ALASKA - Birdquest REP 04.pdf · 2013-11-12 · 1 Birdquest: Alaska 2004 ALASKA 31 MAY - 20 JUNE 2004 TOUR REPORT LEADER: PETE MORRIS ... inhabitants sits at the northern end of Cook

1 Birdquest: Alaska 2004

ALASKA

31 MAY - 20 JUNE 2004

TOUR REPORT LEADER: PETE MORRIS GROUP MEMBERS: MIKE COTTRELL, GEOFF HARRIS and UELI WEBER Flying into Anchorage is always an exciting experience. The relatively small city of barely 250,000 inhabitants sits at the northern end of Cook Inlet, nestled among the dramatic snow-capped peaks and glaciers of the Chugach Mountains. As we descended to the airport in the late evening light, we gained our first views of glaciers and got our first impressions of what lay ahead… With a grand total of 196 species of birds, and 26 species of mammals, this, our fourth tour to Alaska, was arguably our most successful to date. We were largely blessed with good weather (at times positively hot!) and as a result, were able to complete the tour circuit without a hitch. Avian highlights were many and the following is just a taster: great views of all four species of eider; thirteen species of alcids (including fabulous Crested Auklets and Tufted Puffins); no less than seven Gyr Falcons (plus two chicks in a nest!); a fantastic array of breeding waders including Buff-breasted Sandpiper, delightful Red and Red-necked Phalaropes and the rare Bristle-thighed Curlew; numerous dainty Sabine’s Gulls, Aleutian Terns and graceful Long-tailed Jaegers; an amazing encounter with an aggressive male Spruce Grouse; a pure white male Snowy Owl and a brilliant Northern Hawk Owl; a fine selection of spruce forest species including gorgeous Varied Thrushes, Pine Grosbeaks and American Three-toed Woodpeckers, and, last but not least, a fine male Smith’s Longspurs and two male McKay’s Buntings. Grizzly Bears and Killer Whales were the pick of the mammals, the scenery was awesome and the near 24 hour daylight, at times, challenging! Watching the Arctic Ocean pack-ice in the midnight sun at Barrow is an experience not to be missed! Having reached our comfortable hotel near Anchorage Airport (a hotel we were to become very familiar with during the course of the tour) we settled down for a brief period of rest before returning to the airport to catch a very early morning flight to St Paul in the Pribilofs. We were airborne by 5am and heading west over vast areas of wilderness before leaving the continent behind us and flying over the cloud-covered Bering Sea. As we neared St Paul, the anticipation rose as did the nerves, but our pilot soon had us through the clouds (the dreaded sea fog is a perennial worry for landing in this part of the world) and down on solid ground. Our adventure could now begin in earnest!


Due to the flight timings, we were able to spend the best part of four days on St Paul, allowing us to fully explore the whole island. On each day we took a morning, afternoon and evening excursion and in between were fed and looked after very well! Our prime targets here were the seabirds and we spent many hours on various cliff tops, marvelling at the antics of the various cormorants, auks, fulmars and kittiwakes. At this time of year, the birds are just arriving and finding their space on the cliffs and as a result, two visits to the same cliff could result in quite different experiences. Perhaps pride of place went to the Red-legged Kittiwakes that were seen daily in small numbers among the commoner Black-leggeds and we were soon able to recognize them not just by their red legs but by their large eyes and short bills (an adaptation for their nocturnal pelagic foraging) and dark upperparts. Thousands of delightful Least Auklets squabbled around the bases of the cliffs whilst higher up, Parakeet and comical Crested Auklets were busy finding nesting sites. Perhaps the most striking alcid, the bizarre Tufted Puffin was also much appreciated and could often be seen alongside Horned Puffins. Striking Red-faced Cormorants were busy carrying sticks to their nests and great ranks of Thick-billed Murres (or Brünnich’s Guillemots) were joined by smaller numbers of Common Murres whilst Arctic Foxes scavenged around the edges, waiting for a meal. We also visited a couple of colonies of Northern Fur Seals where the aggressive males proudly defended their territories with some impressive roars. We also had plenty of time to explore the interior of this fascinating island, including the many wetlands. During our many wanderings we were constantly surrounded by Lapland Longspurs, Snow Buntings and delightful Grey-crowned Rosy Finches, the only common passerines on the island. A couple of Winter Wrens (of the endemic Pribilofs subspecies) popped up along the seabird cliffs, we had a couple of sightings of American Pipit and found two rarities – a Brambling and a stunning male Siberian Rubythroat which defended a territory on the seashore and frequently chased Least Auklets out to sea! However, the best passerine that we saw was MacKay’s Bunting, and we were fortunate enough to see two or possibly three males of this striking and extremely localized species, and were able to study them at length. Rock Sandpipers were pleasingly common, often waving a wing at us in display, and other shorebirds here included Least Sandpipers, Wandering Tattlers, Pacific Golden Plovers and diminutive Red-necked Phalaropes (as well as a couple of skittish Red Phalaropes). A good variety of waterfowl included several King Eider (including a fine drake on Lake Webster), numerous exquisite Harlequin Ducks, a female Bufflehead, Eurasian and Green-winged Teal (watched side by side), Eurasian and American Wigeon and a flock of the formerly highly-endangered Aleutian Canada Goose. Glaucous-winged Gulls were common, a Yellow-billed Loon (White-billed Diver) was seen, albeit a little distantly, a vagrant Gyr Falcon gave us a good fly-by view and we had fine views of our only Rough-legged Hawk of the tour (a dark-phase bird). We also saw some other species that had the North American visitors rather more excited than us including Eurasian Whimbrel and Common and Wood Sandpipers, whilst a Common Tern (of the black-billed Asian subspecies longipennis) was interesting for us all. We left St Paul pretty much as we had found it – cold and grey (as is normal here!) and headed back on a spectacularly scenic flight to the warmth and comfort of Anchorage. A quick look around the lake outside our hotel the following morning produced a few common birds such as Spotted Sandpipers, Tree and Violet-green Swallows, and Savanna and White-crowned Sparrows as well as our first Ring-necked Ducks and Canvasbacks. We then boarded another flight, this time heading north to Nome on the Seward Peninsula. A mild spring in Nome ensured that all of the roads were open and so this year we were able to fully explore this productive area. Our first afternoon saw us scouring Safety Lagoon where much time was spent watching a fantastic mixed colony of Aleutian and Arctic Terns. Three brilliant Sabine’s Gulls and a fine summer-plumaged Surfbird provided some distraction and other goodies seen during our


explorations included Red-throated and Pacific loons in dapper breeding dress, numerous Black Brants, Common Eiders, Western and Semipalmated Sandpipers feeding side-by side, our first Pectoral Sandpiper, Parasitic Jaegers, huge numbers of snowy Glaucous Gulls and our first Alaska Wagtails (the tschutschensis form of Yellow Wagtail). The bird to look for at Nome is the rare and little-know Bristle-thighed Curlew and an early start was required to ensure our best chance. We vowed not to stop en route but the temptations were great and a few stops were inevitably made for goodies such as Long-tailed Jaegers, Willow and Rock Ptarmigans and Golden-crowned Sparrow, not to mention Musk Ox. It was still fairly early when we arrived, and we slowly made our way the short distance over the rough terrain up towards the plateau. Some smart American Tree Sparrows delayed us briefly but soon the eyrie song of a Bristle-thighed Curlew filled the air and within seconds we’d spotted him in his display flight. Luckily he came down not too far from us and before long we were enjoying mouth-watering views of this excellent species. Further exploration led to fantastic views of no less than five Bristle-thighed Curlews and it was just a delight to be walking around the fantastic landscape, listening to and watching American Golden Plovers, Rock Ptarmigans, a flock of Pomarine Skuas and breeding Bar-tailed Godwits and Hudsonian Whimbrels. By the time we headed back down the hill, the weather was really warming up and the mosquitoes were out with a vengeance (we later learned that the unusually hot weather had made the birds somewhat lethargic and several groups arriving later in the day were unable to find the curlews!). Our journey back was a somewhat more leisurely affair with time to enjoy both the spectacular scenery and the birds. Our numerous stops produced an excellent array of birds including numerous Taverner’s Canada Geese, Greater White-fronted Geese, several Northern Harriers, no less than five Golden Eagles (with two eyries being seen), a fine pair of Gyr Falcons attending a nest, smart Cliff Swallows, a Northern (or Great Grey) Shrike, some stunning male Bluethroats, Red Fox Sparrows, Northern Waterthrushes and good numbers of pallid Hoary Redpolls. Mammals were good too and we had more time to enjoy the Musk Ox and also and some memorable encounters with great herds of Caribou. Sadly, our only American Beaver of the trip was somewhat distant. We spent the rest of the time at Nome exploring the road towards Council and the road towards Teller, regularly checking Safety Lagoon. A pair of Red Crossbills near to Council was a real surprise and our first Varied Thrushes in the same forest were well appreciated as was another Gyr Falcon eyrie. On the Teller road, we had fantastic views of an absolutely stunning Gyr Falcon, watched graceful Short-eared Owls hunting, saw Grey-cheeked Thrushes and a Northern Wheatear (a highly sought bird for the North Americans), enjoyed Wilson’s and Yellow Warblers and had fine views of an American Dipper and a male Rusty Blackbird. Safety Lagoon continued to harbour good numbers of waterbirds with notable additions including Black Turnstones and a cracking Red-necked Stint but alas, the hoped-for Emperor Goose failed to put in an appearance, presumably the mild spring had worked against us with this one. Leaving Nome behind, we flew back to Anchorage (two of the group were fortunate enough to see a group of Belugas from the aircraft just before we landed) for another night in our favourite hotel! That afternoon, in positively balmy weather, we explored the nearby Westchester Lagoon where we enjoyed some great looks at Red-necked Grebes, numerous Lesser Canada Geese, and our first Lesser Scaups among the more common Greater Scaups. Periodically, waders would appear from the nearby mudflats and we enjoyed great views of Hudsonian Godwits and Lesser Yellowlegs, whilst several Bonaparte’s Gulls were found amongst the more common Mew Gulls. More unusual was a single Sabine’s Gull (rare in Anchorage) and an aberrant Violet-green Swallow that was totally dark glossy greenish/black! Bird of the afternoon though was an amazing Steller’s Jay that dust-bathed just yards away from us!


Having had a relatively hectic start to the tour, we decided to have a relatively relaxed start the following morning as we pottered up to the Chugach State Park above Anchorage. Amazingly, we were greeted by our target bird, a fine male American Three-toed Woodpecker and soon after we found an Olive-sided Flycatcher, Grey Jays, Black-capped Chickadee, and our first smart Townsend’s Warbler. We then made our way slowly south towards Seward, stopping at various sites en route. Potter’s Marsh yielded some obliging Lincoln’s Sparrows as well as Redhead and Canvasback. A stop in some spruce forest produced both Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned Kinglets and our first Swainson’s Thrushes and nearby we enjoyed a couple of sparkling male Rufous Hummingbirds as well as more sombre Song and Sooty Fox Sparrows. Some fantastic Common Loons were found nesting on some of the summit lakes before we dropped down into Seward where our initial scouting produced our first Marbled Murrelets, some entertaining Sea Otters, Northwestern Crows and a Hermit Thrush. We had an hour or two to explore the coniferous forests and lakes in the vicinity of Seward the following morning and here we found our first Trumpeter Swan as well as forest species such as Boreal and Chestnut-backed Chickadees, Red-breasted Nuthatch and Pine Siskin. We then boarded our vessel for a full day excursion into the incredible Kenai Fjords, a voyage that would be worthwhile for the scenery alone! Here we watched in awe as incredible glaciers calved into the icy waters below. Cetaceans were prominent with first class views of a sleepy pod of Orcas, several Humpback Whales, a Harbour Porpoise and a couple of groups of energetic Dall’s Porpoises. Sea Otters frequently entertained and shy Steller’s Sea Lions and Harbour Seals were seen in good numbers. On the land, we watched nimble Mountain Goats tip-toeing over the cliffs and saw a fine Black Bear that was busy raiding a Glaucous-winged Gull colony! And then there were the birds!! Top of the bill were the diminutive Kittlitz’s Murrelets which showed so well in the cloudy glacial waters. We were able to compare them with the similar and more common Marbled Murrelets and also enjoyed Pigeon Guillemots and both Ancient and Rhinoceros Auklets. Good numbers of both puffins added to the fun and other goodies seen during our adventure included Black Oystercatcher, numerous Bald Eagles, Surf Scoter and Short-tailed Shearwater. Our final birding around Seward finally produced the much hoped-for Pine Grosbeak with a male and a couple of females showing very well. Another American Three-toed Woodpecker and more Chestnut-backed Chickadees were logged but the tricky Spruce Grouse still eluded us so we decided to try another area further north. All afternoon we searched around Skilak Lake and Cooper Landing but again, without success. Some consolation came in the form of several Surf Scoters, a Hairy Woodpecker, Alder Flycatcher, more smart Varied Thrushes, another male Pine Grosbeak and a fine North American Porcupine with little else added on the journey back to Anchorage. A rather grey and wet morning followed as we attempted to dig out more new birds, this time in the Palmer area. Following a tip-off, we successfully located a pair of Hammond’s Flycatcher (a scarce bird in this part of Alaska) as well as Alder Flycatcher and Western Wood-Pewee. Nearby, an adult Northern Goshawk gave a good flyby and, despite the fact that its nest had been vacated, we managed to locate a roosting Great Horned Owl. Leaving Palmer we continued our journey north towards Denali National Park though the gloomy conditions prevented us from having any chance of gaining views of North America’s loftiest peak. However, our afternoon was brightened up when we made a small detour off the main highway and were immediately confronted by a very bold male Spruce Grouse. This real show-off entertained us for the next hour and was clearly defending his mate and her ten chicks which we were also fortunate to see. The whole experience was one of the most memorable of the trip! The weather proceeded to get gloomier and colder and although we


stopped to watch some well-appreciated Trumpeter Swans and Barrow’s Goldeneyes, we were pleased to arrive at our hotel. Sadly the following day dawned equally cold and gloomy with temperatures just a few degrees above freezing. We tried not to let this dampen our enthusiasm and, undeterred, explored the Denali Highway. We got off to a good start, watching the incredible display flight of Upland Sandpipers which hung in the air for what seemed like ages, though one also alighted atop a conifer for us. Numerous Blackpoll Warblers were singing and we saw several striking males in the roadside bushes. Merlin, Greater Yellowlegs and Horned (or Slavonian) Grebe were also added to our tally, a couple of Moose were seen and a bedraggled North American Porcupine crossed the road in front of us. Despite some intensive bog-bashing, we were unable to locate the elusive Smith’s Longspur and eventually we threw the towel in and headed back to warm rooms and cold beer! Fortunately the weather brightened for our full day in Denali National Park and we entered the park on an early bus. This plan soon backfired when the bus broke down and the subsequent buses were all full but we made the most of ous spare time by notching up an Arctic Warbler. We eventually did get to the Eielson Centre, deep in the park, where we enjoyed the fantastic vistas. Say’s Phoebes and Cliff Swallows entertained as they visited nests at the centre and we also enjoyed Golden Eagles and another pair of Gyr Falcons that were attending a nest. The park is of course spectacular for mammals and we enjoyed top views of three sow Grizzly Bears, two of which had one cub and the other had three! Dall Sheep were scattered on the high hillsides, we saw more Moose and Caribou and eventually found a Hoary Marmot. The star of the day however was a majestic Northern Hawk Owl that came and peered at us from only a few yards, providing another of the trip highlights. With most of the hoped-for birds under our belts, we decided to drive back to Anchorage the long way round and drove right along the scenic Denali Highway. This took us past some of the richest wetland areas that we saw on the whole tour. It was certainly beaver country as lodges could be seen everywhere (though there occupants remained elusive) and the numerous lakes held Surf and White-winged Scoters, Barrow’s Goldeneyes and smart Buffleheads. At the far end of the highway we tried a couple more areas of boggy tundra, finding American Golden Plovers, Lapland Longspurs and Horned Larks and then, after a bit of a sweat, a fine male Smith’s Longspur. This beautiful bunting hopped around on the tundra in front of us – we were certainly privileged to have seen one of Alaska’s most difficult specialities so well. We headed back to Anchorage down the Glenn and Richardson highways, finding a fine Bohemian Waxwing as we went and also witnessing some of the most spectacular glaciers one could ever hope to see! We’d covered nearly five hundred miles in an action-packed day, but it had been well worth it! Our flight to Barrow finally gave us some spectacular views of Mt Denali (or McKinley) as we headed first to Fairbanks and then on to the Arctic Ocean at Barrow. The sky was blue, and the wind fresh so we donned plenty of layers before beginning our exploration of the tundra and meltwater pools close to town. Pack-ice still hugged the coastline making the sea an unproductive birding location (though we did see a distant Black Guillemot) but the pools were alive with shorebirds and ducks that had just arrived to take advantage of the short arctic summer. The most surprising thing was that despite sub-zero air temperatures a very strong heat haze prevailed over the tundra. With 24 hour daylight we managed to dodge the worst of it and indeed our first Spectacled Eider was watched at eleven in the evening (and later once we realized the keys were locked in the car!). Spectacled Eider was of course one of the major highlights and we ended up getting brilliant views of another pair as well. Steller’s and King Eiders also showed well, three Yellow-billed Loons flew over and spectacular Red and Red-necked Phalaropes were pleasingly common. Pectoral and Baird’s Sandpipers displayed, a few Long-billed Dowitchers showed well and a small number of delightful Buff-breasted Sandpipers


were also seen. A particularly confiding pair of Sabine’s Gulls provided much entertainment and it was a delight to watch them foraging with Red Phalaropes just a few metres away. However, there was still a piece of the jigsaw missing! It was another bad lemming year, the Pomarine Skuas were not breeding and Snowy Owls were very thin on the ground. Having dipped on St Paul and scoured the tundra for two days, our chances seemed to be slipping away. Then on our last evening we found one sitting on a hummock, staring at us cat-like. A pure white male with just a single dark mark on a tertial, it was a fitting finale to our time in the Arctic. Our flight back to Anchorage gave us equally spectacular views of Mt McKinley and left us with one last afternoon to enjoy. We chose to explore the higher reaches of the Arctic Valley and although we failed to find the hoped-for White-tailed Ptarmigan we did at least get some good exercise and saw Rock Ptarmigan and our last Golden-crowned Sparrows. It had been a wonderful adventure across a land of unparalleled natural beauty, where true wilderness still reigns supreme. Surely one of the most exciting birding destinations on the North American continent if not anywhere?!


SYSTEMATIC LIST Species which were heard but not seen are indicated by the symbol (H). Species which were not personally recorded by the leader are indicated by the symbol (NL). GAVIIDAE Red-throated Loon (R-t Diver) Gavia stellata: A common bird at Nome where up to 20 were seen in a

day. A few also seen at Barrow. Pacific Loon (P Diver) Gavia pacifica: This rather beautiful diver was most common around Nome

where we got numerous excellent views. A few others were at other locations and they were reasonably numerous around Barrow.

Common Loon (Great Northern Diver) Gavia immer: A pair at their nest on Tern Lake were perhaps the most memorable, with numerous other pairs seen at locations such as Summit Lake and Skilak Lake. They are simply stunning in breeding plumage.

Yellow-billed Loon (White-billed Diver) Gavia adamsii: A few tantalizing encounters with this true denizen of the Arctic. The bird on the sea of St Paul was a little distant but the best view was of a superb summer-plumaged individual that flew right past us at Barrow. They typically breed on inaccessible lakes inland from the Arctic coast and are difficult to see well.

PODICIPEDIDAE Horned Grebe (Slavonian G) Podiceps auritus: A few in gorgeous breeding plumage along the

Denali Highway. Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena: The most numerous and widespread grebe, we saw largest

numbers on Westchester Lagoon in Anchorage where there were at least 20 birds, several of which were nesting. All were in fine breeding plumage.

PROCELLARIIDAE Northern Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis: Common on St Paul where up to 100 were seen each day, with

many already nesting on the cliffs. Several unfamiliar-looking dark morph birds were also seen. The race here is rodgersii which always has a darkish tail even in pale morph birds.

Short-tailed Shearwater Puffinus tenuirostris: About ten seen off southwest point on St Paul (all a little distant) and three were seen during the boat trip in the Kenai Fjords.

PHALACROCORACIDAE Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus: Dozens in Resurrection Bay off Seward and during

the boat trip in Kenai Fjords where most were in full breeding plumage complete with their white filoplumes.

Red-faced Cormorant Phalacrocorax urile: Common on St Paul where up to 100 were seen daily, often attending their nests. It was also great to see them frequently cruising along the cliffs at eye-level. We also saw at least 50 in the Chiswell Islands during the Kenai Fjords boat trip but the views were nowhere near as good.

Pelagic Cormorant Phalacrocorax pelagicus: First seen on St Paul where we saw a couple of non-breeding birds, one of which hid in the rocks! A handful also seen at Nome. Less common than the preceding species on the Chiswell Islands where we saw around 20.

ANATIDAE Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons: A single first summer bird was seen on St Paul, seven

were seen along the Kougarok Highway at Nome and up to 30 were seen each day at Barrow. The subspecific identity of these birds is not straightforward. The one on St Paul


and those at Barrow were probably frontalis whilst those at Nome may well have been gambelli.

Canada Goose Branta canadensis: General note: The taxonomy of the Canada Goose complex is extremely complicated and remains unresolved. In their 45th supplement, the AOU have decided to split Canada Goose into two species as follows: Canada Goose B. canadensis (including the subspecies canadensis [Atlantic], interior [Interior or Todd’s], maxima [Giant], moffitti [Moffit’s], parvipes [Lesser], fulva [Vancouver], and occidentalis [Dusky]) and Cackling Goose B. hutchinsii (including the subspecies hutchinsii [Richardson’s], asiatica [Bering (extinct)], leucopareia [Aleutian], taverneri [Taverner’s], and minima [Cackling]). However, the issue seems far from resolved and more species may well be accepted. It seems highly illogical that taverneri and parvipes, formerly known as the ‘Lesser Canada Goose complex’ are not treated as part of the same species. To simplify matters, I have treated each of the forms seen as ‘allospecies’. Each allospecies has a distinct English name (all of which were already in widespread colloquial use) and is identified in its scientific name by a trinomial with the superspecies name preceding it in square brackets. For simplicity, I have listed them alphabetically.

Aleutian Canada Goose Branta [canadensis] leucopareia: We were fortunate to see a flock of nine of these smart geese on St Paul. Formerly highly endangered, they have now recovered well and have been taken off the endangered list. They are characterised by their small size and prominent white neck collar on the upper breast. If the AOU recommendation is adopted, these become part of Cackling Goose.

Lesser Canada Goose Branta [canadensis] parvipes: The common Canada Goose in Anchorage where we had good looks at them around Westchester Lagoon in particular. Small to medium-sized and relatively pale-breasted. If the AOU recommendation is adopted, these remain part of Canada Goose.

Taverner’s Canada Goose Branta [canadensis] taverneri: Most, if not all, of the Canada Geese in the Nome area were referable to this form (though some of the more distant individuals were not identified to subspecies). Characterized by their small-medium size, relatively dark plumage and dusky throat line, this form is often grouped with parvipes as Lesser Canada Goose, but if the AOU recommendation is adopted, they become part of Cackling Goose! I hope that’s all clear now!!

Black Brant Branta [bernicla] nigricans: As with the Canada Geese, I have used the trinomial and colloquial name to distinguish the birds from the other Brent Geese. All of our sightings were in the Nome area where up to 50 were seen daily on Safety Lagoon.

Trumpeter Swan Cygnus buccinator: Our first views of one on a roadside pond in Seward were perhaps our best though we also enjoyed some very good views in the Denali area where we saw up to 12 in a day and were able to compare them side by side with the following species.

Whistling Swan Cygnus columbianus: Small numbers were seen at Safety Lagoon, Nome along the Denali Highway and at Barrow. One of the individuals at Barrow lacked the yellow spot at the base of the bill. If Bewick’s Swan C. bewickii is lumped into this form, the enlarged species is usually known as Tundra Swan.

Gadwall Anas strepera: Four at Potter Marsh were the only ones of the tour. Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope: A couple of drakes were seen on St Paul, one of which was

accompanying a duck American Wigeon. American Wigeon Anas americana: Common and widespread in small numbers throughout the tour. Mallard Anas platyrhynchos: Small numbers at scattered locations. Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata: Small numbers on St Paul, around Anchorage, at Nome and at

Barrow


Northern Pintail Anas acuta: One of the most numerous wildfowl, particularly so at Nome and Barrow where hopeful shimmering shapes often ended up as another pintail!

Green-winged Teal Anas carolinensis: Scattered sightings throughout, though scarce on St Paul where most teals are Eurasian.

Eurasian Teal Anas crecca: Only seen on St Paul, particularly on Webster Lake, where there were up to 20 birds. These are usually assigned to the race nimia, which is larger than the nominate. Some authorities however do not recognise this subspecies. We also saw one interesting hybrid which showed both vertical and horizontal white stripes!

Canvasback Aythya valisineria: A couple seen on Lake Spenard in Anchorage and another couple at Potter Marsh.

Redhead Aythya americana: Four at Potter Marsh were the only ones of the tour. Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris: A couple at Lake Spenard were followed by several groups in the

Denali area, where we saw some nice groups of drakes along the Denali Highway. Greater Scaup Aythya marila: By far and away the commoner of the two scaup with up to 100 being

seen in a day. Separating them from the next species is always great fun. It’s relatively easy given good views but can be more problematic with more distant birds!

Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis: Far less common than the preceding species. Just four on Westchester Lagoon, three at Tern Lake, a handful in the Denali area and a couple on Lake Spenard.

Steller’s Eider Polysticta stelleri: A dozen or so of these diminutive eiders were seen at Barrow. More like a dabbling-duck than an eider in many ways, the species is in serious decline and as a result, researchers were attempting to trap birds during our visit, using nets and decoys.

Spectacled Eider Somateria fischeri: A great deal of searching went into this one at Barrow and we finally found a drake late in the evening on our first day at Barrow. Initially distant, we eventually got some good looks as we spent some time waiting to be rescued having locked the keys in the van. Later we got fantastic views of a pair on the Freshwater Lake. One of the supreme highlights of the tour, Ueli’s top bird and voted number one in the top ten!

King Eider Somateria spectabilis: We encountered relatively few this year. Small numbers on St Paul included a fine drake on Webster Lake and at Barrow we saw 10 or so, but most were somewhat distant.

Common Eider Somateria mollissima: Only seen at Nome where we saw up to 50 daily. The race concerned is v-nigrum in which the male shows a bright orange bill and a thin black “V” on the chin.

Harlequin Duck Histrionicus histrionicus: This exquisite duck is quite common in Alaska and we were fortunate to get brilliant views on a number of occasions. Most common on St Paul where we recorded up to 200 in a day but the best views were perhaps those along the rivers at Nome where they had moved inland to breed.

Surf Scoter Melanitta perspicillata: For a while we were fretting for this one and then found some smart flocks offshore at Nome. We ended up doing very well for this species, seeing them on the Kenai Fjords boat trip, at Lake Skilak and along the Denali Highway. The drakes are real crackers.

White-winged Scoter Melanitta deglandi: Small numbers (up to 15 in a day) on Norton Sound at Nome and a couple of fine drakes on a small lake along the Denali Highway. This North American and East Asian species is often lumped in Velvet Scoter M. fusca.

Black Scoter Melanitta americana: Nearly all of our sightings were at Nome were we saw up to 50 daily on Norton Sound. The male’s swollen yellow bill base (a feature that separates them from Common Scoter) was often apparent. This North American and East Asian species is often lumped in Common Scoter M. nigra.

Oldsquaw (Long-tailed Duck) Clangula hyemalis: Another delightful duck that was seen commonly at St Paul, Nome and especially at Barrow where up to 100 were seen in a day.


Bufflehead Bucephala albeola: A female seen on St Paul, another female at Nome and then c12 including some fine drakes along the Denali Highway.

Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula: Just a single female seen near to Palmer and another sighting in Anchorage.

Barrow’s Goldeneye Bucephala islandica: Our first sighting was of a rather unimpressive female near to Lake Skilak. We made up for this some great looks at several drakes of this spectacular species in the Denali area.

Common Merganser (Goosander) Mergus merganser: A couple along a river near Nome, small numbers in the Seward area and a couple along the Denali Highway. All would be referable to the North American form americanus which differs subtly to European birds.

Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator: Most common at Nome where up to 50 were seen daily. ACCIPITRIDAE Osprey Pandion haliaetus: A single near to Council (Nome area) was about as far north as they go

and we saw another on our journey back to Anchorage from Seward. Bald Eagle Haliaetus leucocephalus: This species is more numerous in Alaska than anywhere else in

its range. Although we had numerous scattered sightings, this species was most numerous in the Seward area and we enjoyed some great looks during the Kenai Fjords boat trip.

Northern Harrier (Hen Harrier) Circus cyaneus: Several sightings at Nome and a few in the Denali area. We enjoyed several spectacular views as fine males drifted right by the vehicle. The North American race, hudsonius, is a potential future split.

Sharp-shinned Hawk Accipiter striatus: A ‘write-in’ on the tour, we saw singles along the Richardson Highway and in Anchorage.

Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis: Our only sighting was a good flight view of one near to Palmer. Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis: Just three sightings – in Anchorage, between Anchorage and

Seward and along the Glenn Highway on our way back to Anchorage. These were all of the dark, pale-tailed race harlani which is usually referred to as Harlan’s Hawk.

Rough-legged Hawk (R-l Buzzard) Buteo lagopus: Amazingly our only sighting was of one on St Paul where it is a rare visitor! The bird we saw was a dark morph bird of the North American subspecies sanctijohannis. This race is smaller than the Eurasian races and is unique in having a dark morph. Another split…??!!

Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos: We had some great views in Nome where we saw five birds including two pairs attending their huge eyries. We also had at least five sightings in Denali. The subspecies is canadensis.

FALCONIDAE Merlin Falco columbarius: One flashed across in front of us along the Denali Highway, a couple

were seen during our day in Denali National Park and another was seen along the Denali Highway the following day. Another species where the North American forms differ significantly from the Eurasian ones. The form we saw was suckleyi.

Gyr Falcon Falco rusticolus: We did incredibly well with this most impressive falcon, seeing no less than seven adults and two chicks! All were grey phase birds except for our first on St Paul (seemingly a dark phase bird) which was a surprise find and when first spotted at range flying towards us your leader initially thought it was a jaeger!! Two eyries attended by adults were seen in the Nome area and another bird gave brilliant views standing sentinel on an outcrop guarding an unseen nest nearby. In Denali National Park, we had more fantastic views of a female on a nest which contained two chicks and she was later joined by her mate who flew in with, and handed over, prey.

Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus: Singles seen along the Council Road at Nome and at Barrow.


PHASIANIDAE Spruce Grouse Falcipennis canadensis: We spent a long time attempting to track down this elusive

species and eventually struck gold near to Byer’s Lake on our way to Denali. Here we had the most amazing experience with a very bold male and also saw his mate with ten tiny chicks. My favourite bird of the trip and second overall.

Willow Ptarmigan (W Grouse) Lagopus lagopus: We saw relatively few this year in what must have been a mediocre year for this species. Nevertheless, we had some excellent views of several in the Nome area.

Rock Ptarmigan Lagopus mutus: Three seen at Nome including a male which allowed a very close approach at Coffee Dome, another seen on the Denali Highway and a single high up the Arctic Valley Road which raised our hopes albeit briefly! They moult later than the preceding species so were still in largely white (except for the black lores and tail) winter plumage with just a few darker feathers moulting in.

GRUIDAE Sandhill Crane Grus canadensis: Most of our sightings were around Nome with a maximum count of

70 in one day. We also saw a pair at Potter Marsh and four flying over the Parks Highway when we were on our way to Denali.

CHARADRIIDAE Black-bellied Plover (Grey P) Pluvialis squatarola: A single bird at Barrow. American Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica: A dozen or so birds seen at Nome where this species

breeds virtually alongside the next (this species tends to prefer drier areas). A few also seen at the eastern end of the Denali Highway and on the tundra at Barrow. A superb sight in full breeding plumage, especially the males.

Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva: Fabulous views of six on St Paul and a couple seen in the Nome area. In general this species prefers the lower coastal tundra at Nome whereas American Golden Plovers tend to breed at higher elevations inland.

Semipalmated Plover Charadrius semipalmatus: First seen on St Paul and a few others in the Nome area where we found them on territory along gravelly rivers.

HAEMATOPODIDAE Black Oystercatcher (American B O) Haematopus bachmani: Great views of a pair during the Kenai

Fjords boat trip, here at the northern edge of their range. SCOLOPACIDAE Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca: A couple of sightings along the Denali Highway were the

only ones seen. Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes: Considerably more numerous than the preceding species with a

total of just over 20 logged during the tour. Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola: We stood back and watched as a bit of pond stomping produced

three of these highly desired (by the North American visitors) waders. Wandering Tattler Heteroscelus incanus: Less sightings than usual this year. We started with good

views of three on St Paul but saw just one more on our journey down to Seward. It was surprising not to see them around Nome but I guess we did not look too hard!

Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos: A single vagrant on St Paul was not one of our highlights! Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularia: Small numbers seen at several sites, all of which were nicely

spotted. Upland Sandpiper Bartramia longicauda: We spent a fair amount of time looking for this unusual-

looking and elusive wader along the Denali Highway. On a bitterly cold and breezy


morning, we kept hearing the eyrie song distantly but were struggling to locate the bird until we suddenly spotted him high above us, looking almost falcon like to the naked eye! We watched the displaying bird at neck-breaking angles for some time and eventually got close views of one perched on a conifer.

Eurasian Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus: A single of the form variegatus was seen very well on the salt lake at St Paul. This form shows a white upper rump with darker lower rump and barred tail. The white can be hard to see though.

Hudsonian Whimbrel Numenius hudsonicus: Small numbers seen in the Nome area and around Denali. This dark-rumped form is often lumped in the previous species.

Bristle-thighed Curlew Numenius tahitiensis: The first one was heard giving its atmospheric song as we were still walking up the hill and it was not long before we were enjoying stunning scope views of this enigmatic wader. Surprisingly similar to the previous species at first glance, we went on to see no less than five, some much richer coloured and brighter than others (sex or age related?). In flight, the bright golden-buff rump and tail were apparent. Fourth in the bird of the trip vote and Geoff’s top bird.

Hudsonian Godwit Limosa haemastica: Up to 50 at Westchester Lagoon and the nearby mudflats including some fabulous males in full breeding plumage.

Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica: Small numbers seen at St Paul and at Nome where up to eight were seen daily. The adult male in full breeding plumage near to the Bristle-thighed Curlews was particularly attractive. The race concerned is baueri which has a heavily barred rump.

Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres: Just four at St Paul and a couple of singles at Nome. Black Turnstone Arenaria melanocephala: Small muddy patches around Safety Lagoon at Nome

attracted up to five of these smart birds. Surfbird Aphriza virgata: The only one seen was a fine breeding-plumaged adult on the shoreline

with Sanderlings near to the mouth of Safety Lagoon at Nome. This species has a very restricted range and is not really that common.

Sanderling Calidris alba: A couple of small flocks at Nome with a maximum of c30 in a day. The first were approached cautiously as we had been reliably informed that there were “a couple of Red-necked Stint amongst the Western Sandpipers”. Sadly, they were all Sanderling!

Semipalmated Sandpiper Calidris pusilla: The most numerous breeding shorebird at Nome, especially along the coastal strip and good numbers at Barrow where many were watched in display flight.

Western Sandpiper Calidris mauri: Some fabulous breeding plumaged birds at Nome where we were able to watch them side-by-side with the previous species. It was interesting to see the variation in bill length. They don’t breed around Nome and are in actual fact a north slope nester.

Red-necked Stint Calidris ruficollis: Some great looks at a super breeding plumaged bird along the shore of Safety Lagoon at Nome. This North American rarity apparently breeds in this area in very small numbers.

Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla: First seen on St Paul where we got some great looks at breeding pairs. Near to Nome we saw another that we accidentally disturbed from its nest (which contained four eggs), and this individual put on an amazing distraction display for us!

Baird’s Sandpiper Calidris bairdii: A few displaying along the coastal road at Barrow where we also got some great looks at birds on the ground.

Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos: A single extremely confiding individual at Nome and then good numbers on the tundra at Barrow where several territorial males were watched inflating their breasts and flying around us making deep booming sounds.


Rock Sandpiper Calidris ptilocnemis: The large, pale nominate race was a common breeding species on St Paul where we had repeated views and saw the wing waving display a number of times.

Dunlin Calidris alpina: One on St Paul and then small numbers at Nome and Barrow. The race concerned is the large and particularly brightly coloured sakhalina.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper Tryngites subruficollis: This species does not seem to be present at Barrow every year but we struck lucky this tour with great views of up to four individuals on the short coastal tundra at Barrow. These gorgeous birds were even watched giving their wing waving displays. One of Ueli’s favourites.

Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus: A poor year for this species with just a single on St Paul and brief views of a few at Potter Marsh. The race concerned is caurinus.

Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus: A couple at Safety Lagoon, Nome and then a handful at Barrow where they were distinctly less common than usual.

Wilson’s Snipe Gallinago delicata: The drumming display (distinctly different from the European Common Snipe) was frequently heard and we also got some excellent views of this recent split, including many around Nome, sitting on telegraph poles and at close range in roadside pools.

Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus: First seen on St Paul where this species is one of only four breeding shorebird species. This delightful species was then common at wetlands almost throughout and we spent some marvellous time watching their antics.

Red Phalarope (Grey P) Phalaropus fulicarius: A couple of flighty birds on St Paul gave us a taste for this fantastic species and then we saw up to 100 a day at Barrow where we spent many hours drooling over these stunning birds. Surely one of the most spectacular shorebirds in breeding plumage. Groups of females chasing single males are a real treat.

LARIDAE Pomarine Jaeger (P Skua) Stercorarius pomarinus: Very scarce this year. We were informed that they

were not breeding at Barrow for the fourth year in succession due to the low number of lemmings. We saw a flock of six fly over at Coffee Dome (the Bristle-thighed Curlew hill) at Nome and saw a total of just three at Barrow.

Parasitic Jaeger (Arctic Skua) Stercorarius parasiticus: Up to four seen daily at Nome, mainly in coastal tundra areas and around Safety Sound. Most were pale phase but a few intermediate phase birds were also encountered. We also saw up to ten in a day at Barrow.

Long-tailed Jaeger (L-t Skua) Stercorarius longicaudus: A graceful adult drifted along the coast at St Paul and we went on to see good numbers around Nome and a few along the Denali Highway. The form seen, pallescens, shows a pale belly.

Bonaparte’s Gull Larus philadelphia: Cook Inlet, off Westchester Lagoon was the best place with up to 20 birds there. We also saw small numbers at a couple of lakes with breeding colonies between Anchorage and Seward and along the Denali Highway.

Mew Gull Larus brachyrhynchus: The most widespread gull species on the tour with good numbers just about everywhere, except St Paul. This form is often lumped in Common Gull L. canus but varies in a number of plumage characteristics especially in immature plumages. It is however split in the recent ‘Gulls’ book.

Vega Gull Larus vegae: A handful at Nome included two fine adults on the sea off the jetty. Darker backed and darker eyed than American Herring Gull. This species is often lumped in Herring Gull and is sometimes referred to as Siberian Herring Gull.

American Herring Gull Larus smithsonianus: A few at Westchester Lagoon and Potter Marsh, and very small numbers at Denali. There is widespread hybridization between this species and Glaucous-winged Gull in southern Alaska.


Slaty-backed Gull Larus schistisagus: A probable first summer bird on St Paul and a much more clear cut bleached-out bird on the beach at Nome.

Glaucous-winged Gull Larus glaucescens: Small numbers at St Paul, the odd single around Nome and abundant at Seward with thousands seen during the boat trip to Kenai Fjords.

Glaucous Gull Larus hyperboreus: A single immature on St Paul and an interesting first summer hybrid between this and the previous species also there. An extremely common bird at Nome and Barrow with many hundreds seen at both places, especially at the respective town dumps. The smaller and slightly darker subspecies in Alaska is barrovianus.

Sabine’s Gull Xema sabini: Great views of three smart adults at the mouth of Safety Sound were much appreciated by all. A single in the Cook Inlet off Westchester Lagoon was a bit of a surprise. We were then treated to fabulous views of an exquisite pair at the Freshwater Lake at Barrow where we saw up to eight in a day.

Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla: Very common on St Paul and in the Seward area especially on the boat trip to Kenai Fjords where many hundreds were seen. We also saw small numbers over the Norton Sound at Nome and a few at Barrow. The subspecies seen, pollicaris, is restricted to the Pacific and may be another one that is ripe for splitting.

Red-legged Kittiwake Rissa brevirostris: Although outnumbered by the preceding species we saw up to 30 daily on St Paul where they gave fantastic views. This is a nocturnal feeder preying on just a couple of species of fish and squid out in the Bering Sea. It is therefore not seen in feeding flocks of Black-legged Kittiwakes close inshore on St Paul.

Common Tern Sterna hirundo: Good scope views of an individual of the Siberian form longipennis on St Paul. This distinctive form is darker than Common Tern and shows a blackish bill and darker legs. Another one that will more than likely be split off at some stage.

Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea: Most abundant at Nome where up to 300 were seen in a day, especially at the mouth of Safety Sound. We saw them displaying and courtship feeding. Small numbers elsewhere including pairs at many freshwater wetlands and a handful at Barrow.

Aleutian Tern Sterna aleutica: Stunning views of up to 25 at Safety Sound where we were able to watch these lovely birds displaying and courtship feeding on the sand right in front of us and listened to their strange and distinctive chattering calls.

ALCIDAE Common Murre (C Guillemot) Uria aalge: Much less common than the next species on St Paul

where they were in the decided minority but many hundreds during the boat trip to Kenai Fjords, especially on the Chiswell Islands.

Thick-billed Murre (Brünnich’s Guillemot) Uria lomvia: Abundant on St Paul where this species greatly outnumbered the Common Murre on the breeding cliffs with up to 1000 or more in a day. We also saw a couple offshore at Nome. Pacific birds (arra) are longer billed than nominate birds from the Atlantic.

Black Guillemot Cepphus grylle: A couple of distant birds out by the pack ice at Barrow. Pigeon Guillemot Cepphus columba: A few distant birds on St Paul and then much better views of at

least 10 off Seward and 30 during the boat trip to Kenai Fjords. Best separated from the previous species by their dusky wing linings.

Marbled Murrelet Brachyramphus marmoratus: Three showed well on Resurrection Bay off Lowell Point Road at Seward and then at least six during the boat trip to Kenai Fjords.

Kittlitz’s Murrelet Brachyramphus brevirostris: At least four during the boat trip to Kenai Fjords, all around the entrance to, and in, Northwestern Fjord. Three individuals (one of which was more or less in winter plumage making the identification straight forward!) showed incredibly well, allowing repeated close approaches. We were able to see the obvious


contrasting dark eye, the overall paler plumage, and shorter bill of this subtle and localized species.

Ancient Murrelet Synthliboramphus antiquus: One on St Paul was a little elusive, flying off almost as soon as we had seen it. Ten or so on the boat trip to Kenai Fjords gave rather better views but were still a little skittish!

Parakeet Auklet Aethia psittacula: Fabulous views of hundreds of birds on St Paul. They were still in the process of establishing nest sites and a cliff that was alive with birds one day could be devoid the next!

Least Auklet Aethia pusilla: This diminutive alcid was abundant on St Paul where we saw thousands daily. Although they nest largely in boulder fields on the shore they would come right up on the cliffs like all the other alcids.

Crested Auklet Aethia cristata: Less common than the preceding two species on St Paul, we only saw up to 100 of these comical creatures in a day and they seemed more skittish than the other species. The call, like the barking of a small dog, carries quite some distance.

Rhinoceros Auklet Cerorhinca monocerata: Just eight of these strange-looking dumpy auks were seen during the boat trip to Kenai Fjords, a couple of which allowed really great views.

Horned Puffin Fratercula corniculata: Small numbers on the cliffs at St Paul where some extremely confiding individuals allowed a close approach. Also very common during the boat trip to Kenai Fjords where at least 300 were seen.

Tufted Puffin Lunda cirrhata: Much time was spent watching the comical comings and goings of these fantastic birds along the cliffs at St Paul. Also very common off the Chiswell Islands were we saw at least 500. Rated as our top alcid in the post trip bird of the trip vote.

COLUMBIDAE Rock Dove (feral) Columba livia: Just small numbers thankfully. STRIGIDAE Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus: Although the nest in Palmer had been deserted, we were lucky

enough to find a roosting adult, though it moved off fairly quickly. Sadly we found one of the juveniles dead under some power lines. A tragic end to a spring of hard work for the adults.

Snowy Owl Nyctea scandiaca: I really thought this was going to be the one blow of the tour. Having narrowly missed them on several occasions on St Paul (though we did find a likely looking plastic bag!), we arrived at Barrow to find that it was a bad lemming year and hence a bad Snowy Owl year! After two days of scouring every white blob (and in a snowy landscape, that’s a lot of white blobs!) Ueli found our quarry and we were able to enjoy a pure white adult male (just a black mark on one tertial) staring at us cat-like through half-closed yellow eyes! A great end to the tour, especially as it was one of Ueli and Geoff’s most wanted birds!

Northern Hawk-Owl Surnia ulula: Another one that took much finding, but it was all worth it as our views in Denali National Park were simply staggering! Top bird for Mike and third overall!

Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus: One on St Paul, three sightings at Nome (including one that flew right over us) and another three at Barrow.

TROCHILIDAE Rufous Hummingbird Selasphorus rufus: Two pugnacious males coming to a feeder at Portage and

another briefly in Seward. It really does not seem right that they can survive so far north!


ALCEDINIDAE Belted Kingfisher Ceryle alcyon: Just three in total including a pair along a river at Nome, about as

for north as the species gets. PICIDAE Hairy Woodpecker Picoides villosus: Great views of a female feeding on the ground near to Skilak

Lake. The race here is septentrionalis. American Three-toed Woodpecker Picoides dorsalis: An after breakfast sortie in the outskirts of

Anchorage reaped immediate rewards as we found a drumming male almost as soon as we had locked the vehicle! This gave terrific views and we went on to see another near to Seward. This species was formerly lumped in Eurasian Three-toed Woodpecker P. tridactylus. The race here is fasciatus.

TYRANNIDAE Olive-sided Flycatcher Contopus cooperi: We had a couple of encounters with this tree top species,

the first in Chugach State Park in Anchorage and then more prolonged views near to Skilak Lake.

Western Wood-Pewee Contopus sordidulus: A single near to Palmer was a write-in for this tour. Alder Flycatcher Empidonax alnorum: The only common tyrannid in Alaska. We first saw it near to

Lake Skilak with further birds at Palmer and on the way to the Arctic Valley. Hammond’s Flycatcher Empidonax hammondii: After much perseverance, and having endured an

unpleasantly high number of mosquito attacks, we enjoyed good views of a pair near to Palmer.

Say’s Phoebe Sayornis saya: First seen at great distance at Nome, we enticed one right down next to us and then had good views of a pair that were breeding in the Eielson centre in Denali National Park.

LANIIDAE Northern Shrike (Great Grey S) Lanius excubitor: Just a single in riverside trees near to Nome. The

subspecies concerned is invictus. CORVIDAE Grey Jay Perisoreus canadensis: Our first encounter was with a very confiding pair in Chugach State

Park in Anchorage. We later had excellent views in a number of other locations including Cooper Landing where we saw some very inquisitive dark juveniles. They were also fairly common in the Denali area (especially when scanning for Northern Hawk Owls!).

Steller’s Jay Cyanocitta stelleri: A fantastic encounter with an extremely tame, dust-bathing individual in Anchorage was followed by several encounters with small numbers in and around Seward.

Black-billed Magpie Pica hudsonia: Common in the Anchorage area, around Denali and especially on the Kenai Peninsula.

Northwestern Crow Corvus caurinus: Fairly common around Seward and during the Kenai Fjords boat trip. (The crows seen at Washington Airport are also supposedly this species.)

Common Raven Corvus corax: Another fairly common species around Anchorage, Denali and on the Kenai Peninsula and very common at Nome where up to 50 were seen daily where they were especially common around the dump.

ALAUDIDAE Horned Lark (Shore L) Eremophila alpestris: A couple were seen at the eastern end of the Denali

Highway and we saw another on the last day on our hike up the Arctic Valley.


HIRUNDINIDAE Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor: Small numbers for much of the tour including two notable

encounters, namely, a mating pair on a sign post near to Council (Nome area) and an aberrant individual in Anchorage that was all sooty coloured with a slight green iridescence.

Violet-green Swallow Tachycineta thalassina: Small numbers in Anchorage and on the Kenai Peninsula.

Bank Swallow (Sand Martin) Riparia riparia: The first on St Paul looked rather cold and out of place and we went on to see small numbers at several sites.

Cliff Swallow Hirundo pyrrhonota: Small numbers at Nome where we watched several visiting their nests under a bridge. Our best views were of the 40 or so birds at the breeding colony under the Eielson Visitor Centre in Denali and of some of the 500 or so that were grounded by the inclement weather at the eastern end of the Denali Highway.

PARIDAE Black-capped Chickadee Poecile atricapillus: First seen at Westchester Lagoon and also seen in

Chugach State Park, and at Potter Marsh in Anchorage nearby. Later we saw singles near Seward and Denali and a pair near Palmer.

Chestnut-backed Chickadee Poecile rufescens: Four seen in Seward a couple of which gave some fabulous views.

Boreal Chickadee Poecile hudsonicus: Two coming to a feeder in Seward were the only ones seen. SITTIDAE Red-breasted Nuthatch Sitta canadensis: Great looks at a single male in Seward that was giving its

typical trumpeting call. TROGLODYTIDAE Winter Wren Troglodytes troglodytes: Only seen on St Paul where the birds that breed along the

cliffs belong to the large, pale, endemic race alascensis. CINCLIDAE American Dipper Cinclus mexicanus: Brilliant views of a pair on a river near to Nome. REGULIDAE Golden-crowned Kinglet Regulus satrapa: Just a single singing male of this very Firecrest-like species

lured in during one of our stops between Anchorage and Seward. Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula: A common bird around Anchorage, and down towards

Seward. Although some were seen well, we heard far more than we saw! SYLVIIDAE Arctic Warbler Phylloscopus borealis: When the bus broke down on our way to the Eielson centre in

the Denali National Park, we decided to stretch our legs and a singing Arctic Warbler was our reward. Just about the last summer visitor to arrive in Alaska having made their way from their southeast Asian wintering grounds through Siberia and on to Alaska!

TURDIDAE Siberian Rubythroat Luscinia calliope: Mike caused some wonderful looks of bewilderment amongst

the American birders when he casually asked if anyone wanted to see a male Siberian Rubythroat that he had just found. Sadly it vanished but reappeared the following day,


giving great views as it sang from the base of the cliffs and repeatedly chased Least Auklets off the rocks and back out to sea!

Bluethroat Luscinia svecica: Superb views of a couple of spectacular singing males (nice display flight) along the Kougarok Road at Nome.

Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe: A male on a rocky slope along the Teller Road at Nome was only seen as it was hopping around on rocks close to a Gyr Falcon.

Grey-cheeked Thrush Catharus minimus: A common bird at Nome where our best views were of birds singing from telegraph wires. We also saw and heard a few in the Denali area.

Swainson’s Thrush Catharus ustulatus: Only seen along Crow Creek Road (a couple) between Anchorage and Seward and near to Palmer, where five were seen.

Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus: Only really seen in the Seward area where we had some great looks along the Exit Glacier Road.

American Robin Turdus migratorius: Seen in small numbers virtually everywhere except Barrow and St Paul.

Varied Thrush Ixoreus naevius: We had a number of superb encounters with this splendid ventriloquist, with our best views being in the Seward area and around Cooper Landing where we watched a confiding male collecting food.

MOTACILLIDAE Alaska Wagtail Motacilla [flava] tschutschensis: Quite a common breeding bird at Nome where we

saw a number of individuals. The race here is tschutchensis, which is essentially similar to Blue-headed Wagtail (flava) but the sides of the breast are spotted with grey.

American Pipit Anthus rubescens: A couple of sightings of migrants on St Paul, a single at Nome and a pair including a singing bird at the top of the Arctic Valley on the last afternoon.

BOMBYCILLIDAE Bohemian Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus: A single watched at length in a tree top at the top end of

the Glenn Highway. An elusive and erratic breeding species in this part of the world. PARULIDAE Orange-crowned Warbler Vermivora celata: A fairly common bird with small numbers being seen or

heard in most areas except Barrow and St Paul. It typically breeds in low willow scrub and mixed spruce forest.

Yellow Warbler Dendroica petechia: Thinly spread with a total of just seven logged, the first being a fine male near Nome.

Yellow-rumped Warbler Dendroica coronata: A common breeding species in the Anchorage area, on the Kenai Peninsula and around Denali. These are of the nominate race, often referred to as Myrtle Warbler.

Townsend’s Warbler Dendroica townsendi: A couple of stunning males at Chugach State Park in Anchorage were our first and we went on to see several more in the Seward area.

Blackpoll Warbler Dendroica striata: Only seen along the Denali Highway where we saw several stunning males.

Northern Waterthrush Seiurus noveboracensis: We saw several in the stream-side willow scrub at Nome, where one or two gave extremely close views, and heard a few others.

Wilson’s Warbler Wilsonia pusilla: Fairly common around Nome where we saw some fine males, with several more in the Seward area, at Denali National Park and along the Denali Highway.


EMBERIZIDAE American Tree Sparrow Spizella arborea: Common at Nome, in Denali National Park and along the

Denali Highway. Several confiding individuals of this northern breeder were seen at close range.

Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis: Common throughout with the exception of St Paul. Red Fox Sparrow Passerella iliaca: Fairly common around Nome and in the Denali area. The race

concerned is zaboria (one of three races included in Red Fox Sparrow). Often referred to simply as Fox Sparrow but a four way split is now being followed by some authors.

Sooty Fox Sparrow Passerella unalaschensis: Great views of a couple at Portage and a couple more around Seward. Often included in the above species.

Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia: A few seen well in the Seward area and also seen at Palmer. Lincoln’s Sparrow Melospiza lincolnii: Seen very well at Potter Marsh and heard at a couple of other

localities. White-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys: A common bird almost everywhere, especially at

Nome. The race concerned is the pale lored gambelii, often referred to as Gambel’s White-crowned Sparrow.

Golden-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia atricapilla: First seen near to Nome where this smart sparrow was quite a common bird with at least eight individuals being seen and others heard. Also seen well in Denali National Park and at Arctic Valley.

Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis: Seen in the Anchorage area, around Denali and on the Kenai Peninsula. These are of the nominate race often referred to as Slate-coloured Junco.

Lapland Longspur (L Bunting) Calcarius lapponicus: A very abundant bird everywhere on St Paul Nome and Barrow. The song flighting males are really gorgeous birds.

Smith’s Longspur Calcarius pictus: A long detour down the Denali Highway reaped rewards when we found a fabulous male in a small bog which allowed fantastic views as it sang from the tops of shrubs and fed on the ground in front of us.

Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis: A very common bird on St Paul and at Barrow where they can be heard singing everywhere, even in the towns.

McKay’s Bunting Plectrophenax hyperboreus: Two fabulous males showed well on St Paul. A third bird was possibly a hybrid as it showed some black in the lower scapulars. The status of this bird is up for question and what constitutes a pure McKay’s Bunting is far from black and white (metaphorically speaking!!). It could be that all three of the individuals that we saw fit the criteria. The two best ones may well have been first summer males that had arrived as part of an influx the previous autumn. Sadly, it may be that this species will be lumped in Snow Bunting in the future.

ICTERIDAE Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus: Just a single female at the back of Potter Marsh. Rusty Blackbird Euphagus carolinus: White-eyed males seen well near to Nome and near to Seward. FRINGILLIDAE Brambling Fringilla montifringilla: I bumped into a female during a senior moment (I was looking for

my binoculars!) on St Paul and triggered a twitch around the canteen which ended up being successful for the assembled crowd!

Grey-crowned Rosy-Finch Leucosticte tephrocotis: A very common, attractive and tame bird on St Paul where they are one of the few species to visit the garden feeders! The race here is the large umbrina.

Pine Grosbeak Pinicola enucleator: Smashing views of a male and two females visiting a feeder close to Seward (after an anonymous tip off!) and another male close to Lake Skilak.


Red Crossbill (Common C) Loxia curvirostra: Two (the male was photographed) near to Council were a long way from their usual range. Whether their origin was from further south in Alaska or Siberia would be difficult to ascertain.

Common Redpoll Carduelis flammea: Small numbers around Nome, Anchorage, the Denali area and a couple at Barrow.

Hoary Redpoll (Arctic R) Carduelis hornemanni: A common bird at Nome where we had several memorable encounters. The pink-hued males were particularly smart. The race concerned is exilipes.

Pine Siskin Carduelis pinus: Best views of this somewhat drab finch were at the feeders in the Seward area.

MAMMALS Arctic Fox Alopex lagopus: Numerous on St Paul where they were an almost constant sight

especially around the village. Most were dark but one or two white ones were seen. Also a few at Nome and a couple on the tundra at Barrow.

Red Fox Vulpes vulpes: Just a couple of sightings at Nome. Black Bear (American B B) Ursus americanus: Good looks at a single raiding a Glaucous-winged

Gull colony during the Kenai Fjords boat trip. Brown Bear (Grizzly B) Ursus arctos: Definitely one of the mammalian highlights of the tour with no

less than eight being seen on our day in Denali National Park (two sows with one small cub and one with three!). A really blond female walked right past the bus!

Sea Otter Enhydra lutris: Lots of sightings of this endearing animal around Seward and during the boat trip in Kenai Fjords National Park.

Northern Fur Seal Callorhinus ursinus: Hundreds hauled out on the shores of St Paul. The males territorial roar is an impressive noise!

Northern Sealion (Steller’s S) Eumetopias jubatus: Half a dozen distant animals hauled out off St Paul and about 100 during the boat trip in Kenai Fjords National Park. This animal is gravely threatened (probably by over fishing) and numbers have declined alarmingly in recent decades.

Harbour Seal (Common S) Phoca vitulina: c100 hauled out on the glacial ice during the Kenai Fjords boat trip. They were pretty shy but a few chose to swim up and have a close look at us.

Largha Seal (Spotted Seal) Phoca largha: A single hauled out near to the mouth of Safety Lagoon. Killer Whale (Orca) Orcinus orca: We were delighted to see a pod of around eight animals during

the Kenai Fjords boat trip. One of the males had a collapsed dorsal fin (this is possibly caused by stress) and there were several younger animals with them. It is amazing to think that they were technically asleep!

Common Porpoise Phocoena phocoena: A single individual seen distantly during the Kenai Fjords boat trip.

Dall’s Porpoise Phocoenoides dalli: A few entertaining animals bow riding in the Kenai Fjords National Park. Reputedly the fastest mammal in the ocean.

White Whale (Beluga) Delphinapterus leucas (NL): Geoff and Mike were lucky enough to see a pod in the Cook Inlet as we were coming into land at Anchorage Airport.

Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae: Fantastic views of five in Kenai Fjords National Park. Incredible that we could identify two of the individuals by their tail fluke pattern within minutes of seeing them!

Moose Alces alces: Eight seen in total with probably the best views in Denali National Park. Reindeer (Caribou) Rangifer tarandus: Up to 300 seen on St Paul where they are introduced, up to

500 seen at Nome and small numbers (20 or so) in Denali National Park.


Musk Ox Ovibos moschatus: We had several encounters with this really impressive animal in the Nome area. Three groups totalling around 30 were seen from the Kougarok Road and we also saw them a couple of times from the Teller Road where a couple were very close to the road indeed.

Mountain Goat Oreamnos americanus: A couple of distant animals on a mountain behind Seward and then a dozen or so on cliff faces near Northwestern Glacier.

Dall Sheep Ovis dalli: Common in Denali National Park where we saw at least 35 animals in scattered groups.

American Beaver Castor canadensis: One seen rather distantly on a lake along the Kougarok Highway near Nome. Otherwise, lots of evidence in the way of dams and lodges, especially along the Denali Highway.

Red Squirrel Tamiasciurus hudsonicus: A few in the Seward and Denali areas. Arctic Souslik (A Ground Squirrel) Spermophilus parryii: Common in the Nome Area, in Denali

National Park and during our hike up Arctic Valley. It is a staple prey item for many predators.

Hoary Marmot Marmota caligata: Just two seen in Denali National Park, on crags opposite Primrose Ridge.

Muskrat Ondatra zibethicus: One of these ‘mini-beavers’ at Lake Spenard and another at Westchester Lagoon.

North American Porcupine Erithizon dorsatum: A couple of sightings of roadside animals, the first at Cooper Landing and then a rather bedraggled looking individual along the Denali Highway.

Snowshoe Hare Lepus americanus: Just one at Nome and another in Denali National Park. Another important prey species.

Documents

ALASKA - Birdquest REP 04.pdf · 2013-11-12 · 1 Birdquest: Alaska 2004 ALASKA 31 MAY - 20 JUNE 2004 TOUR REPORT LEADER: PETE MORRIS ... inhabitants sits at the northern end of Cook