The Kenai Peninsula offers several great birding opportunities. With easy access to diverse habitats it is easy to see a wide variety of Alaskan bird species during your trip. At Marlows, we specialize in helping you find those special birds on your “must see” birding list.
There are 487 bird species documented in Alaska, most can be found on the Kenai Peninsula. We offer small group, personalized birding tours on the Kenai Peninsula by vehicle and on the Kenai River in our quiet and comfortable drift boat or powerboats. Visitors commonly see bald eagles, various duck, gull, tern, and shorebird species, 3 different species of loons, as well as many different songbird species. A full day’s birding usually nets 30 to 50 or more species of birds. We will customize a special birding trip to find as many of the birds you are most interested in finding.
Birding is good throughout the Kenai Peninsula. These are just a few of our favorite spots.
Kenai River Flats:
This saltwater marsh is a must stop for bird watchers. Bird viewing platforms on the bridge access road and on the road to the Port of Kenai are available. Keep your eyes open for larger wildlife, too. Caribou are often seen on the Kenai River Flats.
Keen-Eye Nature Trail:
This trail is right next to the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center in Soldotna. The trail is wheel chair accessible, has boardwalks and a viewing platform. Pick up a self-guided pamphlet to guide you through the spruce forest and wetland bogs.
Kenai Beaches:
Public access is available in Kenai and on K-Beach road. Birders can always find several gull species on the beach, and can often spot bald eagles, and there are lots of migrating shorebirds from early spring to late fall. You can also enjoy spectacular view of volcanoes, including Mt. Redoubt, an active volcano, on clear days.
There are lots of fish walks along the Kenai River, which also make for an excellent bird walk with easy access. You have the ease of access and good visibility for viewing birds in and along the river. Some of the walks are set up for wheelchair use.
An excellent source for birding information is a book called “Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula Wildlife Viewing Trail Guide.” It’s available at all visitors’ centers here on the Peninsula and also on Amazon. The book comes with a map showing the birding hotspots in our part of Alaska. It’s also free online if you want to preview it.
Contact us today to learn more about birding on Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula.