Birds Found on the Arctic Slope of Northern Alaska Part 5

+Act.i.tis macularia+ (Linnaeus): Spotted sandpiper.--At the south end of Lake Peters on August 15, 1952, after snow covered the valley, a juvenal spotted sandpiper remained along the sh.o.r.e line nearer camp than it had been for four previous days.

+Heteroscelus incanum+ (Gmelin): Wandering tattler.--On each of the days July 3-11, 1952, a wandering tattler was flushed from dense high willows along an 8-foot-deep creek channel that carried water from the west end of Wahoo Lake into the East Fork of the Ivashak River. The bird was at home in the willows and had considerable dexterity in perching on limbs. Although the bird favored one section of the creek, an exhaustive search for young, eggs or nest was fruitless. A loud call was given by this bird when disturbed.

+Erolia melanotos+ (Vieillot): Pectoral sandpiper.--Specimens, 52: Barrier Lake, NE Teshekpuk Lake, 15305'40", 7039'40", 8 ft., 33, Nos. 30616-30636, 30638-30648, 30754 including 5 ad. males, 12 juv.

males, 1 ad. female and 15 juv. females, July 30, Aug. 1-3, 1951; Topagaruk, 15548', 7034', 7, Nos. 30649-30655, including 3 ad. males and 4 ad. females, July 6, 8, 9, 1951; Kaolak River, 15947'40", 7011'15", 30 ft., 6, Nos. 30610-30615 of ad. females, July 12, 14, 15, 18, 1951; Kaolak, 16014'51", 6956'00", 178 ft., 6, Nos.

30604-30609 including 1 juv. male and 5 ad. females, July 20-23, 1951.

The earliest record of young (135 mm in length and 26 grams in weight) was at Kaolak River on July 14, 1951. On July 9, 1952, at Topagaruk the oviduct of an adult female, 86 grams in weight, contained an egg in a sh.e.l.l 200 mm in diameter. Her second largest ovum was 10 mm.

Breeding males on this date had testes averaging 11 mm in length. The average length of testis of 15 juveniles shot on August 3, 1951, at Teshekpuk Lake was 1.9 (1.5-2.0) mm. The average weight of these juveniles was 60 (50-81) grams. A comparison of male and female juveniles shows no significant differences. Nevertheless, adult males in both the breeding and post-breeding seasons are longer bodied and heavier than adult females.

In the period June 14-25, 1952, in the Point Barrow area, pectoral sandpipers were puffing their throats and cooing. On June 23, several birds were defending territories, and one half mile northeast of Barrow Village (June 23, 1952) we noted a male pectoral sandpiper that crouched low when a pomarine jaeger flew directly overhead. After the jaeger pa.s.sed, the sandpiper a.s.sumed normal posture and continued feeding.

At Topagaruk (July 7, 1951) these birds represented less than one per cent of the avian population, were common on polygons having low centers, and frequently joined black-bellied plovers, ruddy turnstones, and semipalmated sandpipers to form discrete flocks.

On a four hour field trip at Kaolak River (July 15, 1951), the pectoral sandpipers (45 by actual count) were the most common of the sandpipers and were always calling overhead. The young on this date were not yet capable of flight and were being fed by adult females.

One of the immatures bathed in water at the edge of the beach. On July 18, females were still attempting to decoy intruders by pretending to have broken wings. Eight adults with young were observed at Kaolak (June 21-27, 1951) but the species was not so aggressive as at Kaolak River, nor so numerous. The fewer birds may have been correlated with lack of sand dunes, river beaches and open areas.

A group of five pectoral sandpipers frequented the sh.o.r.e of Barrier Lake (July 29, 1951) but the group was not seen the following day. On August 3, there was a sudden increase of pectoral sandpipers in the area; most of them were in flocks of six to 50. From one point along edge of the uplands, we shot 20 birds from several different flocks consisting mostly of juveniles. They seemed curious about our presence.

When a bird was shot from the flock, the entire group circled back and forth over the dead or injured bird, sometimes only three or four feet above our heads. In the late evening of this same day, the number of pectoral sandpipers increased and although some were moving westward, most of them were moving eastward. On the following day they were still present in great numbers. The day before the arrival of these migrating birds, two adults (Aug. 2) acted as if they were still attending young. On July 30, we shot at a lone bird as it flew by and thereupon it climbed upward until nearly out of sight as they frequently did when chased by falcons.

At Lake Schrader (July 23, 1952) pectoral sandpipers were active 24 hours of the day.

On August 4, 1952, at the south end of Lake Peters, a group of eight pectoral sandpipers fed near camp. On August 5, one was shot and on the following day only seven were seen, suggesting that they were established in the area and were not migrants. They left on August 12.

At James Robert Lake (3600 feet elev., August 8, 1952), which is the most southern body of water in the canyon south of Lake Peters, several pectoral sandpipers were feeding along the edge of the lake and on the alluvium outwash below James Robert Glacier.

At Gavia Lake there was a decided trend in movement of groups of pectoral sandpipers. On August 22, 1952, groups of 2, 4, 6, 8, 8, 8, 16, 17, 18 flew by to the east. The day before there were only a few sandpipers and these were not especially on the move. Comparison between dates of active movements of sandpipers in 1951 and 1952 indicate that migration was considerably earlier in 1951 than in 1952.

+Erolia bairdii+ (Coues): Baird's sandpiper.--Specimens, 5: Topagaruk, 15548', 7034', 10 ft., 4, Nos. 30657-30660 including 2 ad. males and 2 ad. females, July 7, 9, 10, 1951; Kaolak River, 15947'40", 7011'15", 30 ft., 1, No. 30656, ad. male, July 12, 1951.

On June 14, 1952, at Birnirk mounds, when snow still covered most of the ground, Baird's sandpipers were already established on territories. A nest of four eggs was examined mile southeast of the Arctic Research Laboratory on July 4. The female left the nest when the observer approached to within 20 feet and flew directly toward him and then dropped to the ground and pretended to have a broken wing. We pursued this bird for 50 feet before she took flight. The male, which flew at a much greater speed than the female, was nearby and soon joined her in flight. The female repelled her mate by chasing him, but the male persisted in accompanying her. If one or more males of this species (on one occasion as many as five) approached the territory of these nesting birds, the male would leave the female and chase the trespa.s.sers. On one occasion, after we left the nesting area, the female returned to the nest after approximately four minutes. Her approach to it was direct and without hesitation. After hour we returned to the nest and the male was standing one foot away from the brooding female with his head resting on his wing. The male, followed by the female, left the nest and feigned injury. Sh.o.r.e-birds and water birds were more numerous on this date on the tundra and lakes nearer the Arctic Ocean (in the Point Barrow area) than in the direction of the Brooks Range.

At Topagaruk (July 5-10, 1952) adults of this species were the fourth most common bird, representing four per cent of the avian population.

They were near lakes among polygons some of which had low centers whereas others had high centers. One bird had a nest and four eggs approximately 150 feet from an oil derrick, surrounded on all sides by the tracks of vehicles. This bird feigned injury at the nest notably more than did Baird's sandpipers that inhabited undisturbed tundra beyond. Three adult males, shot at Topagaruk (July 7-10, 1951), averaged 44(42-47) grams in weight and had testes averaging 3.5(3.0-4.5) mm long. Two females, collected in the same period and at the same place averaged 44 grams in weight. The largest ovum was one mm in diameter and the largest ovary three mm long.

Other occurrences were: Kaolak River, July 12-18, 1951 (four juveniles observed in one four hour field trip July 15); Lake Schrader, July 24-28, 1952; Point Barrow, July 27, 1951 (most common sh.o.r.e-bird at fresh-water ponds adjacent to the Arctic Ocean); 2 mi. S Wahoo Lake, on a high divide between the Ivashak and Sadlerochit rivers, July 8, 1952; Lake Schrader, July 23-31, 1952 (active at all hours); S end Lake Peters, August 1 and 2 but not seen there later.

+Erolia alpina pacifica+ (Coues): Dunlin.--Specimens, 21: Barrier Lake, NE Teshekpuk Lake, 15305'40", 7039'40", 8 ft., 1, No. 30661, ad. male, Aug. 1, 1951; Topagaruk River, 15548', 7034', 10 ft., 20, Nos. 30662-30681, 12 ad. males and 8 ad. females, July 6-9, 1951.

Specimens shot at Topagaruk River (July 6-9, 1951) yielded weights of 57(53-64) grams for eleven adult males and 59(55-65) grams for six females. Testes were 3.5(2.0-5.0) mm long, the largest ova were 1.2(.5-2.0) mm, and ovaries were 3.5(3.0-4.0) mm long. An adult female from Teshekpuk Lake (August 1, 1951) weighed 48 grams. Her largest ovum was one mm in diameter and the ovary was 3.5 mm long.

At Topagaruk we observed the species every day (July 5-10, 1951) and on July 7, located a nest and four eggs. Each of the seven times that the brooding female was approached she left the nest when we were approximately 80 feet away and she flew approximately 150 feet before alighting at which time she called. The call resembled that of the western grebe. The wary nature of this sandpiper was in contrast to that of the other smaller sh.o.r.e-birds; they left the nest only when almost stepped on. On July 9, the nest still held four eggs. Adults were the fifth most common bird and made up three per cent of the avian population. They frequented polygons having low centers adjacent to stabilized lakes. At Kaolak River (July 17, 1951) a dunlin was feeding and flying with a group of four semipalmated sandpipers. At Point Barrow (July 27, 1951) dunlins were congregating in small groups at ponds and small lakes adjacent to the Arctic Ocean. At Barrier Lake (July 29-Aug. 4, 1951) three dunlins fed in the area but did not show territorial behavior.

+Limnodromus scolopaceus+ (Say): Long-billed dowitcher.--Specimens, 5: Topagaruk River, 15548', 7034', 10 ft., 2, Nos. 30687, ad. male, July 7, 1951 and 30688, ad. female, July 8, 1951; Kaolak River, 15947'40", 7011'15", 30 ft., 3, Nos. 30684-30686, 3 ad. males, July 12, 14, 1951.

Four males shot at Topagaruk and Kaolak River (July 7-14, 1951) averaged 104(100-110) grams in weight and had testes 4.7(4-6) mm long.

An adult female (July 8) from Topagaruk, weighed 130 grams and her ovary was 7.8 mm long. Her largest ovum was 3.5 mm in diameter. A juvenile from Kaolak River on July 14, 1951, was 150 mm in length and weighed 28 grams; thirteen days later, at Kaolak, a juvenile was shot that measured 265 mm in length and weighed 70 grams.

At Kaolak on July 15, 1951, we saw eight pairs of adults in a four hour field trip. Their young were approximately grown. One pair of adults and four young, the size of parents, were seen daily in the same general area at Kaolak (July 21-27). One bird was observed on August 4, 1951, at Teshekpuk Lake.

+Ereunetes pusillus+ (Linnaeus): Semipalmated sandpiper.--Specimens, 28: Barrier Lake, NE Teshekpuk Lake, 15305'40", 7039'40", 8 ft., 4, Nos. 30692-30695 including 3 juv. males and 1 juv. female, July 30, August 1, 3, 1951; Topagaruk River, 15548', 7034', 10 ft., 21, Nos.

30682, 30683, 30696-30714 including 12 ad. males and 9 ad. females, July 6-9, 1951; Kaolak River, 15947'40", 7011'15", 30 ft., 3, Nos.

30689-30691 including 2 ad. males and 1 ad. of unknown s.e.x, July 12, 14, 15, 1951.

Eleven adult males and nine adult females shot at Topagaruk from July 5-10, 1951, weighed 29(22-30) and 28(25-31) grams, respectively. The greatest length of skulls of each of the above s.e.xes averaged 39.2 mm.

The shortest juvenile, having a skull measuring 35.9 mm long, was a male shot at Kaolak River on July 15, 1951. Juveniles shot at Teshekpuk Lake on August 1 and 3, 1951, averaged 25 grams in weight and 28.4 mm in greatest length of skull. Testes of adults decreased in size from an average of 4 mm on July 6, to an average of 2 mm on July 14. Testes of juveniles on August 3 averaged 1.3 mm in length. The ovaries of seven adults from Topagaruk, shot on July 8 and 9, averaged 2.4 mm in length and the average diameter of the largest ovum was 7/10 mm.

A nest of four eggs, first examined on July 5, 1951, mile southeast of the Arctic Research Laboratory, was abandoned on July 11.

At Topagaruk (July 7, 1951) we flushed several adult semipalmated sandpipers whose behavior suggested that they were nesting. Two days later one nest held newly hatched young. This species was third in abundance there, adults const.i.tuting 15 per cent of the avian population. They were numerous on polygons having low centers and on high windswept knolls in a.s.sociation with black-bellied plovers, ruddy turnstones and pectoral sandpipers. The call resembled that of the Hammond flycatcher and was accompanied by wing vibration.

At Topagaruk (July 9, 1951) a female semipalmated sandpiper fluttered off a nest, uttered a sharp cry, feigned injury by fluttering around the observer, became seemingly indifferent but refused to return to her nest, uttered sharp cries, came to within seven feet of the observer who was sitting within three feet of the nest and alternately chattered, ate several large dipterous insects from the ground and in approximately five minutes went back on the nest, within easy reach, although she still was not completely quiet. When the observer rose to leave she again fluttered off the nest and feigned injury (the bird was preserved as a specimen). The nest was concealed in a small depression surrounded on all sides by tufts of vegetation and contained four young, one of which had hatched no more than three hours before.

On a four field trip at Kaolak River (July 15, 1951) we counted 14 juveniles in large stands of willows among sand dunes. These juveniles were making short flights of from 15 to 40 feet. In contrast to the situation at Topagaruk (July 5-10), there were fewer semipalmated sandpipers than Baird's sandpipers at Kaolak River (July 12-18, 1951).

July 16 was the first date on which family groups of sandpipers here ventured out on the exposed sand bars along the river for feeding. One juvenile was carried by wind over the river where it dropped into the water. When last seen the juvenile was being floated upstream by the wind. Next day in the same general area where winds had driven water on the sand, four semipalmated sandpipers were feeding with dunlin.

These five birds kept together both on the ground and in flight.

At Point Barrow (July 27, 1951) semipalmated sandpipers were forming small groups and feeding on small lakes and ponds adjacent to the Arctic Ocean. At the south end of Lake Peters (Aug. 3, 1952) several semipalmated sandpipers were feeding in dry areas of alluvium trampled by caribou.

+Limosa lapponica baueri+ Naumann: Bar-tailed G.o.dwit.--At Kaolak River on July 18, 1951, one G.o.dwit was in company with a pair of golden plovers on a bare slope of an old sand dune along the edge of the river. The G.o.dwit when approached flew 150 feet and alighted and when pursued again flew another 150 feet and then departed for a lake 1/5 mile away.

+Phalaropus fulicarius+ (Linnaeus): Red phalarope.--Specimens, 11: Topagaruk River, 15548', 7034', 10 ft., 11, Nos. 30715-30725 including 10 ad. males and 1 ad. female, July 6-9, 1951.

At Topagaruk (July 5, 1951), we located a nest and four eggs on the edge of a small drainage channel on the tundra. The nest was among mosses and lichens, one foot from open water. The bird left the nest when the observer was only four feet distant but on a second approach one hour later, left when the observer was 20 feet away. In each instance the bird pretended to have an injured wing. On July 7, this nest held four eggs. On July 8, there were four young, hatched either the previous afternoon or night and the female left the nest when the observer was 30 feet away. Ten adult males, shot at Topagaruk (July 5-10, 1951), averaged 50(45-54) grams in weight. These birds had testes that averaged 6.5(2.5-9.0) mm long. The red phalarope on July 7 was the fifth most common bird in the area, making up two per cent of the avian population and was commonly seen on polygons having high centers.

At Kaolak River (July 12-18, 1952) red phalaropes were uncommon. On July 15, a female was noted but seemed not to have young or to be nesting. A juvenile from Kaolak (July 22, 1951) was 180 mm in length and weighed 31 grams. On September 6 and 7, we observed hundreds of these birds, mostly juveniles, feeding in the ocean two to three feet beyond beaches at Point Barrow. Small lakes and open water in marshes had been frozen over since September 5, but larger lakes still were open. Except for a few birds around edges of open bodies of water, the great bulk of red phalaropes was (Aug. 7, 1951) on the Arctic Ocean.

On September 11, there was none at Point Barrow. Thomas Brower, a resident at Barrow Village, stated that he had never before seen this species congregate on the Arctic Ocean bordering the sh.o.r.e.

+Lobipes lobatus+ (Linnaeus): Northern phalarope.--Specimens, 5: Topagaruk River, 15548', 7034', 10 ft., 2, Nos. 30729, ad. male, July 9, 1951, and 30730, ad. female, July 8, 1951; Kaolak River, 15947'40", 7011'15", 30 ft., 3, Nos. 30726-30728 including 2 ad.

males and 1 ad. of unknown s.e.x, July 14, 15, 1951.

In the period July 8-15, 1951, four adult males at Topagaruk and Kaolak River averaged 31(28-33) grams in weight. Their testes averaged 2.3(2-3) mm long. A female (July 8) weighed 37 grams. Her largest ovum was 2 mm in diameter. A juvenile from Kaolak River (July 16) was 176 mm long and weighed 35 grams. Young northern phalaropes at Kaolak River (July 12-18, 1951) were more numerous than at Topagaruk (July 4-10, 1951) and were almost the size of adults. On July 15, on a four hour field trip, we counted 24 individuals including adults and juveniles. On this date the juveniles were almost ready for flight. At Kaolak (July 22, 1951) a young bird 212 millimeters in length was flying and feeding alone. In our seven day stay at Teshekpuk Lake only one northern phalarope was seen. It was near camp on August 3, 1951.

Between Birnirk and Point Barrow (Aug. 25, 1952), approximately 3000 northern phalaropes had collected on fresh water ponds, salt water lagoons and on the Arctic Ocean. Many of them were feeding while others were nesting on matted green mosses bordering ponds. Their habit of spinning in water was noted. Those feeding on the Arctic Ocean were on the relatively smooth water immediately beyond the point where the breakers formed. On September 11, at Point Barrow, we did not see the species.

+Stercorarius pomarinus+ (Temminck): Pomarine jaeger.--At Birnirk (June 14, 1952) while snow still covered most of the ground, pomarine jaegers hunted for lemmings by flying approximately 20 feet above the tundra and occasionally hovering. On June 15, one had eaten parts of two large lemmings caught in traps along the edge of a snow-bound lake. On June 17, these birds were preying on live lemming and swallowing them whole. One flew 50 meters with a brown lemming in its mouth and after alighting, consumed it. The backs of several lemmings caught in traps had scars probably made by jaegers or conceivably by snowy owls. West of Salt Water Lagoon (June 17, 1952), 12 jaegers were counted with the aid of a 6 30 power binocular in a 90 arc to the southward. Three snowy owls also were hunting in this area. In traveling one and three-eighths miles south by east from Barrow Village on June 20, 1952, we counted eight single pomarine jaegers in the air and on the return trip the same day, five pomarine jaegers (one was dead, another was resting on a lake and 3 were in flight).

At Point Barrow (June 21, 1952) two pomarine jaegers left the land and flew north out of sight over the Arctic Ocean. At a point 9/10 mile east and 4/5 mile north of Barrow Village (June 23, 1952) we observed a pomarine jaeger cruising three feet above ground. It dropped to the tundra and picked up a lemming by its back and after adjusting the lemming swallowed it tail first. On a lake one mile southwest of the Arctic Research Laboratory a group of six and two pairs all facing into the wind were resting on ice. In an area of 240 acres (outlined by the tripod communication line to the west, "Y" line to east, and row of 50 gallon drums following the ground line to south), we counted 19 pomarine jaegers in groups of from one to four or one per 12 square acres; one snowy owl was in the area.

At Kaolak River (July 12-18, 1951) pomarine jaegers were the second most common jaeger in the area. In walking for four hours on July 15, two pairs were noted. Ordinarily, however, these birds are seen singly not in pairs. At Lake Schrader (July 23-31, 1952) pomarine jaegers were active both day and night, especially at night. At Barrier Lake (Aug. 2, 1951) two pomarine jaegers flew close together along the edge of the south end of the lake. As they left the lake and flew over the extensive marsh to the east they separated and flew as single individuals. On August 4, a pomarine jaeger was chasing an Arctic loon that had a fish in its bill. On August 10, 1951, a single pomarine jaeger was noted at Chandler Lake. As late as September 7, 1952, one half mile south of the Arctic Research Laboratory, seven pomarine jaegers were foraging for brown lemmings.