Memorial weekend is just around the corner and while these cooler temperatures might suggest otherwise, right behind it is spring and then, summer! If you need evidence of the seasonal transition, look no further than the shops, stores, restaurants, food trucks and campgrounds already open on the Spit. Get out there and enjoy it while it’s still quiet and then take in the other happenings in and around town. Check out these Best Bets for all the entertainment, education, and inspiration you need while we wait for the sun and seasonal fun to come!
Nothing says spring in Alaska like the return of migratory birds and birders. Easily identified by the spotting scopes they carry and the binoculars around their necks are the birders. Also easily identifiable by their call and size, flocks of sandhill cranes have been reported hanging out in Beluga Slough and fields out East End Road. Other migratory birds making their way back include shorebirds like greater yellowlegs and least sandpipers spotted along the shoreline at Bishop’s Beach, seabirds including Pacific loons and Harlequin ducks spotted in the harbor, and woodland birds like sparrows and Canada jays noted along local trails. For a list of birds being seen, visit kachemakbaybirders.org or stop by the Islands &Ocean Visitor Center during Shorebird weekend. Not a birder? Well there’s plenty of other activities going on in town to keep you busy, from baseball to book clubs, fairs to the food hub. Just check out these best bets.
The Betster has been busy putting away winter gear and gearing up for spring. Premature? Maybe, but I’m doing it anyway. So long, shovel. Hello, hoe. See you next year, skis. Let’s go, garden gloves. What can I say, I’m an optimist!