Alaska Bird ObservatoryAlaska Bird Observatory
The Arctic Warbler - On-Line EditionNews from the Alaska Bird Observatory©2000 Alaska Bird Observatory, Inc. Winter 2000 Table of ContentsArctic Interns - Give a Gift for Curlews - Year Ending Giving Ideas - Many, Many Thanks - Fall Migration Report - Volunteer Profile - Ramiro Aragon - Be Careful Feeding Birds - Valuable Volunteers - Staff News and Notes - Bird Banders Converge on Fairbanks - ABO Wishlist - ABO's Breeding Bird Surveys - Participate in the 101st Christman Bird Count - What Can Mist Netting Tell Us About Avian Distributions - Canadian Topsy-Turey Birds - Holiday Gifts |
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Securing a job as a field biologist is a highly competitive process. Applicants with a college degree but no field experience usually end up at the bottom of the resumé pile. Volunteering or working as an intern for a research project is a great way to gain valuable experience and make contact with professionals in one's field of interest. ABO internships differ from our typical volunteer positions in that interns commit to a rigorous training and work schedule that typically spans four to eight weeks. They are usually exposed to more aspects of a research project, from setting up mist nets or study plots, to conducting the actual fieldwork, to entering data into a computer. In most cases, interns are working toward a career in biology, while our volunteers are often employed in fields unrelated to science. Interns receive a cost-of-living reimbursement for their daily work, while volunteers simply receive our undying gratitude. Despite these differences, both are highly valued members of our field crews. Marin Sardy was an intern on ABO's Tok River study this past summer. The following is an excerpt from a letter she wrote thanking the Skaggs Foundation for funding her internship position: I'd like to thank you for providing me with the opportunity to take part in an ABO internship. It was a wonderful experience, and it has already proven valuable as a step towards a career in biology. Before last summer, I knew next to nothing about birds... With only a little birding experience, a job in this field would be next to impossible to get. But then I found out about ABO. Not only did I learn every day more and more about bird identification, songs and calls, life history, and habitat needs, I also met people in the field. Because of the ABO internship, I am now working at the US Fish and Wildlife banding station at Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge. Besides the positive practical impacts, the internship was also just plain fun. I was hiking through the forest every day, or canoeing down the river, and seeing everything from moose to lynx to Northern Hawk Owls. I absolutely loved it, and will likely work as a paid staff member in the same project next year, passing along my knowledge and sharing the experience once again. ABO will be offering a number of field internships again in 2001. ABO is also a host site for an internship available through the Alaska Conservation Foundation. Information about the positions and how to apply will be posted on our web site at www.alaskabird.org after December 15. The application period typically runs from January 1 through March 1, with positions being filled as qualified applicants are found. Visitors to the Creamer's Field Migration Station no longer have to stand or sit in the dirt during banding presentations, thanks to a grant from the Arctic Audubon Society. ABO now has four log benches for our guests in an area designated for educational programs. An interpretive sign about songbird migration was also installed in the area. Thank you to Sam Patten and Jason Caikoski with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game for helping with this project. Thank you also to Stephanie Jones for a pair of digital calipers, Dan Gibson and Jennifer Jolis for a framed John Pitcher print, and Bob Day for a field guide to warblers. |
I recently purchased the new Sibley Guide to Birds, an exquisitely illustrated field guide aptly described by Terry Tempest Williams as "an ecological testament to the majesty of birds in all their variations." I also picked up Ken Kaufman's Birds of North America, the first reference I've seen with digitally edited photographs. I bought these at Sam's Club of all places—a testament to the public's increasing fascination with birds. Ted Swem, ABO's board president, pointed out some somber features that sets these books apart from earlier field guides. No Eskimo Curlew. No Ivory-billed Woodpecker. No Bachman's Warbler. No Dusky Seaside Sparrow. Although we've known for a long time that these species and subspecies were probably extinct, their presence in field guides provided a faint glimmer of hope that perhaps a few individuals remained for a lucky birder or scientist to find. "How sad we've conceded extinction for these species," Ted says. I couldn't agree more. The good news is that a tremendous effort is underway to help prevent the loss of more species. Habitat acquisitions, "citizen science" projects, birding festivals, research, and science-based advocacy are underway throughout the Americas. You, our members, play an important role in the process. Each time you make a donation, volunteer a few hours, buy one of our t-shirts or CDs, or attend an ABO workshop, you're supporting our efforts to advance the conservation of birds and their habitats. As we approach the holiday season, I ask that you help reinforce our efforts by purchasing a gift membership to ABO for a friend or relative. The more people we can educate and inspire, the better our chances are of achieving our conservation goals. Maybe then, the next major field guide published won't be missing any more species.
P.S. The first printing of the Sibley book is apparently sold out. ABO hopes to acquire books from the second printing for resale. Watch our web site for updates.
A year-end gift to ABO can help you minimize your tax burden while supporting our conservation efforts. A cash gift is the easiest way to support our research and education programs. If you itemize on your tax return, cash gifts to ABO are generally deductible up to 50% of your adjusted gross income. Instead of selling or trading in your used car, consider donating a vehicle to ABO. You'll get a tax deduction, and we'll have a way to get our scientists into the field next summer. We are looking for a fuel-efficient vehicle in good working condition, preferably a 4WD wagon, mini SUV, or small pickup. A gift of stock you've owned for years can help you avoid capital gains tax if the stock has appreciated, and your charitable deduction is equal to the full fair market value of the stock. A bequest to ABO through your will qualifies for an estate tax deduction and will support our conservation programs for years to come. To make a gift, please call Nancy at (907) 451-7059 for more information. |
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As I sit here at the conclusion of the 2000 field season, I feel a mixture of remorse as I breathe a sigh of relief. Remorse because this season was exciting, full of cool rainy weather, training courses, certifications, conferences, high capture rates, and rare birds. Relief because for all its excitement, great people, frenzied mornings and adrenaline, the season is over and I finally have a chance to contemplate it. The fall season started on July 15 with an intensive two-week training program for biologists and our interns. During the two weeks we caught good numbers of dispersing juveniles, giving the trainees a taste for the fun and frustrations of banding. We captured and recaptured dozens of young Lincoln's Sparrows, Orange-crowned Warblers, and Yellow-rumped Warblers. As August rolled around capture rates dropped to fewer than 50 birds per day, likely because juvenile dispersal slowed. Long after I expected the days to pick up, they finally did…with a bang. In less than a week we went from capturing 30-60 birds per day to a steady flow of 100+ bird days. The peak hit hard on September 6 just as members of the Western Bird Banding Association began arriving. They were awed by the day's capture total of 584. It was the highest single day ever at this site by over 150 birds. The following day, September 7, was the North American Banding Council's bander certification program where 11 banders and 6 trainers took part. The following days were equally frenzied, with hundreds of birds captured and banders from all over the United States volunteering at the migration station. Numbers of birds and conferences were not the only highlights of the 2000 season. In August, we netted the fifth capture of a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher at Creamer's Field. Based on mist-net captures and sightings, this species appears to have expanded its range into interior Alaska. During late September, we captured a Brown Creeper, a species rarely seen around Fairbanks and a first capture for our station. With its stiff tail feathers and long curved bill, the creeper offered a welcome touch of variety to the usual fall birds. Since 1992, we have banded tens of thousands of birds of dozens of species during fall migration. Raptors, owls, shorebirds, woodpeckers, and 41 species of passerines have been banded. We're developing an understanding of the patterns of migration, life-history details, and hints of population trends. We've documented new species for interior Alaska, range expansions, and vagrants. And for those who work, volunteer, or visit the Creamer's Field Migration Station, we've created memories of nets filled with migrants, and shared the wonder at the elegant forms of the birds that pass through our station. With those images in mind, I look forward to 2001. Total number of captures (includes recaptures) at Creamer's Field Migration Station: 15 July - 30 September 2000.
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Volunteer Profile - Ramiro AragonRamiro, a.k.a. Ram, came to ABO from Oaxaca State in Mexico. Though this was his first trip to Alaska, Ram was in the state for a month before he arrived in Fairbanks. He worked in Palmer to save up money for his future travels. He first learned of the Alaska Bird Observatory via the Internet, which he enjoys exploring in his spare time. Though new to mist netting songbirds, Ram has been involved with bat research projects. He first perfected his net extraction skills on vampire bats, where he had to wear heavy leather gloves and watch out for sharp teeth and rabies. During his time at ABO, his goal was to learn more about songbird mist netting, banding, bird identification in the field, and Alaska's birds in general. Ram also enjoyed meeting fellow North American ornithologists. He hopes to someday earn a Master's degree in ornithology in Mexico and study the migratory birds of Oaxaca. For now, he is enjoying learning about Alaska — especially the tundra and wildlife. In his spare time, Ram enjoys playing the saxophone, hiking, camping, and birdwatching. When he finishes in Fairbanks, he will travel to Europe and help a friend start a business. Hopefully, he will return to Fairbanks next summer. He thinks Fairbanks is a nice place and has enjoyed his first experience with snow and the northern lights. Eventually, Ram plans to return to Oaxaca and secure a job where he can use his ornithological skills in the field. Staff News and NotesCongratulations to Anna-Marie Benson for successfully defending her thesis and obtaining her Master's degree in Biology from the University of Alaska Fairbanks in May. She will give a repeat of her thesis presentation in Fairbanks during ABO's winter seminar series and a summarized version during an Anchorage Audubon meeting in January. Andrea Swingley also defended her M.S. thesis at UAF in April. Because it had to do with muskox, it won't be featured in our seminar series, but we're proud of her nonetheless! We'd like to welcome Lorrie Hawkins as our first Development Intern. Lorrie, along with her daughter Abby, has volunteered at our banding station for five years, and is a licensed bird rehabilitator. Lorrie is helping ABO with grants research, proposal development, and membership recruitment this fall. Her position is funded by a grant from the Alaska Conservation Foundation. Conferences/Workshops Attended:
Valuable VolunteersWe'd like to thank the following volunteers for helping at the Creamer's Field Migration Station this year, including our guests during the WBBA conference. At least 91 people contributed over 2,275 hours of volunteer time this year! Thank you!
Give our office a call at 451-7059 if you can help. Thank you! |
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In early September, 46 people from eight states and one foreign country attended the 2000 Western Bird Banding Association Annual Meeting in Fairbanks hosted by ABO. The conference kicked off with several field trips and a barbecue serving up silver salmon, moose burgers, caribou hotdogs, Alaska blueberry cheesecake, and a presentation by Dr. Susan Sharbaugh on "Overwintering strategies of small birds: Baby, it's cold outside!" Saturday activities included bird banding at Creamer's Field (a 200+ bird day), morning workshops, an afternoon papers session, the WBBA business meeting, and an evening banquet. Carol McIntyre with the National Park Service gave the keynote address, "Golden Eagle Ecology in Denali National Park," which made people eager for the field trip to Denali scheduled for the following day. During the carpool to Denali on Sunday, a few folks spotted moose and Northern Hawk Owls alongside the highway. From the bus inside the park, we saw more hawk owls, plus Gyrfalcons, Boreal Chickadees, Dall sheep, grizzly bear, caribou, and beautiful landscapes. ABO would like to thank the Park Service for arranging this special interpretive tour for the WBBA attendees, and Carol McIntyre for coming along as our guide and naturalist. In addition to our guest speakers, we are grateful to the following for making the conference a success. Dave Lambert, Dave Shaw, Ted Heuer, Lori Quakenbush, Judy Williams, Joanne Haller, and Nancy DeWitt donated food for our Friday social, while Chris Swingley, Carl Benson and Jim DeWitt ran the barbecues. Gail Mayo volunteered at the registration table for two days, and Marty Baldridge helped sell ABO t-shirts during the banquet. John Wright, Mark Ross, and Andrea Swingley led field trips for us, while Dan Gibson shared the bird collection at the UA Museum with some of the banders. Wedgewood Resort provided us with a discount on the conference room, reduced hotel room rates, and outstanding service. Finally, we thank everyone who traveled to Fairbanks to attend the conference. If you missed it, the abstracts for the papers session are posted on our web site. Anna-Marie Benson, ABO's Senior Biologist, will give a free lecture for the Anchorage Audubon Society on Thursday, January 18. Local ABO members are encouraged to attend and hear an update about ABO's research and education programs. Anna-Marie will present results from her graduate work, which examined patterns of migration, molt, and fat storage among high-latitude passerine migrants. The presentation is at 7:30 PM at the Campbell Creek Science Center. The 101st annual Christmas Bird Count (CBC), sponsored by the National Audubon Society, represents the oldest and largest wildlife survey in the world. The first count took place in 1900 with 27 participants. Today, more than 50,000 people participate in this annual, all-day census of early-winter bird populations. The sample area for a CBC is a 15-mile diameter circle. Volunteers count all birds they see in the circle during a designated day between December 14th - January 5th. To learn more about analyses of CBC data, visit: www.mbr.nbs.gov/bbs/int1cbc.html. Christmas Bird Counts are also great recreational and social events (many conclude with a potluck dinner to share results) during the cold, dark days of Alaska's winter. We encourage folks to get involved, whether it's to count birds visiting your feeder or to cover a pre-assigned area. Last year, 31 counts took place in Alaska, including ones in Seward, Haines, Dillingham, Prudhoe Bay, and Galena. If you are interested in participating, contact your local CBC coordinator. A list of some contact numbers follows; others can be obtained by visiting http://www.birdsource.org/cbc/ or calling ABO at 451-7059.
Understanding the geographic distribution of birds is an important component to bird conservation efforts. We cannot make conservation decisions that benefit bird populations without first understanding the geographic areas they occupy. The University of Alaska Museum is the primary institution that has carefully documented the distribution of birds in Alaska. The Alaska Bird Observatory assists the museum by providing information collected through the course of our studies. Mist netting, in association with other observations, can allow us to assess changes in bird distributions. ABO has worked together with Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge to compile our results and assess changes in bird distribution in interior Alaska. During the course of our studies, we have documented what appear to be range expansions of Yellow-bellied Flycatchers and Red-breasted Nuthatches. Our studies have also shown that Arctic Warblers are more widely distributed in interior Alaska than previously known. Additionally, we have documented new records of Tennessee Warbler, Palm Warbler, Mourning Warbler, and Clay-colored Sparrow. Bird distributions have shifted in response to many natural factors. Additionally, many scientists hypothesize that bird distributions will shift in response to our rapidly changing climate and alteration of natural habitats. We hope to continue our contribution to documenting changes in the distribution of Alaska's avifauna. Anna-Marie Benson, Tom Pogson, and Terry Doyle recently co-authored a paper entitled "Updated geographic distribution of eight passerine species in central Alaska" that has been published in the journal Western Birds. Contact ABO to obtain a reprint. ABO's new American Golden Plover t-shirts are now in their fourth printing. This design, with artwork by Dr. George West, is available in a variety of colors and shirt styles. You can view the design and list of color choices on ABO's web site at www.alaskabird.org. The price for the shirts will increase after January 1, so get yours soon! The "Bird Songs of Alaska" CD has also been a top seller for ABO. This two-disc set features the songs and calls of more than 260 bird species found in Alaska. You can order a CD from ABO, or pick one up at a variety of stores and gift shops around Alaska (call or e-mail for a list of vendors). We are still selling our ever-popular Townsend's Warbler shirts, along with Alaska bird checklists, bird song tapes, field guides, and patches. Call or e-mail us for details, or visit our web site. These items, along with jewelry, art prints, notecards, nature books, and nature games will be available during a special holiday sales event at the Creamer's Field Visitor Center. Come do your shopping Dec. 4-15 (M-F) from 4-8 PM or Saturdays from 12-4. We need volunteers to help staff the Visitor Center during this event, so please let us know if you can help. |
Stop 'N Go Birding Nancy DeWitt: Next to the breathtaking landscapes and delightful bird sightings, I think the most entertaining thing about doing Breeding Bird Surveys in Alaska is entering the data over the internet and being queried "Your starting temperature of 36 degrees F seems unusually low. Are you sure this is correct?" June mornings on the Denali Highway can be brisk, but are well worth the extra layer of clothes required. Arctic Warblers were singing at each of the first 15 stops on the Maclaren BBS route this year; altogether I counted 57 of these Old World migrants at 38 stops. In addition to five species each of warblers and sparrows, I was treated to Tundra and Trumpeter Swans, plenty of ducks, numerous Arctic Terns, 200 Cliff Swallows, and not one other vehicle. In all, 26 species were detected. The Chena Hot Springs route near Fairbanks differs greatly from the Maclaren route in vegetation and bird species, but not in beauty. Noise from running water was higher along both routes this year, due to higher snowpack levels this spring. We dog mushers and skiers were delighted to finally have an "average" snow year, so I can't complain about the extra noise from snowmelt. I still managed to detect 30 different species, including a Ruffed Grouse drumming within seconds of climbing out of my car at the second stop. Other highlights included 46 Townsend's Warblers, 76 Swainson's Thrushes, a pair of American Dippers, and one Bohemian Waxwing. Andrea Swingley: I was fortunate this year to take a short break from my education program responsibilities to conduct the Monahan BBS route, which begins approximately 30 miles east of Cantwell along the Denali Highway. Doing a BBS requires an entirely different set of skills from mist netting and conducting banding demonstrations. You need to be able to identify birds by sound as well as by sight. No birds in the hand during a BBS. So I spent a lot of time with my bird song CDs and Bird Song Master software before heading to the Denali Highway. I almost didn't make it to the start of the BBS. Because the survey begins at 3 AM, my husband Chris, our dog Nika, and I stayed at a campground a few miles away from the survey's starting point. We woke at 2 AM and began packing our gear. While Chris worked on the tent, I took a leashed Nika to do her business. We had walked only a few feet away from the campsite when, out of nowhere, a cow moose stood up about 2 feet in front of Nika (who was about 4 feet in front of me). Typical dog that she is, Nika barked and pulled toward the moose as I tried to pull her 50 excited pounds back toward our truck. The moose didn't seem to appreciate our presence, let alone having her rest disturbed, and charged toward us. My adrenaline rush ensured I was awake and ready for the survey. Data from BBS's conducted by ABO contribute to a national database. For more information about the national Breeding Bird Survey, see http://www.mp2-pwrc.usgs.gov/bbs/.
By Andrea Swingley You step outside and hear what sounds like a "nasally-challenged" truck back-up alarm. Yank - yank - yank. But it's coming from the spruce trees in your backyard, so can't be a truck. You follow the noise to find a pair of small birds swaying from side to side on the trunk of a tree. The birds have bluish-gray upperparts, rufous-cinnamon underparts, a white superciliary stripe (it looks like a white eyebrow), and a black stripe running from the base of the bill through the eye. They are Red-breasted Nuthatches (Sitta canadensis) courting. You watch one of the birds a bit longer as it works its way head-first down the tree trunk, probing for insects along the way. By moving down a tree, nuthatches may find in crevices food that is overlooked by birds like creepers and woodpeckers that move up a tree (Terres 1980). Nuthatches are aptly built for their feeding style with their short legs, long toes, and sharp claws for vertical clinging. It is because of their foraging behavior that Red-breasted Nuthatches have been nicknamed "devil-down-head" and "topsy-turvy-bird" (Terres 1980). This irruptive species typically invades areas in the same years as Common Redpolls and Pine Siskins. Irruptions are periodic movements of numbers of birds into unusual ranges for a season (Cox 1996). The irruptive movements of Red-breasted Nuthatches may be related to winter food shortages and occur every 2-3 years (Dunn and Tessaglia-Hymes 1999; Ghalambor and Martin 1999). While insects are nuthatches' primary food source during the breeding season, conifer seeds make up the majority of their diet in winter. Like chickadees, nuthatches will cache seeds and commonly visit bird feeders in winter. However, nuthatches rarely hold food with their feet when eating (as do chickadees), but instead wedge the food into a crevice and peck it into smaller pieces (Ghalambor and Martin 1999; Terres 1980). This behavior is likely the reason for the "nuthatch" name, derived from "nuthack," and Sitte, which means "nuthatch." The species name canadensis means "Canadian" and refers to a portion of their breeding range (Choate 1985). Red-breasted Nuthatches were virtually absent from interior Alaska until 1994. Prior to that, no more than one or two birds were reported on the Christmas Bird Counts and Fairbanks Feeder Counts (J. Wright pers. comm.). Then in 1994, participants in the Fairbanks Feeder Count reported over 60 Red-breasted Nuthatches visiting local feeders. Also in 1994, both ABO's and Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge's banding stations had first-ever captures of Red-breasted Nuthatches (Benson et al. 2000). Numbers of nuthatches have locally declined since 1994, but still remain at higher numbers than previously reported; generally 10-20 birds are reported each year. Red-breasted Nuthatches prefer coniferous and mixed-coniferous forests, and will take black oil sunflower seeds, peanut butter, and suet from bird feeders. If the number of reports of nuthatches ABO has been receiving lately is any indication, lots of people around Fairbanks will be treated to sightings of these topsy-turvy birds at their feeders this year. Literature cited Benson, A-M., T.H. Pogson, and T.J. Doyle. 2000. Updated geographic distribution of eight passerine species in central Alaska. Western Birds. 31:100-105. Choate, E.A. 1985. The dictionary of American bird names. The Harvard Common Press, Boston. Cox, R.T. 1996. Birder's dictionary. Falcon Press Publishing Co., Inc. Helena, Montana. Dunn, E.H. and D.L. Tessaglia-Hymes. 1999. Birds at your feeder: a guide to feeding habits, behavior, distribution, and abundance. W.W. Norton and Company, Inc., New York, N.Y. Ghalambor, C.K., and T.E. Martin. 1999. Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis). In The Birds of North America, No. 459 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA. Terres, J.K. 1980. The Audubon Society encyclopedia of North American birds. Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., New York. |
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| You can get the printed version of The Arctic Warbler, which gives you more information and photos, by joining ABO. It's easy to do. Visit the Join ABO page to see how to join. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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