Birding Alaska

I was in Unalaska (the name of the island and the city where the port of Dutch Harbor is located) for a few days early this week and had some time to get out birding with local birder Suzie Golodoff for a few hours each day.  The birding is always good on the island, but this trip had a few very welcome surprises!

The first two Emperor Geese Chen canagica of the fall return to Unalaska on 21 September 2009.

Emperors winter in the Unalaska/Dutch Harbor waterfront by the hundreds.  We found these two birds on the Dutch Harbor spit; they are the first reported for the season.

Brambling Fringilla montifringilla in the spruce trees on Strawberry Hill, Unalaska, 21-22 September 2009.

Strawberry Hill was the hotspot this week.  This Brambling, one of a flock of six, was our first surprise find in the introduced stand of Sitka spruce on the hill.  These trees act as magnets for any lost forest loving passerines that find their way to the island and have hosted many past rarities.

Townsend’s Warbler Dendroica townsendi, on Strawberry Hill, Unalaska, 22 September 2009.

This Townsend’s Warbler was probably the best bird the trees had to offer.  It’s only the third report of the species from the Aleutians.  The first was an immature male on Shemya on 3 October 1977 (Gibson and Byrd 2007). The second was a find that Suzie made last year: 2 birds in Unalaska on 20 October 2008.

Yellow-rumped Warbler Dendroica coronata, on Strawberry Hill, Unalaska, 22 September 2009.

Still reeling from the Townsend’s Warbler, we found this Yellow-rumped Warbler about 50 feet farther down the road in the same stand of trees only a few minutes later!   It is the first record of Yellow-rumped Warbler for Unalaska.

The one that got away: while we were trying to pin down the Townsend’s Warbler for photos after the brief initial look a Red-throated Pipit flew over the hill, giving it’s distinctive “speee” flight call.  Unfortunately we were unable to relocated the pipit, another first for Unalaska.

Merlin Falco columbarius, Strawberry Hill, Unalaska, 22 September 2009.

This Merlin was on the hill both days and on both days we saw it carrying prey.  I wonder what rare birds this Merlin has eaten lately.

Thanks Suzie for two great days of birding!

• Gibson, D. D., and Byrd, G. V. 2007. Birds of the Aleutian Islands, Alaska. Nuttall Ornithological Club and the American Ornithologists’ Union. Series in Ornithology 1.

Looking inland from Summer Bay Lake, Unalaska Island, 23 April 2009.

I’m back in Dutch Harbor for the second time this year; I flew in yesterday, 23 April, to board the NOAA Ship Oscar Dyson.  I’ll be traveling along as a seabird observer on their moorings cruise in the Bering Sea.  I had yesterday afternoon to bird Dutch Harbor and this time I had the great pleasure of spending several hours birding with resident expert Suzie Golodoff.  Suzie has lived and birded on the island for 33 years and is wealth of information on birds, plants, and all things Dutch.  The afternoon was fantastic!

Since I was last here the great numbers of wintering sea ducks have thinned out.  Most species were still represented, but in much smaller numbers.  We only saw 1 Emperor Goose instead of the hundreds that were here in February.   Suzie says this is a transition time on the island–the wintering birds have left or are leaving and migrants haven’t yet really started to appear.  We did find a few migrants that brought some excitement to the day.

Northern Pintail Anas acuta, Unalaska, 23 April 2009.

This Northern Pintail was feeding in a marsh near Unalaska Lake.  Suzie was delighted when we found it; it was the first of the year and is a species that she doesn’t see every year.  I really enjoy seeing “common” birds in places where they’re uncommon.  It always makes me take a second look.  There is certainly a lot to look at on a drake Northern Pintail!  Three Wilson’s Snipe at the head of Summer Bay Lake were also a first for the spring on the island.  Two flushed from the marsh as we approached and showed their solidly dark under-wings.  A third bird was calling from across the marsh.

Tufted Ducks Aythya fuligula on a pond near Unalaska Lake, Unalaska, 23 April 2009.

Tufted Ducks are regular in winter on the island and this year up to 5 could be seen around town throughout the winter.  The bird on the right is a first year male transitioning from a female-type plumage into his adult male garb.  A male Lesser Scaup on Unalaska Lake was an unexpected find.  Unfortunately it was too distant for good photos.  The Canvasback that I reported in late February was still on the island as of 22 April, but we missed it.  Two other rarities that Suzie found on the island this week were Golden-crowned Sparrow, Pine Siskin (2).

Three Pelagic Cormorants Phalacrocorax pelagicus and 2 Red-faced Cormorants  P. urile (left and right-most birds), Dutch Harbor, 23 April 2009.

It’s nice to see Red-faced Cormorants at any time of year, but with their freshly brightened faces and white flanks they are a real treat.  In this photo it is also possible to discern the yellowish bill of the Red-faced which is thicker than the all dark bill of the Pelagic Cormorant.  The larger body size and head of the Red-faced is sort of evident from this photo, but is much more obvious on a flying bird.

Belted Kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon, Unalaska, 23 April 2009.

Suzie says there are probably 10-12 kingfishers that spend the year in the area.

Any thoughts on what species of fish this kingfisher is ambitiously trying to consume?  A salmon smolt or Dolly Varden?  Pink, Silver and Red Salmon and Dolly Varden all use this stream.

All-in-all it was a great afternoon of birding.  Thanks Suzie!

On February 24th and 25th I had the opportunity to bird Dutch Harbor, in the Eastern Aleutian Islands, with Robb Kaler.  It was my first trip to Dutch Harbor in the winter.

Emperor Geese Chen canagica, Harlequin Ducks Histrionicus histrionicus and a single female Steller’s Eider Polysticta stelleri (back left) 24 February 2009.

The wintering waterfowl were impressive and included about 500 Emperor Geese and 40+ Steller’s Eiders along the waterfront in Captain’s Bay and near the grocery store, airport and small boat harbor.

An Emperor Goose feeds on blue mussels Mytilus trossulus at low tide, 24 February 2009.

The Emperors here are easy to find and approach.  They spent a lot of time feeding on mussels and barnacles at low tide right along the road system.

Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia sanaka, 24 February 2009.

Only a few passerines are hardy enough to be year-round residents in the Aleutians.  The sanaka race of Song Sparrow is resident from the central Aleutians to the Alaska Peninsula.  The two races of Song Sparrows from the Aleutians, maxima and sanaka, are large when compared to other races.  Sanaka is lighter colored than the very dark maxima (Gibson and Kessel 1997.) Note the long slender bill.

“Oregon” Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis oreganus, 24 February 2009.

A highlight of the day was a pair of “Oregon” Dark-eyed Juncos that we found in a brushy gully atop a hill behind Amelia’s Restaurant.  Gibson and Byrd (2007) write that “in Eastern Aleutians Dark-eyed Juncos were casual in winter.”  They note several records of both slate-colored and Oregon races from Unalaska/Dutch Harbor.  These two juncos pished in for a photo, but only reluctantly.  Perhaps because moments before finding them a Sharp-shinned Hawk cruised through the area!  We got good looks at the bird in flight which appeared to be a female based on size, but unfortunately the bird never perched and we were unable to get photos.  Sharp-shinned Hawk is only “accidental in the Eastern Aleutians” (Gibson and Byrd 2007).  They cite only 3 reports of Sharp-shinned Hawk from the region.

Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos, 24 February 2009.

While I failed to get a photo of the Sharp-shinned Hawk, another raptor caught our attention on the hill.  This Golden Eagle was soaring overhead with a few dozen Bald Eagles.  It is considered a rare resident and probable breeder in the area (Gibson and Byrd 2007).

Mixed waterfowl flock behind the Grand Aleutian Hotel, 24 February 2009.

Our last stop of the day was at the small lagoon behind the Grand Aleutian hotel.  Here the flock of 130 Greater Scaup held a few surprises!

Canvasback Aythya valisineria, Tufted Duck A. fuligula and Greater Scaup A. marila, 24 February 2009.

This photo provides what is possibly the first documented record of Canvasback for the Eastern Aleutians.  Gibson and Byrd (2007) remark that in the Eastern Aleutians there is only “anecdotal evidence of occurrence.”  The species, however, regularly winters in very small numbers in the Central Aleutians, especially at Adak.  In addition to the obvious tuft on the female Tufted Duck, note the bird’s small size (compared with Greater Scaup) and dark back.  A male Tufted Duck was also present in the flock.

Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis (lower right) with Greater Scaup, 24 February 2009.

This female Lesser Scaup was another interesting find in the flock.  It is separated from the similar Greater Scaup on the right by its smaller overall size, its angular–not rounded–head shape, and its smaller bill.  Side-by-side comparison makes for a straight forward ID, but lone birds can be more confusing.  Gibson and Byrd (2007) state that the Lesser Scaup is “casual or intermittent in winter” in the Eastern Aleutians.

Slaty-backed Gull Larus schistagus with Glaucous-winged Gulls L. glaucescens, Dutch Harbor 25 February 2009.

Our last find in Dutch was this adult Slaty-backed Gull in Captain’s Bay on February 25th.

Gibson, D. D., and Byrd, G. V. 2007. Birds of the Aleutian Islands, Alaska. Nuttall Ornithological Club and the American Ornithologists’ Union. Series in Ornithology 1.

Gibson, D. D., and Kessel, B. 1997. Inventory of the species and subspecies of Alaska birds. Western Birds 28:45-95.