Modified: July 9, 2010
Alaska Landbird Monitoring Survey
ABO is partnering with the US Fish and Wildlife Service to conduct avian point counts using the Alaska Landbird Monitoring Survey (ALMS) protocol. These data will be used with Breeding Bird Survey data to estimate Alaska’s bird population trends.This year, we are off to Kodiak, Alaska Peninsula/Becharof, Arctic, and Innoko Refuges and the BLM’s National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska.
The final update from the Kodiak crew: A window of clear weather with a low tide sent Erin Kiely and Claire Giuliano out to Wide Bay the same day their grid was completed on the Dog Salmon River. The team set up camp with a front door view of crashing waves from the turquoise ocean and dramatic rock formations. The next morning they hiked down the beach, and then up a brushy alder slope, in an attempt to start the grid. En route to their fifth waypoint, the data collection was interrupted by a Grizzly Bear, who was not pleased with their presence. After a close encounter involving the use of pepper spray, the decision was made to leave the grid. Both the bear, and the crew, were left unscathed.
Another update from the Kodiak crew: A few days after finishing their plot on Kodiak Island, Erin Kiely and Claire Giuliano made their way to the town of King Salmon to attempt two grids on Becharof NWR. With a few days of weather delay, they finally set up camp on the Dog Salmon River. The ALMS grid was in the center of a large basin, making for flat, squishy, wet hiking, and a panoramic view of the coastal mountain range. With points on both sides of the Dog Salmon River, Erin and Claire also moved between points via canoe. It was clear from the first point, that Marbled Godwits were one of the more common birds in the area. Common Loons, Least Sandpipers, and Ptarmigans were also seen.
The Kodiak crew (Biologist Erin Kiely & Intern Claire Giuliano) was able to send an update: After a weather delay on Kodiak the crew made it out to Uganik Island a day late, but with a charm of clear weather, favorable for point counts. The point grid was on top of a steep ridge, that Erin and Claire climbed each morning, practically on their hands and knees. The points were busy with songs, but fairly predictable, with a consistent five species at each point – Golden Crowned Sparrows, Wilson’s Warblers, Fox Sparrows, Orange Crowned Warblers, and Hermit Thrushes. Outside of the grid, the Island was abundant with marine mammals, and a whopping 56 Sea Otters were counted from the view of their cabin on the last morning. Other species included Harbor Seals, Humpback Whales, Brown Bears, and Bald Eagles.
The Petroleum Reserve Crew (Biologist Peter Elstner and Intern Luke Eberhart-Phillips) had difficult terrain to negotiate, but were successful! They had beautiful scenery and constant sunlight to go with the chorus of bird calls they heard each day. They heard and saw many birds and mammals. Read more about their adventure in this short essay by Luke Eberhart-Phillips.
Rusty Blackbird – Yukon Flats
all photos by Katie Eberhart
The Yukon Flats Rusty Blackbird crew has been busy! They have found 23 nests, banded 21 adults, and 48 chicks. Two males were found with two nests and in each case a different female at each nest.. Two nests had 7 eggs (an unusually high number). We have had 5 volunteers each spend at least a week. Thank you to: Asia Andreka from Poland, Frank Williams (former ABO Board member and President), Joel Scurr of Fairbanks, Willow Outwaithe of England, and Katie Eberhart of Palmer Alaska. The crew has seen two male Red-winged Blackbirds, breeding Pacific Loons, American Golden Plovers, Arctic Terns, breeding Short-eared Owls, and Great-gray Owls. At the end of their stay the crew experienced smoke and fallout from a fire west of them near Stevens Village.
Spring Banding at Creamer’s Field Migration Station (CFMS)–19th season
photos by Sue Guers A male Blackpoll Warbler in the hand, caught at ABO’s banding station.
Daily spring banding has been occurring at CFMS from 1 May and will continue until 5 June. Captures are higher than normal (~40-45/day); we’ve been catching baby redpolls for about two weeks. Short-distance migrants are early by about two weeks while the long-distance migrants seem to be on track. We had a pulse of thrushes last week. Hot and sunny conditions make for poor migration conditions; as a result our captures have been lower this week. Dry conditions mean our banders aren’t in chest waders this spring!!
Rusty Blackbirds: Tanana Flats Project
Rusty Blackbird male singing. Photo by Dave Shaw.
Rusty Blackbirds in the Fairbanks area and Tanana Flats are busy busy right now! Rustys in the Flats are slightly ahead of the ‘Town’ birds with most nest there fledging young this week. Town Rustys are currently working hard feeding young hatchlings. We are monitoring 11 active nests located in the Fairbanks area and are finding more each day. Surveys on the Tanana Flats have shown great returns so far. Of 30 banded adults across all years we’ve re-sigted 6 returning adults and one second-year bird (banded in 2009 as a nestling). The color banding push is just beginning, but we’ve already caught 2 adults and banded 2 nests full of chicks.
Tree Swallow Mentoring Program on Creamer’s Refuge
Project Coordiantor/ABO EPSCoR intern Charlene Leininger is working with nine local students to monitor the nesting boxes found around the front fields at the refuge as part of ABO’s youth mentoring program. The first Tree Swallow nest hatched on June 4. This is a full week earlier then last year’s first hatch (June 11)! Stay tuned of more information.
