As you are driving north along the Alaska Highway, Tetlin lies just inside the U.S. border before you get to Tok. That’s Tetlin Lake in the middle ground and the Mentasta Mountains (I believe) in the background. The vistas at this place are breathtaking. Unfortunately, I brought my birding lenses all the way to Alaska from Houston, but there were few birds to be found. According to the rangers, they had already started their southward migration! This was in mid-August. Most scientists believe that migration can be triggered by a combination of changes in day length, lower temperatures, changes in food supplies, and genetics. I need to plan better next time!
