Looks like a sort of birch tree catkin, it could be a willow one but with the dead leaves likely a birch or hickory or possibly an alder tree/bush. We get lots of pussy willow buds, and birch catkins along with the alder bushes. I don't think we have hickory trees in Alaska, but a google search says they get them also.
Thanks for the info I am terrible for knowing the names of plants and trees
I still on occasion call birch spruce and spruce birch, so I know what you mean.
Thats better than me, I just go with green trees, colorful trees and bare trees lOL