Warblers during a trip to the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska

Orange crowned Warbler, Seward, AK, Jul 13, 2026

Exit Glacier, Kenai Fjords NP, AK, Jul 13, 2026

Resurrection Bay, Tonsina Creek/Caines Head Trail, Seward, AK, Jul 13, 2026

After my time in Minnesota and Wisconsin I was up early again to catch a flight up to Alaska to meet Sherri. It was warm and sunny in Minnesota (a low temp of 74 overnight) and we traded that for cloudy and rainy conditions in Alaska with temps in the 50’s. Thankfully both of our flights getting into Alaska were on time and we were able to start our drive south to Seward on the Kenai Peninsula. A return trip to Alaska had been discussed for years without the plans ever coming to fruition until this year (we were last in Alaska on our honeymoon back in 2004). Birding opportunities were slim for the day and I only had one species of warbler with a couple Orange crowned Warblers around our rented cabin in Seward. 

For the first full day in Alaska started off much as the first day ended…with rain. With my body still on east coast time I was up very early and despite some drizzle I attempted to get a walk in at nearby Lost Lake Trail. I made it into the woods about ten minutes before getting rained out. The rain continued to pick up and I tried a few other places before heading back to pick up Sherri. We then headed to Exit Glacier and despite the light rain, hiked up to get closer looks at the glacier. The low clouds lifted enough to give us some views of the area and there were a few warblers around including Wilson’s Warblers and Orange crowned Warblers (with both species seen carrying food) plus a few Yellow rumped Warblers….no photos as I kept the good camera out of the rain. Once we were a bit wet from our walk at the glacier we decided to head south to take another hike to the outflow of Tonsina Creek. It was about a mile and a half through the forest each way to get there with a steep decent at the end to get onto the beach. There were a few warblers along the way with no new species for the day in the mix. We spent about three hours hiking there before finally coming back for lunch and some relaxation. A total of three species of warbler for the day.

Wilson's Warbler, Bear Lake Trail, Seward, AK, Jul 15, 2026

Wilson's Warbler, Bear Lake Trail, Seward, AK, Jul 15, 2026

Wilson's Warbler, Bear Lake Trail, Seward, AK, Jul 15, 2026

Wilson's Warbler, Bear Lake Trail, Seward, AK, Jul 15, 2026

Townsend's Warbler, Bear Lake Trail, Seward, AK, Jul 15, 2026

Townsend's Warbler, Bear Lake Trail, Seward, AK, Jul 15, 2026

Orange crowned Warbler, Bear Lake Trail, Seward, AK, Jul 15, 2026

Mountains over bay, Lowell Point, AK, Jul 15, 2026

Exit Glacier, Kenai Fjords NP, AK, Jul 15, 2026

Tuesday we had booked a six boat tour of the Kenai Fjord National Park leaving out of Seward. I was up early again and was met by fairly heavy rain so no chance for a walk before the boat tour and instead had to hang around the lodging. The boat tour continued with rain and wind for almost the entire trip…not great. No chance for warblers until we got home cold and wet early in the afternoon and the only warbler for the day was Orange crowned Warbler around our cabin. 

The next day the early morning dawned cloudy without rain beyond a little drizzle from time to time. I was (of course) up early so did a few walks before Sherri got up. I started along the Resurrection River Trail and three species of warbler in the dim early light including my first Northern Yellow Warbler for Alaska. Too dark for photos at that location but a stop along a trail closer to Seward produced better photo opportunities, especially for Wilson’s Warblers. I headed back to the house a little after seven and we took a short walk on a trail near town before heading to Bear Lake Trail. This produced another new warbler for the day and the state with a few Townsend’s Warblers. By the time we got done hiking it was near noon so we took a break for lunch and then with the sun really coming out for the first time on the trip we headed out again with stops at Lowell Point and the road to Exit Glacier. I added one more warbler for the day at Lowell Point with a Yellow rumped Warbler, giving me a five warbler day! Quite an accomplishment on this largely rainy trip in an area without a ton of warbler diversity. 

Orange crowned Warbler, Bear Lake Trail, Seward, AK, Jul 16, 2026

Orange crowned Warbler, Bear Lake Trail, Seward, AK, Jul 16, 2026

Townsend's Warbler, Bear Lake Trail, Seward, AK, Jul 16, 2026

Townsend's Warbler, Bear Lake Trail, Seward, AK, Jul 16, 2026

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Bear Lake Trail, Seward, AK, Jul 16, 2026

Wilson's Warbler, Bear Lake Trail, Seward, AK, Jul 16, 2026

The last full day in Seward started out with no rain and even some breaks in then clouds and I was up early to head out to see what I could find. After briefly checking the harbor in Seward I headed back to the Bear Lake Trail where I had four species of warbler with all species seen carrying food (Wilson’s Warbler, Orange crowned Warbler, Townsend’s Warbler and Yellow rumped Warbler…in order of abundance). I headed back to the lodging to get Sherri a little after seven and we tried a walk at Lost Lake Trail before deciding to return to the spot I was at earlier in the morning. Had the same four species of warblers I had earlier in slightly reduced numbers. By late morning the rain started up again and continued for the remainder of the day. 

Orange crowned Warbler, Cooper Landing, AK, Jul 17, 2026

Orange crowned Warbler, Cooper Landing, AK, Jul 17, 2026

Orange crowned Warbler, Cooper Landing, AK, Jul 17, 2026

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Cooper Landing, AK, Jul 17, 2026

Friday was a travel day from rainy Seward up to equally rainy Cooper Landing further north. Thankfully the rain was intermittent during the early morning and I got a few short walks in right around the town of Seward. I had a few warblers with nothing out of the ordinary. Late in the morning we drove up to Cooper Landing and got some short hikes in before the rain started again. We got to our Airbnb in mid afternoon and despite the rain had a few warblers around. By the end of the day I managed four species. 

Young Moose with mom, Potter Marsh, Anchorage, AK, Jul 18, 2026

Saturday was the last full day in Alaska and we had booked a river rafting trip for the morning starting around 9:30. I had a couple hours free in the morning to try to track down some warblers in the rain. I headed west and got out of the rain somewhat and traded that for loads of mosquitoes! Very quiet for warblers during those early hours. Although we went back and forth on if we should even try the float trip due to the rain and finally decided we would go. Only warblers on that trip were a few Yellow rumped Warblers. In the end I only had two warbler species for the day (Orange crowned Warbler was the other). With even heavier rain and strong winds forecast for later Saturday into Monday morning we changed plans and headed north to stay our last night northeast of Anchorage to be closer to the airport.

Yellow rumped Warbler 'myrtle', Butte, AK, Jul 19, 2026

The night before our flight we stayed north of Anchorage and I was able to get out a little in the rain before making the drive down to the airport.  I managed to find three species including Blackpoll Warbler, Northern Waterthrush and multiple Yellow rumped Warblers with the first two new for me for the trip.  The ride to the airport in the heavy rain was an adventure but we made it and the flight down to Oregon got out on time.

Overall for the trip I had seven species of warbler with Orange crowned Warbler and Wilson's Warbler being the most common followed by Yellow rumped Warbler and Townsend's Warbler and then just single examples of Northern Yellow Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler and Northern Waterthrush.