After Wednesday's snow day, we were hopeful for improved conditions. However, weather forecasting is difficult in Interior Alaska. The forecasts are often wrong and reporting of current conditions can be inaccurate. Even radar isn't to be trusted blindly. Ultimately we rely on 'ground-truthing' through an exchange of texts and calls across town to determine current conditions and attempt to predict conditions over the next few hours (I think we make a pretty fabulous meteorological team).
Today I awoke on the west side of town with what appeared to be snow on the eastern horizon. 'Weather marco-polo' confirmed that snow was obscuring the hidden Alaska Range. Over the next fifteen minutes I watched the advancing snow as flakes began to fall. The intensity ebbed and flowed, but never ceased across town. Without any indication of improving conditions and our window for meeting a minimum sampling effort closing, banding was canceled for a second day.
A wave of songbird migrant reports including Dark-eyed Juncos, American Tree Sparrows and American Robins have been popping up over the last few days, despite the snow! A brilliant male Dark-eyed Junco feeding on sunflower chips this morning was my first this year. Keep your fingers crossed that weather will improve and allow the station will open on Monday!
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