniata*) up on to the beach, exposing them to the cold at low tide.
Anchor Point, Alaska, United States
Mandy Lindeberg, Richard L Thoman Jr, Erica Lujan

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

Alders (genus Alnus) Budding Out of Season
Warm temperatures are likely causing alders and other woody Alaskan plants to bud in fall and early winter. As winter sets in, the buds are damaged and the plants will produce fewer buds come spring.
Seldovia, Alaska, United States

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.

Black Currant (Ribes laxiflorum) and Willow (Salix scouleriana) Bushes Are Budding
Willow and currants are budding unusually late, during an unusually warm fall.

Dead Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)
Dead humpack whale found between Port Graham and Seldovia.
Naomi McMullen, Stephen Payton, Michael Opheim , Barbara Mahoney, Sue Mauger

Unidentified Foam on Fallen Leaves
Unusual foam on autumn fallen leaves does not belong to a spittlebug, but may be a type of fungus.
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.

Low water supply in two Kenai Peninsula communities prompts disaster declaration
Little rainfall during this year’s warm, dry summer left Seldovia and Nanwalek scrambling to conserve water.
Anchorage Daily News

Nanwalek is rapidly running out of water
A Kenai Peninsula village is rapidly running out of water. Low snowpack and little rainfall has led Nanwalek to declare a water emergency.
Nanwalek, Alaska, United States

City Implements Water Conservation Measures
Persistent high pressure over the Gulf of Alaska and Bristol Bay has kept most storms well away from the lower Kenai Peninsula. At Homer, total rainfall June 1-August 16 was only 53% of normal, making this the driest since 2004. The City of Seldovia has issued a "City Water Conservation Notice" on August 20th. The notice doesn't ban any specific water use but requests residents make an effort to use less water by minimizing watering lawns and washing cars and to take shorter showers.
John Warren, Brian Berube, Don Green, Michael Opheim , Richard L Thoman Jr, Edward "Ted" Smith, Stephen Payton

Drought Causes Water Emergency
"Nanwalek was in an emergency drought, we had to have water flown in for 60 households."
Nanwalek, Alaska, United States
Priscilla Evans, Michael Opheim , Brian Berube, John Warren, Richard L Thoman Jr

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.

Hoverfly Larva (possibly Dasysyrphus)
Hoverfly larva (possibly *Dasysyrphus*) found out in the open. Usually, they are found in stagnant water, on a decomposing animal carcass, or in rot holes of trees.
Jessie Moan, Stephen Payton, Derek Sikes

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.

Low Tide and No Sea Stars
We did not see a single sea star in the Kachemak-side tide pools, and boulders we visit each year all looked a little vacant, with a lot of empty, critter-free space.
Michael Opheim , Kris Holderied, Mike Brubaker

Fire season kicks off with over a dozen fires statewide
The Alaska Division of Forestry is warning Alaskans in the Southcentral region of the state about high fire danger.
Ninilchik, 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

Large Sea Purse (Big Skate, Raja binoculata?)
Large egg case found on beach, perhaps belonging to a Big Skate (*Raja binoculata*)

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

Unusual Squid Found on Shoreline
Squid are becoming more common on the shoreline over the past few years.
Aleksandrovsk, Alaska, United States

Discolored Spruce (Picea sitchensi) in Seldovia
Spruce branch girdling causing discoloration in tree.

Unusual Grasshopper Sighting
Grasshopper seen in area with typically few sightings

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

Burying Beetle (genus Nicrophorus)
Burying Beetle (genus *Nicrophorus*) Found on McDonald Spit in Seldovia.

Weak king salmon return prompts Kenai Peninsula fishing closures
A poor return of king salmon on the Anchor River will shut down all sport fishing on the Anchor and Ninilchik rivers and Deep Creek drainages beginning Saturday morning, the Alaska Department of Fish & Game announced Thursday.
Ninilchik, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

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.

Hummingbird sighted on SW-Side of Kachemak Bay
Very early for a hummingbird, especially in a non-urban area without feeders.
Moses Tcheripanoff, Courtney Amundson, Jan Yaeger

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

Unknown Cause of Black Bear (Ursus americanus) Mortality
Black bear found dead along lake trail.

Late Run of Abundant Pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha)
Elders are finding this unusual for this late in the season.

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

Unknown Plant Growing on Nanwalek Beach
Unidentified plant found on Nanwalek Beach

Unidentified Ant
Jakolof Bay, Alaska, United States

Weird Jelly on Tube Worms
Tube-Dwelling Worms on Seldovia Beach

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

Pipefish (Sygnathinae) Observed
Found Pipefish
Port Graham, Alaska, United States

Squid Found in Seldovia Bay
Squid are occasionally found in the area, but not very often.

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
Alaska Dispatch News

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.
Alaska Dispatch News

When Alaska shellfish turns deadly
No one really knows why algae put so much effort into making poisons. Alexandrium makes saxitoxin, and causes PSP. Another algae called Pseudo-nitzschia produces domoic acid, the source of amnesiac shellfish poisoning.

Bloated Sea Lion (Eumetopias jubatus) in Harbor
Sick and bloated sea lion may have been caused by eating rotten fish, noted state DVM.

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.

Early American Robin (Turdus migratorius) Sighting
A robin was sighted in southcentral Alaska; an early arrival.
Port Graham, Alaska, United States

The Detective of Northern Oddities
When a creature mysteriously turns up dead in Alaska—be it a sea otter, polar bear, or humpback whale—veterinary pathologist Kathy Burek gets the call.
Jakolof Bay Alaska, United States
Outside Online

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...
Stephen Payton, Michael Opheim , Ryan Brubaker

Rapid Growth of White Spruce (Picea glauca)
Rapid growth of white spruce over the past three summers observed.

Unusual 'Sea Butterflies' (thecosomes) On Beach
Washing ashore from Kachemak Bay

Year of the Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis)

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

Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis) Bloomers
More early bloomers in Southcentral Alaska.

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.

Seldovia beach erosion and glacial rebound
Rapid changes raise questions.

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

Dead Murres (Uria aalge)
More reports of dead Murres observed in the Bristol Bay region.

Dead Murres (Uria aalge)
Murre die-off in Seldovia continuing.

Seabird Deaths
A large number of bird die-offs

Blue Sail (Velella) Jellyfish
Blue Sail Jellyfish

Seabird Deaths
Sea bird deaths

More Murre Deaths (Uria aalge)
Dead murres on beach
Caroline Van Hemert, Barbara Bodenstein, Christopher Anahonak

Polystyrene Debris
Polystyrene debris on beaches

Dead Sea Lion (Eumetopias jubatus)
Sea lion washes ashore in Nanwalek.

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 - Murres (Uria aalge)
Murre deaths reported along the shore of Nanwalek.

Dead Birds On McDonald's Spit
Dead birds on beach

Starfish Wasting Disease
Near MacDonald Spit, southern end of the Kenai Peninsula.
Seldovia, Alaska, United States

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

Visiting Sandhill Cranes (Grus canadensis)
We have never had cranes stop in here before. Something has changed that these migratory birds are stopping here.

Low Snow Pack
Normally, we have so many feet of snow throughout the village and the mountains would be packed with snow.

Unseasonably Warm Weather
We used to be able to go ice fishing in the lagoon as well as ice skating. Now community members are using a net to get the tomcods.
Nanwalek, Alaska, USA

Amber Snail
These ladies found a snail that they had never seen before and brought them.

Crab larvae wash ashore
7-29-14 Crab larvae wash ashore - Port Graham, Alaska, USA
Port Graham, Alaska

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

Sea Lion (Eumetopias jubatus) Over-heated
This sea lion was seen for over an hour floating along the shore and holding one front and one back flipper in the air.

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

Lack of Snow
1-24-14 Lake of snow - Nanwalek, Alaska, USA

Dead Seabirds
11-6-13 Dead seabirds - Nanwalek, 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

Water Shortage
12-6-12 Water shortage - Nanwalek, Alaska, USA

Barnacle decline
7-3-12 Barnacle decline - McDonald Spit, Alaska, USA
McDonald Spit, Alaska, USA

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

Barnacles Declining
3-9-12 Barnacles declining - Nanwalek, Alaska, USA
Nanwalek, Alaska, USA

Shell shock - thousands of Ninilchik clams wash up on beach in unusual die-off
A winter storm lashed the sandy beaches at the mouth of the Ninilchik River with ferocious waves, powerful enough to uproot thousands of razor clams.
Ninilchik, Alaska, United States
Redoubt Reporter

East Cook Inlet clamming to remain closed again this summer as population still lags
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game found an unexpectedly low number of clams during final surveying, but the agency still plans to monitor them in support of perhaps opening the fishery in years to come.
Clam Gulch, 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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