Community Calendar

Announcement: Report Fledging Sandhill Crane Colts
Please run this announcement through August 15.

Roughly 2 months after hatching, colts begin taking short flights with their parents. By mid-August, serious flight training starts. As the colts get stronger, these families may join gathering flocks of non-breeders. Migrational unrest is infectious, and the cranes take nearly daily training flights all around Kachemak Bay, returning to their resting areas exhausted.

Let Kachemak Crane Watch know when and where you see your colts flying off with the adults. That is when the colts are fledged. Please include the specific location and other helpful information, as well as your contact information.

Kachemak Crane Watch also keeps track of colts that disappeared or died. Successful fledging and mortality reports help Kachemak Crane Watch calculate nesting success for the year and compare it to previous years. Send your reports to:

reports@cranewatch.org or call 907-235-6262.

Enjoy the rest of summer and the cranes! Nina Faust ###

Hike through tunnels of alder trees and meadows of summer blooms while enjoying sweeping views of the Kenai mountains across Kachemak Bay. Guided by our expert naturalists, you will learn about the flora and fauna of this place. Keep an eye out for the wildlife that call this area home, including moose, black bears, lynx, coyote, sandhill cranes, and much more! Learn about ongoing monitoring and preservation efforts being carried out on the ridge.
This is a family-friendly, mild hike. The route is about 1.5 miles of maintained trail with mild elevation gain.

Announcement: Report Fledging Sandhill Crane Colts
Please run this announcement through August 15.

Roughly 2 months after hatching, colts begin taking short flights with their parents. By mid-August, serious flight training starts. As the colts get stronger, these families may join gathering flocks of non-breeders. Migrational unrest is infectious, and the cranes take nearly daily training flights all around Kachemak Bay, returning to their resting areas exhausted.

Let Kachemak Crane Watch know when and where you see your colts flying off with the adults. That is when the colts are fledged. Please include the specific location and other helpful information, as well as your contact information.

Kachemak Crane Watch also keeps track of colts that disappeared or died. Successful fledging and mortality reports help Kachemak Crane Watch calculate nesting success for the year and compare it to previous years. Send your reports to:

reports@cranewatch.org or call 907-235-6262.

Enjoy the rest of summer and the cranes! Nina Faust ###

BOTANICAL GARDEN, HOMESTEAD GARDEN, AND FOREST TRAIL TOURS

FREE // May 30 – August 30 // Thursdays and Saturdays , 11am – Noon

Join the Pratt Museum Garden Crew for guided tours of the Botanical Gardens, Homestead Garden, and Forest Trails.

We will offer an interpretive introduction to the broader ecology of the Kachemak Bay region and describe the ways that we incorporate the plant communities of the region into the Botanical Garden at the Museum. Botany experts and novices alike can find delightful insights as we explore the interactions and dynamics of our local ecosystem.

The Homestead Garden is an ever-evolving exhibit featuring many classic fruits and vegetables and a few specific local varieties that have been treasured by the local community for generations. We will explore some of the basics of plant propagation, discuss the benefits of perennial food crops and talk about food preservation and storage. Snacking is encouraged! Throughout the season, something is always worth sampling from the garden, though the real delight is black currant season in late autumn.

The Forest Trails showcase the ecological context in which the Museum is embedded. These trails wind through one of the larger remaining wild spaces in downtown Homer, and have some of the largest remaining trees in the area. Wildlife is abundant and the plant communities are diverse. There are several loops of varying distance that wind through the nearly 10 acre forest. A meander through these woods with one of our guides will offer an opportunity for wildlife sightings, listening to songbirds, and discussing the ethnobotanical and historical uses of plants that live in our region.

Hike through tunnels of alder trees and meadows of summer blooms while enjoying sweeping views of the Kenai mountains across Kachemak Bay. Guided by our expert naturalists, you will learn about the flora and fauna of this place. Keep an eye out for the wildlife that call this area home, including moose, black bears, lynx, coyote, sandhill cranes, and much more! Learn about ongoing monitoring and preservation efforts being carried out on the ridge.
This is a family-friendly, mild hike. The route is about 1.5 miles of maintained trail with mild elevation gain.

Hike through meadows of fireweed, dense spruce forest, and rolling wetlands at the headwaters of Fritz Creek. Guided by our expert naturalists, you will learn about local flora and fauna as well as the importance of wetlands to this environment. Keep an eye out for moose grazing on willow or black bears digging for roots. Learn about how we are working to protect this critical environment through ongoing monitoring and research.
This is a moderate hike on maintained trails with moderate elevation change.

Announcement: Report Fledging Sandhill Crane Colts
Please run this announcement through August 15.

Roughly 2 months after hatching, colts begin taking short flights with their parents. By mid-August, serious flight training starts. As the colts get stronger, these families may join gathering flocks of non-breeders. Migrational unrest is infectious, and the cranes take nearly daily training flights all around Kachemak Bay, returning to their resting areas exhausted.

Let Kachemak Crane Watch know when and where you see your colts flying off with the adults. That is when the colts are fledged. Please include the specific location and other helpful information, as well as your contact information.

Kachemak Crane Watch also keeps track of colts that disappeared or died. Successful fledging and mortality reports help Kachemak Crane Watch calculate nesting success for the year and compare it to previous years. Send your reports to:

reports@cranewatch.org or call 907-235-6262.

Enjoy the rest of summer and the cranes! Nina Faust ###

Hike through tunnels of alder trees and meadows of summer blooms while enjoying sweeping views of the Kenai mountains across Kachemak Bay. Guided by our expert naturalists, you will learn about the flora and fauna of this place. Keep an eye out for the wildlife that call this area home, including moose, black bears, lynx, coyote, sandhill cranes, and much more! Learn about ongoing monitoring and preservation efforts being carried out on the ridge.
This is a family-friendly, mild hike. The route is about 1.5 miles of maintained trail with mild elevation gain.

Announcement: Report Fledging Sandhill Crane Colts
Please run this announcement through August 15.

Roughly 2 months after hatching, colts begin taking short flights with their parents. By mid-August, serious flight training starts. As the colts get stronger, these families may join gathering flocks of non-breeders. Migrational unrest is infectious, and the cranes take nearly daily training flights all around Kachemak Bay, returning to their resting areas exhausted.

Let Kachemak Crane Watch know when and where you see your colts flying off with the adults. That is when the colts are fledged. Please include the specific location and other helpful information, as well as your contact information.

Kachemak Crane Watch also keeps track of colts that disappeared or died. Successful fledging and mortality reports help Kachemak Crane Watch calculate nesting success for the year and compare it to previous years. Send your reports to:

reports@cranewatch.org or call 907-235-6262.

Enjoy the rest of summer and the cranes! Nina Faust ###

Join us Tuesday evenings at the Inspiration Ridge Preserve for weekly wildcrafting workshops! Learn about local ecology from our experienced naturalists and create your own craft to take home! All ages welcome, all materials provided, no experience necessary. See our website for more information.

Each week has a different theme; July's themes are:
July 14th: Wire wrapping and geology
July 21st: Wild tea
July 28th: Devil's club salve making