Laura McDuffie

Katmai National Park and Preserve is home to over 2,200 brown bears (Ursus arctos). Bears that live along the Katmai coast are known to swim several miles across the ocean in search of marine mammal carcasses, marine invertebrates, and beach grasses. 

Katmai National Park and Preserve supports a large population of Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus). In summer, eagles are commonly observed scavenging on fish carcasses along beaches and streams.

A crew of scientists walk the rocky beaches of Nukshak Island in Katmai National Park and Preserve looking for sea otter carcasses and skulls.

A Black-footed Albatross (Phoebastria nigripes) carcass lies on the beach of Hallo Bay. Since the massive die-off of Common Murres in the Gulf of Alaska during 2015-2016, coastal communities across Alaska have annually reported dead and dying seabirds on their beaches.

Katmai National Park and Preserve is home to over 2,200 brown bears (Ursus arctos). Brown bears are omnivores that frequently "graze" in meadows along the Katmai coast until the salmon runs start in late July.  

A Black Oystercatcher (Haematopus bachmani) chick hides in a rock crevice on one of the Shakun Islets of Katmai National Park and Preserve. Unlike their name suggests, Black Oystercatchers rarely consume oysters, but rather intertidal marine invertebrates such as limpets, whelks and chitons, as well as crabs, sea urchins, barnacles, and isopods.

Pairs of Common Murre (Uria aalge; chocolate-colored hue) and Thick-billed Murre (Uria lomvia; black-colored hue) nest along the sea cliffs of a grotto on St. Matthew Island. The island is home to over 1.6 million nesting seabirds, including cormorants, kittiwakes, puffins and auklets. 

Pair of Pelagic Cormorant (Urile pelagicus) nest along the sea cliffs of a grotto on St. Matthew Island. The island is home to over 1.6 million nesting seabirds, including murres, kittiwakes, puffins and auklets. 

Glory of Russia Cape, named by Russian Polar explorer, Gavril Sarychev, is the northernmost point of St. Matthew Island. The cape is best know for the 1989 shipwreck of the Greek ship "Milos Reefer". The rusted and battered haul is still visible below the rocky cliffs.

Woolly lousewort (Pedicularis lanata), also known as "bumble-bee flower" are native to the alpine regions of Alaska, Canada, and Greenland. This compact and hardy plant can withstand even the strongest Bering Sea winds. The "wool", as it is known, is a layer of fuzzy insulation, which wraps around the steam of the plant, protecting it from wind and cold.

Pair of Thick-billed Murres (Uria lomvia) nest along the sea cliffs of a grotto on St. Matthew Island, Alaska. The island is home to over 1.6 million nesting seabirds, including cormorants, kittiwakes, puffins and auklets.

R/V Tiglax deckhand, Patrick, transports scientists from the ship to Hall Island, in order to conduct distance-sampling surveys for Rock Sandpiper and McKay's Bunting. 

The lower jawbone of an adult male walrus rests on the sandy shore of St. Matthew Island, Alaska. The Pacific Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus) is a large pinniped that occurs within the Bering and Chukchi Sea regions. Although more commonly observed on the mainland coast of western Alaska, walrus "haulouts" have been observed on St.

Arctic primrose are native to the alpine regions of Alaska, Yukon, Northwest Territories and Far Eastern Russia. On St. Matthew Island, these flowers are typically observed on moist alpine slopes where snow remains long into the summer months. The flower was observed while conducting McKay's Bunting and Rock Sandpiper distance-sampling surveys on St.

The McKay's Bunting (Plectrophenax hyperboreus) is endemic to the Bering Sea Region and only breeds on St. Matthew and Hall islands. Designated as a species of high conservation concern due to its small population size, surveys show that the species has continued to decline since the initial survey effort in 2003.
 

The Pribilof Rock Sandpiper (Calidris ptilocnemis ptilocnemis) is endemic to the Bering Sea Region and only breeds on the islands of St. Matthew, Hall, St. Paul, and St. George. The Rock Sandpiper is one of two focal species monitored as part of a long-term population study led by USGS Alaska Science Center, U.S.

A pair of skiffs sit atop the R/V Tiglax on a cold summer morning in the Bering Sea. It is not uncommon for snow showers any time of the year in the Bering Sea region, however, this particular visit to St. Matthew proved to be extra chilly, as it never reaches over 40 degrees Fahrenheit into mid-June.

The St. Matthew Island LORAN station began operation by the Coast Guard on July 10, 1944. The station closed on September 13, 1946. Although equipment was removed from the island a few years after the station was closed, large and heavy objects were left behind, including this toilet, which stands in nearly pristine condition.

During the summer months on St. Matthew Island the sun never truly sets. The amber hues on the horizon serve as the perfect backdrop to a long, yet successful, day conducting Rock Sandpiper and McKay's Bunting distance-sampling surveys. The sunset photo was taken at 12:10am.

Cape Upright is located on the southeasternmost point of St. Matthew Island and is comprised of rocky tundra and towering cliffs that reach over 1,000 feet. The point was named by Captain James Cook on July 29, 1778. This view was observed while conducting McKay's Bunting and Rock Sandpiper distance-sampling surveys on St. Matthew Island.

In August of 1944, 29 Nunivak Island reindeer were transported to St. Matthew Island via barge as a free-range food source for the Coast Guard officials that maintained the long-range navigation site (Loran) during World War II. At the peak, 6,000 reindeer roamed the island at a density of 47 animals per square mile.