Nests in Odd Places and other Fairbanks Oddities

One of my favorite odd places in Fairbanks is the craft market a few blocks from the hotel. I found out today that they have been there for 34 years! They seem to be a bit pack ratty since they have a lot of inventory with a lot of dust because they never throw it away even if they don't sell it. They literally have items from the 70s and 80s still in original packaging. But, that makes for an awesome collection of old and unique postcards and gifts. Especially since they also buy and sell local Native Alaskan art. As we were leaving the store, the clerk said she wanted to show us something outside. She then pointed out a nest in the eye socket of a moose skull on the side of the building. What a bizarre place for a Common Redpoll to build a nest.

Moose skull Redpoll nest.

Wider view of the nest.

Good 'ole Craft Market!

After enjoying some tasty, but overly salty Hawaiian BBQ, we all took a trip birding in Creamer's Field. Saw some cranes like last year. But the exciting bit was seeing a new species (for yours truly) and a vagrant in this area, a Palm Warbler! Here is the best picture I could get of it.

Vagrant!

I noticed this year that there is some new art on what I assume are exhaust shafts around town. Since I have a lot of down time tomorrow, I think I will walk around town and attempt to take a picture of each one and record it's location/artist/etc.***Update have the pictures and am currently writing the blog for it and trying to update on other things since we have been in Prudhoe Bay for four days now. Stay tuned folks!