Alaska Fish & Wildlife News
March 2026

New Habitat for the Bank Swallows
Banking on Creamer’s Field

By Arin Underwood

Jerry Lipka is a retired UAF professor who sits on the board for Friends of Creamer’s Field and is a long-time birder. Creamer’s Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge is 2,200-acres of managed state land in the heart of Fairbanks, featuring wetlands, ponds, and open fields that serve as prime habitat for waterfowl, songbirds, and other wildlife. It’s a popular spot for birders like Lipka. Last June, on one of his many walks around the area, he was excited to find a rare bird nesting ...   Bank Swallows Article Continued

Monitoring Emperor Geese on Kodiak Island
ADF&G Expands Long Term Banding Effort

By Tasha DiMarzio

Each winter, Kodiak Island serves as an important refuge for Emperor Geese; one of Alaska’s most iconic and culturally significant waterfowl species. Arriving in late August and remaining through April, these striking birds rely on the island’s rich coastal habitats, foraging on blue mussels, barnacles, marine invertebrates, algae, and newly emerging shoreline vegetation.

This winter, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game continued its long-term effort to better understand ...   Emperor Geese Article Continued