Posts Near Port Heiden Map Timeline

Observers in Port Heiden, Alaska report significantly reduced sea gull populations and fewer gull eggs for subsistence, coinciding with decreased seal numbers and increased fox populations.

This bird was a noticed on the beach landing area of the community but not touched.

While subsistence salmon fishing, community members from Port Heiden found a skate in the net, which is unusual for them.

"Swallows usually show up in the spring time or when winter months are over in Alaska."

Harbor seal looking sick with patches of fur missing.

An Orca (Orcinus orca) carcass has been found on a beach in Port Heiden near Hook Lagoon. Sightings of these whales are a bit rare compared to many other whale carcass sightings and we just wanted to share with you this observation.

Gradual sea ice reduction and reconfiguration of the coast, have increased the rate of erosion near Port Heiden over the course of several decades. Draining of Goldfish Lake brings memories, loss of community landmark, and many emotions.

Along with significant seabird die-offs near Port Heiden, there have been reports of small whales and porpoises, walrus and sea otters washed up on shore.

A variety of stranded marine mammals were observed in the Port Heiden area between August 17 and 26th.

The 450-acre Offal Beach Fire is burning for the fifth consecutive day about 11 miles northeast of Port Heiden.

It is unusual to find a dead shark. And it occurred at a time when there were many other standings of marine mammals and birds.

The timing coincides with other sea bird deaths reported in St. Paul Island, Pilot Point, and Ugashik.

Historically, pollock are not a commonly observed species in Bristol Bay, but sightings are becoming more common.

Fireweed blooming in mid-late September after other plants have gone to seed.

Billie Shraffenberger is a longtime resident of Port Heiden. This is the first time she has caught a fish like the one she found in her subsistence salmon net this summer.

Two hundred walruses surprised residents on an Alaskan peninsula after arriving en masse on a beach.

Located on the Alaska Peninsula, 424 miles southwest of Anchorage, Port Heiden is a cluster of homes at the mouth of the Meshik River on the shores of Bristol Bay. It's a community on the frontline of climate change in Alaska, where temperatures are rising twice as fast as the global average.

Residents saw a few hundred walrus hauled out at the beginning of April. By the end of April, they reported seeing about a thousand. On a recent flight over the shoreline, an ADF&G biologist saw only 100.

The walrus count at this location was approximately 500-1000, and looks like they are here to stay well at least for this season of time before they return to the north.

The herds are increasingly moving around in Bristol Bay, perhaps seeking new feeding grounds, a biologist said.

Walrus in Bristol Bay and Port Heiden are not uncommon in summer. The fact they are present in April is unusual and residents believe factors such as the lack of sea ice, lack of food and warming ocean temperatures may be the reason.

Without ice to provide protection from storm waves, Port Heiden has lost the old town road.

It's about the size of a dinner plate and has a rubbery texture, was told it’s a sea cucumber but I’m not sure.

Port Heiden’s road to its harbor and old village site is crumbling into the sea and the lake on the other side of it will likely breach soon. “The road is basically gone. [Erosion]’s cut right half into the road,” said Scott Anderson, the Native Village of Port Heiden’s Tribal Environmental Director.

Life in Bristol Bay’s villages is expensive. For Port Heiden residents, a gallon of shelf stable milk costs more than 20 dollars. Fresh milk isn’t available because it would take too long to ship. But they’re working on improving their access to fresh foods by producing their own.

Within the last year, they have measured twenty to one hundred feet of erosion along different sections of their coast line.

Goldfish Lake near Port Heiden is on the verge of draining into the Bering Sea.

Sea otter population growth not seen in recent history and shellfish harvest have been dropping.

Residents associated poor well water quality with earthquakes.

This LEO Network video documents coastal erosion impact on the old village of Meshik in Southwest Alaska and the pending lake draining event that will take out the road still used by the residents of Port Heiden. The rate of coastal erosion here is one of the highest in the world. Scientists and community members are working together to document the impacts and develop effective adaptation strategies.

Without sea ice, our beaches are eroding.

Unknown bird sighted on the Alaskan Peninsula.

Earthquakes have rattled through Port Heiden more often than usual this year. Michael West is the State Seismologist with the Alaska Earthquake Center. He took a look to compare this year’s quake numbers with other years. Listen Now

Dead whale with interesting dolphin-like face.

Dove in Cottonwood Tree

Low seal numbers

Mushy meat texture, and rotten smell found in sockeye salmon and pacific halibut.

Fuel headers leading to bulk fuel farm out of service due to coastal erosion.

No sea ice alone the northside of the Alaska Peninsula.

Dead walrus observed while assessing for coastal erosion.

Unusually warm weather in Port Heiden.

Severe storms wreak havoc to a Bering Sea community; the following weather conditions contributed to flooding, disrupting transportation routes, electrical transformers and seepage into local water wells.

A rare sighting to observe a brown bear in January.