J.K. Ullrich's Blog, page 2

Bird Joy: Science warms to the idea that birds play in the snow

After researching how climate change threatens snowy Arctic biomes, I’ve been spending as much time as I can outdoors in the Alaskan winter. A recent 20-Fahrenheit afternoon felt warm after December’s negative temperatures. My neighborhood stream, artificially heated for utility purposes, burbled along with less ice than usual encrusting its rocks and reeds. Birds took... Continue Reading →

A World Without Winter: New Projections for Climate Change in the Arctic

Only one thing scared me about moving to Alaska six months ago. Not the remoteness. Australia got me hooked on wild environments with more nature than civilization, so this was actually a selling point. Not the wildlife. While moose and bears can be aggressive, photography has taught me to keep a respectful distance (and a... Continue Reading →

A Cornucopia of Dystopia: Thanksgiving in the Anthropocene

Living in Australia had gotten me and my Laddie off the hook for Thanksgiving travel since 2019, and we expected our recent relocation to Alaska would extend the streak. Then he wound up on a mid-November business trip back to our native mid-Atlantic. With people we hadn’t seen in three years conveniently congregating for the... Continue Reading →

The Fate of the Animals: The Art of Habitat Conservation

Red leaves, but no red cardinals. Blue sky, but no blue jays. “Maybe I shouldn’t have bothered packing my camera,” I grumbled to the autumn leaves overhead. Back in my hometown for a visit, I’d hoped to photograph favorite childhood birds, but some species seemed sparser than I remembered. New construction had further reduced their... Continue Reading →

Trash or Treat? Escaping the Environmental Horrors of Halloween

I entered my office and walked straight into a cloud of bats. Cartoonish chiropterans clung to the walls. Orange crepe shrouded the doorways. A plastic mermaid skeleton with blue nylon hair dangled from the light over my desk. My grinning colleague animated a large, fuzzy spider perched on the cubicle divider. “You think that’s going... Continue Reading →

Fire and Ice: How Climate Change Impacts the El Niño Southern Oscillation

“September 7th! That’s when I first saw the termination dust,” said my colleague, nodding out the office window toward the Chugach Range. When I raised my eyebrows, he added “That’s what Alaskans call that first sprinkle of snow on the mountaintops, because it means summer is coming to an end. I’ve never seen it that... Continue Reading →

The Fifty-Dollar Owl: Contemplating the Cost of Conservation

My overseas work contract recently concluded, but after three years of vast Australian skies and wilderness at my doorstep, I couldn’t bear returning to the congested mid-Atlantic sprawl I’d once called home. Instead, I took a job in another remote pole: Alaska! I’ve hopped hemispheres from the Great Southern Land to the Great White North.... Continue Reading →

Red Reflections: A Final Australian Adventure in the Flinders Ranges

The winter solstice seemed a perfect time to reflect on the past season and welcome bright new opportunities that accompany the returning sun. But clouds lay thick as doubt over South Australia’s coastline as my plane descended into Adelaide. Local news later reported it was among the area’s wettest days on record. Rain pounded so... Continue Reading →

From The Ward To The Wild: Exploring Resilience With My Father

Shuddering, and the plane pulled up from its descent and fled back over the turquoise sea. Jade mountains retreated from my tiny window, as fantastical as a storybook illustration and just as unreachable.“Aren’t we turning around?” I hissed.In reply, the pilot’s voice came over the speakers.“As you can tell, the wind’s quite strong, making it... Continue Reading →

Solstice Sale! “Beat In Her Blood” On Kindle Countdown This Weekend

No matter which hemisphere you live in, the solstice is a perfect time for books. Whether you need a fresh novel to amuse you by the pool, or to keep you turning pages under the warm winter blankets, I’ve got you covered: Beat In Her Blood is on Kindle Countdown sale this weekend, Thursday through... Continue Reading →