Bird migration is one of the natural wonders of the world. Every spring millions of birds stream into Alaska from all over the globe to feed, mate, and raise their young. Their stories include a hummingbird’s journey to Florida and back, a whimbrel’s commute to and from Chile, and the northern wheatear trip from Africa. Their ability to navigate and endure makes them the ultimate endurance athletes. Dan Ruthrauff, a USGS wildlife biologist with the Alaska Science Center, discusses bird migration biology. We’ll also learn about some of the shorebird festivals in Alaska including the Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival with Melanie Dufour.
HOST: Paul Twardock
GUESTS:
- -Dan Ruthrauff, a USGS wildlife biologist with the Alaska Science Center
- -Melanie Dufour, a coordinator with the Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival
LINKS:
Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival
Copper River Delta Shorebird Festival
Alaska Fish and Game Birding information
Prince William Sound Natural History Symposium
BROADCAST: Thursday, April 28th, 2022. 10:00 am – 11:00 a.m. AKT
REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, April 28th, 2022. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT
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Eric Bork, or you can just call him “Bork” because everybody else does, is the FM Operations Manager for KSKA-FM. He oversees the day-to-day operations of the FM broadcast. He produces and edits episodes of Outdoor Explorer, the Alaska-focused outdoors program. He also maintains the web posts for that show. You may have heard him filling in for Morning Edition or hosting All Things Considered and can still find him operating the soundboard for any of the live broadcast programs.
After escaping the Detroit area when he was 18, Bork made it up to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, where he earned a degree in Communications/Radio Broadcasting from Northern Michigan University. He spent time managing the college radio station, working for the local NPR affiliate, and then in top 40 radio in Michigan before coming to Alaska to work his first few summers. After then moving to Chicago, it only took five years to convince him to move back to Alaska in 2010. When not involved in great radio programming he’s probably riding a bicycle, thinking about riding bicycles, dreaming about bikes, reading a book, or planning the next place he’ll travel to. Only two continents left to conquer!
