An unusual visitor showed up in King Cove in late November. Shankell Mack was able to get a picture. The great egret is rare sighting anywhere in Alaska.

About a year ago, the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation tested Cold Bay’s water wells for PFAS, and the results came back well above the levels recommended for human consumption. Cold Bay closed the wells for drinking when the test results came back, and the Eastern Aleutian community has relied on state-provided bottled water ever since.

There was a dead whale out in the bay by King Cove. Then couple locals pulled the whale into town.

This bird is a juvenile Great Blue Heron. It is rare sighting of heron outside of its normal range which extends into Southeast but not Southwest Alaska.

Between 2015 and 2020, two Unusual Mortality Events have been declared for wales along the western coast of British Colombia and the United States, indicating the possibility of a disturbance to the marine ecosystem.

"I got under my kitchen table and it was very violent and loud and lasted quite a while. The tsunami sirens started right after it stopped."

Most of the dry lakes and streams were on the south side of the island. I am thinking this is one of many lakes that cattle use for drinking.

Strong southerly winds brought moisture from the central Pacific in to the King Cove area. The FAA weather station at the King Cove airport recorded 4.93" of rain from the early morning of June 25 through the early morning of June 28, and half of that total (2.49") fell in 12 hours from late evening on the 26th to late morning on the 27th, and resulted in flooding.

Sea star wasting disease (SSWD) observed near King Cove

"It’s a bit because people are feeding them, and they’re getting into the dumpster now too. But I’ve never seen them like this before."

Weather is relatively consistent around this time of year, but this season, storms have come in quickly.

I have never found live shrimp before in King Cove while subsisting for Chiton's not sure if it is unusual or significant.

A small eastern Aleutian community is now getting nearly all of its energy from renewable sources. With a second hydro facility that began producing power late this spring, the city of King Cove has dramatically reduced its dependence on diesel.

The creeks were so full - I bet the oxygen levels weren't so good for them though.

It's still snowing in early May.

Several bald eagles were observed with sores around their eyes and bills.

"I learned from a community member that they haven't seen these type of birds here within town, they usually see them on the islands that surround our cove. With the warming temps. people have noticed more and more different types of birds showing up in our community."

Dead Crested auklet observed near the southwest end of the Alaska Peninsula.

Early Growth of Salmonberries (Rubus spectabilis - Highbush)