Kenai Peninsula Awes, As Wild July, Audubon Arctic Wall Calendar 2023

Summary: Kenai Peninsula awes, as wild July, Audubon Arctic Wall Calendar 2023, whereby the National Audubon Society applauds Arctic, near-Arctic American wildness.

"God talks to human beings through many vectors: through each other, through organized religion, through the great books of those religions, through wise people, through art and music and literature and poetry, but nowhere with such detail and grace and color and joy as through creation. When we destroy a species, when we destroy a special place, we're diminishing our capacity to sense the divine, understand who God is and what our own potential is." Robert Francis Kennedy Jr., April 19, 2023, Boston Park Plaza Hotel, Back Bay, Boston, Massachusetts.

The Kenai River allies the Kenai Peninsula in its westward flow from Kenai Lake all the way to Pacific Ocean access at Cook Inlet; Thursday, Oct. 28, 2010, 14:52, image of "A scene along the Kenai River bank in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge," Kenai Peninsula, coastal Southcentral Alaska: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters (USFWS Headquarters), CC BY 2.0 Generic, via Flickr

Kenai Peninsula awes, as wild July, Audubon Arctic Wall Calendar 2023, whereby the National Audubon Society applauds Arctic, near-Arctic American wildness in continental and insular North American areas of Alaska and Canada.

Kenai Peninsula belongs etymologically to Athabascan- and Russian-built Alaska (from Aleut alaxsxaq, “mainland, that toward which the action of the sea is directed” via Russian Аля́ска). Kenai (from Dena’ina Athabascan Yaghanen, “the good land” via Russian Кенай) conserves Russian-settlement (1774-1867) connections and coastal southcentral configurations between Cook Inlet and Gulf of Alaska. It domiciles some of the 1,900-plus Kenaitze Indian Tribe, whose people the Alaska amendment to the Indian Reoganization Act declared independent, sovereign nation members in 1971.

Kahtnuht’ana Dena’ina (from Dena’ina Kahtnuht’ana Dena’ina, “people along the Kahtnu River”) embrace, since 1741, mixed Athabascan-Russian etymologies (from Athabascan kena, “flat” and Russian kenaitze, “flat[land-dwelling] people”).

The Kenai Peninsula amazes locals and visitors with its ample biogeography and wildlife. And yet it ambles from big-city Anchorage in its northern area to small-town Homer in its southern area; Saturday, June 12, 2004, 18:21, upload of "South Central Alaska showing Matanuska and Susitna rivers," graphic of confluence of Matanuska and Susitna rivers into Knik Arm of Cook Inlet, northern Kenai Peninsula: Decumanus at en.wikipedia (Matthew Trump), CC BY SA 3.0 Unported, via Wikimedia Commons

The 82-mile- (132-kilometer-) long Kenai River flows westward from the Kenai Mountains’ Kenai Lake to Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, Skilak Lake and Pacific-coastal Alaska’s Cook Inlet.

Kenai River guards 2-mile- (3.2-kilometer-) long whitewater rapids 12 miles (19 kilometers) from its headwaters in the zigzagging Kenai Lake (from Dena’ina Sqilan Bena, “ridge-lake place”). It hosts Chinook (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), coho (Oncorhynchus kisutch), pink (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) and sockeye (Oncorhynchus nerka) salmon; and Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma) and rainbow (Oncorhynchus mykiss) trout. Skilak Lake (from Dena’ina Q’es Dudiden Bena, “flows into outlet-lake”) invites black bears (Ursus americanus), lynxes (Lynx canadensis), snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus) and wolves (Canis lupus).

Audubon Arctic Wall Calendar 2023 jubilates wild July, when Kenai Peninsula salmon and trout journey throughout lakes Skilak and Tustumena (from Denai’ina Dusdu Bena, “peninsula water”).

The Kenai River approaches Skilak Lake after its Kenai Lake headwaters and its whitewater rapids; Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2020, image of "upper end of Skilak Lake, with the Kenai River delta and Skilak Glacier floodplain," Kenai Peninsula, coastal Southcentral Alaska: Beeblebrox, CC BY SA 4.0 International, via Wikimedia Commons

Deep-watered, vegetation-banked lakes Kenai, Skilak and Tustumena kindle such bird populations as great horned owls (Bubo virginianus), red-necked grebes (Podiceps grisegena) and spruce grouse (Canachies canadensis).

President Jimmy Carter (born Oct. 1, 1924; president Jan. 20, 1977-Jan. 20, 1981) launched, through the Antiquities Act, Kenai Fjords as National Monument Dec. 1, 1978. He made what now manifests as a 51-percent-iced, 669,984-acre (1,046.9-square-mile, 2,711.3-square-kilometer), 38-percent glaciered National Park by ANILCA (Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act) Dec. 2, 1980. Kenai Fjords National Park neighbors the 400,000-acre (1,600-square-kilometer) Kachemak Bay State Park and Kachemak Bay State Wilderness Park and the 1.92,000,000-acre (7,770-square-kilometer) Kenai National Wildlife Refuge.

ANILCA organized Kenai National Moose Range (1941-1980) into the mountain, timberline, wetland refuge whose wild July on Audubon Arctic Wall Calendar 2023 occurred 43 years later.

Kenai Peninsula arranges itself into anthropogenic areas with fishing, gas and oil companies and with cities and towns. It arranges itself into natural areas with Kachemak Bay State Park, Kachemak Bay State Wilderness Park, Kenai Fjords National Park and Kenai National Wildlife Refuge; Saturday, Aug. 27, 2005, 14:58:53, image of "Tidewater glaciers flow into the ocean along Kenai Fjords coastline of Aialik Bay," Kenai Fjords National Park, Kenai Peninsula, coastal Southcentral Alaska: National Park Service (NPS), Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The 39,000-square-mile (100,000-square-kilometer) Cook Inlet watershed possesses 180-mile- (290-kilometer-) long Cook Inlet and 10,197-foot- (3,108-meter-) high Mount Redoubt Volcano (from Russian сопка Редутская, “a fortified place”).

Cook Inlet watershed quarters not only Mount Redoubt (from Dena’ina Bentuggezh Kenulgheli, “one that has a notched forehead”) but also 4,134-foot- (1,260-meter-) high Augustine Island Volcano. It retains 50 percent of known Unitedstatesian coal reserves; gas and oil deposits; and 60-plus percent of resident Alaskans, of whom 292,545 render Anchorage most-populous city. Kenai Peninsula shelters bats, bears, beavers, caribou, coyotes, dall sheep, hares, lemmings, lynx, marmots, martens, mice, mink, moose, mountain-goats, porcupines, shrew, squirrels, voles, weasels, wolverines, wolves.

Audubon Arctic Wall Calendar 2023 thanks Kenai Peninsula for wild July dolphins; harbor seals; fin, humpback, killer, minke whales; porpoises; river and sea otters; sea lions.

Dark skies sometimes arrive over the Kenai Peninsula. Kenai peninsular articulation within the Cook Inlet watershed associates Kenai Peninsula with the active insular Augustine Volcano and the active landed Mount Redoubt Volcano; Saturday, April 21, 1990, image of "Ascending eruption cloud from Redoubt Volcano as viewed to the west from the Kenai Peninsula. The mushroom-shaped plume rose from avalanches of hot debris (pyroclastic flows) that cascaded down the north flank of the volcano. A smaller, white steam plume rises from the summit crater," Mount Redoubt (Dena'ina: Bentuggezh K’enulgheli), Chigmit Mountains subrange of Aleutian Range, Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, Kenai Peninsula Borough, southwestern Alaska: R.J. Clucas/USGS (U.S. Geological Survey), Public Domain, via USGS

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

The Kenai River allies the Kenai Peninsula in its westward flow from Kenai Lake all the way to Pacific Ocean access at Cook Inlet; Thursday, Oct. 28, 2010, 14:52, image of "A scene along the Kenai River bank in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge," Kenai Peninsula, coastal Southcentral Alaska: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters (USFWS Headquarters), CC BY 2.0 Generic, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/usfwshq/5123475945/; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters, CC BY 2.0 Generic and Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kenai_NWR_riverbank_(5123475945).jpg

The Kenai Peninsula amazes locals and visitors with its ample biogeography and wildlife. And yet it ambles from big-city Anchorage in its northern area to small-town Homer in its southern area; Saturday, June 12, 2004, 18:21, upload of "South Central Alaska showing Matanuska and Susitna rivers," graphic of confluence of Matanuska and Susitna rivers into Knik Arm of Cook Inlet, northern Kenai Peninsula: Decumanus at en.wikipedia (Matthew Trump), CC BY SA 3.0 Unported, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wpdms_shdrlfi020l_matanuska_river.jpg; "Map -- Cook Inlet, showing Knik and Turnagain Arms," Matthew Trump, GNU GFDL, via NavSource Online -- USCGC (U.S. Coast Guard Cutter) Cook Inlet (WHEC-384) @ http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/43/4336.htm (photo specific URL @ http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/43/09433616.jpg)

The Kenai River approaches Skilak Lake after its Kenai Lake headwaters and its whitewater rapids; Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2020, image of "upper end of Skilak Lake, with the Kenai River delta and Skilak Glacier floodplain," Kenai Peninsula, coastal Southcentral Alaska: Beeblebrox, CC BY SA 4.0 International, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Upper_Skilak_cropped.jpg

Kenai Peninsula arranges itself into anthropogenic areas with fishing, gas and oil companies and with cities and towns. It arranges itself into natural areas with Kachemak Bay State Park, Kachemak Bay State Wilderness Park, Kenai Fjords National Park and Kenai National Wildlife Refuge; Saturday, Aug. 27, 2005, 14:58:53, image of "Tidewater glaciers flow into the ocean along Kenai Fjords coastline of Aialik Bay," Kenai Fjords National Park, Kenai Peninsula, coastal Southcentral Alaska: National Park Service (NPS), Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kenai_Fjords_coast.jpg; Public Domain, via National Park Service (NPS) -- Kenai Fjords National Park @ https://www.nps.gov/media/photo/gallery-item.htm?pg=811852&id=85EAC1E4-1DD8-B71C-074A883FC54C699E&gid=85D49033-1DD8-B71C-072087985955D0B9

Dark skies sometimes arrive over the Kenai Peninsula. Kenai peninsular articulation within the Cook Inlet watershed associates Kenai Peninsula with the active insular Augustine Volcano and the active landed Mount Redoubt Volcano; Saturday, April 21, 1990, image of "Ascending eruption cloud from Redoubt Volcano as viewed to the west from the Kenai Peninsula. The mushroom-shaped plume rose from avalanches of hot debris (pyroclastic flows) that cascaded down the north flank of the volcano. A smaller, white steam plume rises from the summit crater," Mount Redoubt (Dena'ina: Bentuggezh K’enulgheli), Chigmit Mountains subrange of Aleutian Range, Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, Kenai Peninsula Borough, southwestern Alaska: R.J. Clucas/USGS (U.S. Geological Survey), Public Domain, via USGS @ https://www.usgs.gov/media/images/redoubt-volcano-0; R. (Robert) Clucas/USGS (U.S. Geological Survey), Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:MtRedoubtedit1.jpg; Public Domain, via @ https://pubs.usgs.gov/dds/dds-39/album.html (photo specific URL @ https://pubs.usgs.gov/dds/dds-39/images/JPG/large_screen/fig65.jpg)

For further information:

Marriner, Derdriu. 6 May 2023. "Moose Appear as May Animals on Audubon Arctic Wall Calendar 2023." Earth and Space News. Saturday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2023/05/moose-appear-as-may-animals-on-audubon.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 1 April 2023. "Brooks Range Acts as Wild April on Audubon Arctic Wall Calendar 2022." Earth and Space News. Saturday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2023/04/brooks-range-acts-as-wild-april-on.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 1 April 2023. "Arctic Terns Are April Birds on Audubon Arctic Wall Calendar 2023." Earth and Space News. Saturday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2023/04/arctic-terns-are-april-birds-on-audubon.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 4 March 2023. "Western Sandpipers Are Audubon Arctic Wall Calendar 2022 March Birds." Earth and Space News. Saturday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2023/03/western-sandpipers-are-audubon-arctic.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 4 March 2023. "Baffin Island Wolves Are Audubon Arctic Wall Calendar 2023 Wild March." Earth and Space News. Saturday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2023/03/baffin-island-wolves-are-audubon-arctic.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 18 February 2023. "Musk Ox, Muskox Are Audubon Arctic Wall Calendar February 2022 Animals." Earth and Space News. Saturday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2023/02/musk-ox-muskox-are-audubon-arctic-wall.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 11 February 2023. "Red-Throated Loons Are Audubon Arctic Wall Calendar 2023 February Birds." Earth and Space News. Saturday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2023/02/red-throated-loons-are-audubon-arctic.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 21 January 2023. "Mallard Ducks Aced Audubon Arctic Wall Calendar 2022 as January Birds." Earth and Space News. Sunday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2023/01/mallard-ducks-aced-audubon-arctic-wall.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 1 January 2023. "Red Foxes Are January Wildlife on Audubon Arctic Wall Calendar 2023." Earth and Space News. Sunday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2023/01/red-foxes-are-january-wildlife-on.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 3 December 2022. "Dark-Eyed Juncos Are December Birds on the 2022 Audubon Calendar." Earth and Space News. Saturday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2022/12/dark-eyed-juncos-are-december-birds-on.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 26 November 2022. "Eared Grebes Are November Birds on the 2022 Audubon Calendar." Earth and Space News. Saturday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2022/11/eared-grebes-are-november-birds-on-2022.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 1 October 2022. "Barred Owls Are October Birds on the 2022 Audubon Calendar." Earth and Space News. Saturday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2022/10/barred-owls-are-october-birds-on-2022.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 3 September 2022. "Brown Pelicans Are September Birds on the 2022 Audubon Calendar." Earth and Space News. Saturday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2022/09/brown-pelicans-are-september-birds-on.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 7 August 2022. "Allen’s Hummingbirds Are August Birds on the 2022 Audubon Calendar." Earth and Space News. Sunday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2022/08/allens-hummingbirds-are-august-birds-on.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 30 July 2022. "Reddish Egrets Are July Birds on the 2022 Audubon Calendar." Earth and Space News. Saturday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2022/07/reddish-egrets-are-july-birds-on-2022.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 4 June 2022. "American Oystercatchers Are June Birds on the 2022 Audubon Calendar." Earth and Space News. Saturday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2022/06/american-oystercatchers-are-june-birds.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 5 May 2022. "Rose-Breasted Grosbeaks Are May Birds on the 2022 Audubon Calendar." Earth and Space News. Sunday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2022/05/rose-breasted-grosbeaks-are-may-birds.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 10 April 2022. "Crested Caracaras Appear as April Birds on the 2022 Audubon Calendar." Earth and Space News. Sunday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2022/04/crested-caracaras-appear-as-april-birds.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 19 March 2022. "Cerulean Warblers Are March Birds on the 2022 Audubon Calendar." Earth and Space News. Saturday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2022/03/cerulean-warblers-are-march-birds-on.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 5 February 2022. "Northern Bobwhites Are February Birds on the 2022 Audubon Calendar." Earth and Space News. Saturday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2022/02/northern-bobwhites-are-february-birds.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 1 January 2022. "Florida Scrub-Jays Are January Birds on the 2022 Audubon Calendar." Earth and Space News. Saturday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2022/01/florida-scrub-jays-are-january-birds-on.html

Ye, J.; H. Qin; Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI); and IUCN SSC Global Tree Specialist Group. 2019. "Ziziphus mauritiana." The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019: e.T147482710A147637366. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T147.
Available @ https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/147482710/147637366