The Taiya River Flats are where birders can view meadows and mud and sand flats and where the freshwater of the Taiya River and Nelson Creek flow into Taiya Inlet. This area is an excellent birding location during spring and fall migration for a variety of waterfowl and shorebirds. During the summer, it’s a good area for a variety of passerines. Birds include Arctic Tern, Bald Eagle, Great Blue Heron, Marbled Murrelet, Mountain Bluebird, American Kestrel, and Northern Shrike. In the grassy meadows, look for American Pipit, Northern Harrier, and Savannah Sparrow. At the edge of the woods, look for warblers, thrushes, chickadees, and kinglets. 

Fish runs may occur in the Taiya River from March through November, and with masses of fish come large numbers of feeding birds. Eulachon (hooligan) usually spawn in late April and early May, followed by pink, chum, and coho salmon from July through November. During a strong hooligan run, huge flocks of gulls numbering in the tens of thousands can be seen, including Bonaparte’s, Glaucous-winged, Mew, and Iceland Gulls observed at this location. Marine mammals including harbor seals and Steller sea lions arrive to feed on the fish along with black and brown bears.

Directions:

Turn onto Dyea Road from Klondike Highway, then go about 8 miles to the Taiya River Bridge. Take the first road on the left past the bridge, then follow it past the Dyea townsite, over a small bridge to a general parking area. You may drive further on designated pathways, but a four-wheel drive is recommended. Exploring this area is easy walking on level ground.

Birding Resources:

• eBird Hotspot: Taiya River Flats

Bird Species Checklist:

• Skagway checklist

Other Resources:

• National Park Service map viewer.