Alder Flycatcher Arrival Nome

Nome, Alaska “Nome 1” Trip Report 2 – 6 June, 2007 by Phil Davis Davidsonville, Maryland High Lonesome BirdTours

1. Introduction. This year marked my eleventh birding trip to western Alaska. This year, prior to Nome, I led a High Lonesome BirdTours group to St. Paul Island for a fiveday tour and then to Gambell for a six-day tour (see separate reports). At Nome, I served as coleader for the five-day “Nome 1” spring trip for High Lonesome BirdTours. Most of our group arrived in Nome, from Gambell, on the morning of 6/2, where we met the rest of our group. 2. The Weather and the Environment. NOAA charts of weather conditions for the period 6/2 though our departure on 6/6 are shown below in Figure 1. All three main roads were open.

Welcome to Nome. Photo by Sam Febba.

Temperatures. In general, the temperature was mild. The temperature at the Nome airport during our stay ranged from a low of 39 F to a high of 67 F. The low and high averages during this period were 43 F and 57 F, respectively. Snow Cover. When we arrived, there was no significant snow cover at lower elevations. Ice. Norton Sound and Safey Lagoon were open. Our "Nome 1" group: (l-r) Claire Wheeler, Phil Davis, Peggy Harger-Allen, Rose Leach, Don Whitehead, Trish Schumacher, Susan Clark, Dave MacKay, Susan Hazelwood, Sam Febba, Edge Wade, Jim Shafer, and Pat Leuders.

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NOAA Nome Airport Weather Data: 02 Jun – 06 Jun. 3. Staff and Clients. Our Nome-1 tour included eleven clients. Our leaders were: Dave MacKay (Sonora, Mexico) and Phil Davis (Davidsonville, Maryland). 4. Arrivals and Departures. All arrivals and departures were on-time this year. 5. The Birding. General. The afternoon of our arrival, 6/2, we birded Safety Sound. On 6/3, we birded the Kougarok Road (“K-Road”) with our primary target being the Bristle-thighed Curlew. On 6/4, we explored Teller Road. On 6/5, we took the Council Road all the way to the town of Council and the nearby boreal forest. Western Alaskan specialties seen included; Greater White-fronted Goose, Emperor Goose, Cackling Goose, King Eider, Common Eider, Willow and Rock Ptarmigan, Yellow-billed Loon, Rough-legged Hawk, Golden Eagle, Gyrfalcon, Peregrine Falcon, Black-bellied Plover, both Golden Plovers, Wandering Tattler, Bristle-thighed Curlew, Bar-tailed Godwit, Red-necked Stint, Sabine’s Gull, Aleutian Tern, Arctic Tern, Parasitic and Long-tailed Jaegers, Northern Shrike, Boreal Chickadee, American Dipper, Arctic Warbler, Bluethroat, Northern Wheatear, Varied Thrush, Eastern Yellow Wagtail, American Tree Sparrow, Lapland Longspur, Snow Bunting, and Hoary Redpoll. We recorded a total of 108 species during our five days at Nome.

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Trip List. A daily trip list of species seen is provided as a separate document.

6. Notable Species. Accounts of notable western Alaskan species are presented, below. Greater White-fronted Goose. Several were seen on 6/3 on K-Road. Emperor Goose. We saw three birds at Safety Lagoon on 6/2. Cackling Goose. We saw several birds on two days of the taverneri subspecies, which breeds on the Seward Peninsula. Brant. This species was seen in large numbers at Safety Lagoon. Mallard. Uncommon at Nome; seen daily this year. King Eider. We observed an adult male in Norton Sound at Cape Nome.

Rock Ptarmigan on K-Road. Photo by Trish Schumacher.

Common Eider. Flocks of Common Eiders were seen in the Safety Sound area. Harlequin Duck. This species was seen on a three the days. Scoters. On 6/5 we scored a scoter “hat trick” with all three species observed at Safety Sound. Willow Ptarmigan. Seen at several locations on three days. Rock Ptarmigan. Seen on two days; one was very cooperative along K-Road on 6/3.

Red-throated Loon at Safety Sound. Photo by Steven Bullock.

Red-throated Loon. Breeding birds were seen in ponds each day. Pacific Loon. Breeding birds were seen in ponds each day. Yellow-billed Loon. One observer saw one in Norton Sound from the Aurora Inn. Pelagic Cormorant. Present daily in Norton Sound.

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Pacific Loon at Safety Sound. (Flank appears white, but the vent strap is diagnostic.) Photo by Steven Bullock.

Osprey. We found two of these uncommon birds on 6/5 on Council Road. One was seen near the town of Council, carrying nesting material! A second was seen at Safety Sound on our way back from Council. Bald Eagle. One adult was seen soaring over the town of Council on 6/5; a very good find for this area. Northern Harrier. Single birds were seen on three days in different locations. Rough-legged Hawk. We recorded this species on two days; on Teller Road and on Council Road. Golden Eagle. On 6/3 we observed on bird on a nest on K-Road with another bird soaring nearby. We also observed a single bird on 6/5 on Council Road. Gyrfalcon. We saw a single bird roosting near a nest on K-Road on 6/3. On 6/5, we also found a pair on Council Road with one on the nest and another nearby. While we watched they flew and both landed on the tundra. Peregrine Falcon. One bird was at the quarry at Cape Nome on Council Road. Black-Bellied Plover. Two birds were seen on 6/4 at Wooly Lagoon and near Council. American Golden Plover. We found this species each day at various locations. Pacific Golden Plover. We observed several birds at Wooly Lagoon on 6/4 and also near Council on 6/5. Common Sandpiper. One observer reported a possible bird at river crossing on Teller Road on 6/4. He first noted a “Spotted Sandpiper” but in winter plumage (!), but the bird flew before better looks could be had. Spotted Sandpiper. Seen at several locations. Wandering Tattler. One bird was seen at the river on Teller Road on 6/4.

Pacific Golden Plover at Safety Sound. Photo by Steven Bullock.

Whimbrel. This species was seen at interior locations. At Coffee Dome on 6/3, several were seen displaying and on the ground for good comparisons with the Bristle-thighed Curlews.

Bristle-thighed Curlew. On 6/3, we hiked the “death march” up Coffee Dome for this species. We were rewarded with good looks of at least four birds during the climb and also at the top of birds in flight calling and displaying and on the ground. Bar-tailed Godwit. This species was seen at several locations, including perched on the ground on Coffee Dome near the Whimbrels and Curlews. Ruddy Turnstone. Seen at Safety Sound.

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Black Turnstone. Seen along K-Road. Sanderling. Several birds in breeding plumage were seen at the Nome River bridge. (Breeding plumage Sanderlings are often mistaken for Red-necked Stints at this location!) Semipalmated Sandpiper. Seen at the Nome River, Safety Sound, and along K-Road. Western Sandpiper. This species was seen daily at various locations. Red-necked Stint. Two birds were seen; on 6/2 and 6/5 (Thanks, Rose!) at Safety Sound and the Nome River Bridge, respectively. Dunlin. Found at Safety Sound and at ponds along Teller Road. Wilson’s Snipe. This species was seen and heard daily. Red-necked Phalarope. This species was also seen and heard daily. Boneparte’s Gull. A single adult was seen at the mouth of Safety Sound, along with kittiwakes and other gulls. Mew Gull. Common and seen daily. Herring Gull. “American” (smithsonianus) Herring Gulls were seen daily. Glaucous Gull. The most common local gull along the waterfront and inland. Seen daily. Sabine’s Gull. Six birds were seen at the mouth of Safety Sound on 6/5. Black-legged Kittiwake. Seen at the mouth of Safety Sound. Aleutian Tern. We found five birds at the flats at the Safety Sound bridge on 6/2, both on the ground and in flight. They were also observed at the same location on 6/5. Arctic Tern. Common; seen daily. Jaegers. Both Parasitic and Long-taileds were seen daily on the tundra and at Safety Sound. We had many good looks at Long-taileds sitting on nests on the tundra. Common Murre. A few of this species were seen in Norton Sound on various days.

Aleutian Tern in flight at Safety Sound. Photo by Steven Bullock.

Murrelet. A “Marbled-type” Murrelet was seen from the Aurora Inn by one observer on 6/4. Short-eared Owl. One was seen hunting at Safety Sound on 6/2.

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Alder Flycatcher. One bird was heard only at Council on 6/5. We could not get it to come out in response to a recording. Northern Shrike. A pair was found at a “pit stop” along a river on Teller Road on 6/4. Good looks were had by all (some … very “up close and personal” !!!) Common Raven. Seen daily. Horned Lark. Seen at two locations along Teller and Council Roads on 6/4 and 6/5, respectively Tree Swallow. See daily at various bridges over river crossings. Violet-Green Swallow. One bird was seen on 6/2 along Council Road. Bank Swallow. Seen daily. At our lunch break on 6/5, past Solomon on Council Road, Susan H. found a nest along the river bank. Cliff Swallow. See daily at various bridges over river crossings. Barn Swallow. One bird was seen on 6/2. Boreal Chickadee. One bird was found near Council on 6/5. American Dipper. One bird was seen under a bridge on Teller Road on 6/4. Ruby-crowned Kinglet. One bird was found near Council on 6/5. Arctic Warbler. Our first bird was found by Peggy at the Penny River along Teller Road on 6/4. It then popped up in response to a tape for better looks by all. At least three birds were seen and were singing at our lunch stop past Solomon along Council Road on 6/5. Bluethroat. Other groups were finding this species, but it had become a nemesis for us. However, on 6/4, while returning to Nome, Dave McKay saw a single bird pop up onto a willow along the Teller Road … at 70 mph!!! We stopped and got it to pop up to a tape, so everyone had good looks after all! Northern Wheatear. Again, this was becoming a nemesis for us, however, at one of the traditional locations, a bird popped up while playing a tape, providing good looks. Thanks, Pat! Gray-cheeked Thrush. Common and seen daily. Hermit Thrush. A single bird was found on 6/2 along Council Road. American Robin. Turdus “ubiquitous” was seen everywhere. Varied Thrush. As usual, this species was heard (only) at the Gyrfalcon nest site on K-Road, but was not seen. However, several birds were seen in the Boreal Forest near Council.

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Eastern Yellow Wagtail. Seen and heard daily. Orange-crowned Warbler. Seen and heard daily. Yellow Warbler. Seen and heard on three days. Yellow-rumped Warbler. One Myrtle was seen in the woods near Council. Blackpoll Warbler. Seen and heard on three days. Good looks at Council. Northern Waterthrush. This common species was seen or heard where ever water was found.

Eastern Yellow Wagtail at Safety Sound. Photo by Steven Bullock.

Wilson’s Warbler. Seen and heard daily. American Tree Sparrow. Seen or heard on three days. A great look was had of the perched bird on the climb up Coffee Dome. Savannah Sparrow. Seen and heard daily. Fox Sparrow. Seen and heard daily (all “Red” forms of the iliaca/zaboria complex). White-crowned Sparrow. Seen and heard daily. Golden-crowned Sparrow. Seen and heard daily. Dark-eyed Junco. Heard on several days; seen on 6/5 near Council. Lapland Longspur. Seen and heard daily. Snow Bunting. Birds were seen three days at Wooly Lagoon and at higher elevations, especially around rock fields. Rusty Blackbird. One was seen along Teller Road on 6/4. Common Redpoll. Seen and heard daily. Hoary Redpoll. A few birds were separated from Commons along K and Teller Roads.

7. Misses and Later Reports. We found all of the target species. We missed the Tufted Ducks that were seen before and after our trips to Safety Lagoon. After our departure, two Caspian Terns were reported at Safety Lagoon on 6/9. On 6/8-10, four Arctic Loons were reported from Safety Lagoon. Other second or third hand reports of area species after we left included, four Spectacled Eider, Blue-winged Teal, Gray-tailed Tattler, Black-headed Gull, and Bohemian Waxwing.

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8. Mammals. Mammals seen include Reindeer, Musk Ox, Moose, Arctic Ground Squirrel, Red Squirrel, Red Fox, Beaver, Brown (Grizzly) Bear, Snowshoe Hare.

Reindeer on Teller Road. Photo by Trish Schumacher.

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