Birding Alaska

I just returned from 12 days of birding in the village of Gambell on St. Lawrence Island with Wilderness Birding Adventures. Our fall tour was conducted from September 1st through the 7th, after which a few of us stayed on longer to see what else the island might produce.  As it turned out the bulk of the excitement occurred during our first three days on the island.  Without question the highlight of the trip was the discovery of both Pallas’s and Yellow-breasted Buntings on September 2nd.  There are about 5 previous North American records for each species, all from Alaska.  Late on September 5th the winds switched to north and remained there more or less for the rest of our stay making the birding a bit slow.  The first few days of rarities, however, more than made up for the slow ending to the trip.

Juvenile Pallas’s Bunting Emberiza pallasi, Far Boneyard, Gambell, 2 September 2009.  More photos here.

Yellow-breasted Bunting Emberiza aureola, Far Boneyard, Gambell, 2 September 2009.  More photos here.

Fresh out of the bath, the bird appears a bit bedraggled.  In over seven hours of attempting to get good looks of these two skulking buntings, this was the only time that I saw the Yellow-breasted Bunting on the ground and completely in the open.  With a bit of diligence and fortitude everyone in the group eventually got great views of both buntings.

Black-headed Gull Croicocephalus ridibundus, Troutman Lake, Gambell, 5 September 2009.

Its larger and more robust build, thicker bill, darker legs, less extensive hood, and under-wing pattern separate adult Black-headed Gulls from the somewhat similar Bonaparte’s Gull.

Female-type Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus, Far Boneyard, Gambell, 1 September 2009.

Common Rosefinches have a strongly curved culmen and an unmarked face, giving them a blank-faced and beady-eyed look.  Of the three other North American Carpodacus finches female Common Rosefinch is most similar to female House finch (which also have a curved culmen and plain face) but can be separated by voice, range and possibly by the slightly blurrier breast streaking of the House Finch.  However, there is very little information in print (none?) on separating House Finch and Common Rosefinch, and no region where they have ever overlapped in range.  While House Finch is extremely unlikely at Gambell, it has strayed to southeast and south coastal Alaska and is listed as casual on the state checklist.

This individual had especially warm plumage with the rump appearing warmer brown than the rest of the upperparts and the flight feathers showed warm, slightly greenish tones.  The only other Carpodacus recorded from St. Lawrence Island is Purple Finch for which there are three records. Click here for discussion on the identification of the other Carpodacus finches.

Female Brambling Fringilla montifringilla, Far Boneyard, Gambell, 3 September 2009.

This female Brambling spent a few sunny hours catching flying insects in the far boneyard. It was found in the afternoon and not seen in subsequent days.

Juvenile Red-necked Stint Calidris ruficollis, Gambell, 4 September 2009.

Getting a bit late for most shorebirds at this latitude, this Red-necked Stint tied the late date record for the island.

“Asian” Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica rustica, Gambell, 4 September 2009.

Two races of “Asian” Barn Swallow occur as vagrants to Alaska–rustica and gutturalis. This individual probably represents rustica because of the complete and thick blue breast band.  The North American subspecies eurythrogaster, which has an incomplete breast band and a reddish belly, regularly breeds no closer to St. Lawrence Island than Cordova in Prince William Sound, Alaska.  This bird arrived at Gambell on the 3rd and was seen at widely scattered locations around town.  It was not seen perched until the evening of the 4th when it cooperated for about 30 minutes before disappearing.

Juvenile Gray-tailed Tattler Tringa brevipes, Troutman Lake, Gambell, 3 September 2009.

Both species of Tattler are rare but regular fall migrants at Gambell.  The heavy spotting on the upperparts, especially the tertials and great coverts, and the pure white flanks identify this bird as a juvenile Gray-tailed Tattler. The wing coverts of Gray-tailed Tattler also show faint brownish-gray tones.  Juvenile Wandering Tattlers show more blueish-gray tones.  The distinctive two-note “too-weet” call is diagnostic for the species.  For more photos of juvenile Gray-tailed Tattlers and a side-by-side comparison with juvenile Wandering Tattler click here.

Juvenile Red Phalarope Phalaropus fulicarius, Corner Marsh, Gambell, 7 September 2009.

Red Phalaropes are regular migrants past Gambell in the fall and we encountered several hundred each day we were there.  This bird is beginning to acquire its winter garb in the form of grayish scapular and mantle feathers.

Many people bird Nome during spring migration and by late June few visiting birders make the pilgrimage.  Although migration is over and species diversity is lower, many of the regional specialties can be found throughout the breeding season.  I took these photos this week in the Nome area while leading a trip for Wilderness Birding Adventures.

Beautiful and ridiculous.  A young male Spectacled Eider Somateria fischeri, Safety Sound Bridge, Nome, 12 July 2009.

This one is high in the running for coolest revelation of the summer–Spectacled Eiders have blue eyes!  I’ve been very fortunate in the last eight years and have seen many Spectacled Eiders, but this is the first time that I’ve ever noticed their light blue eyes.

Red-necked Stint Calidris ruficollis, mouth of the Nome River, 12 July 2009.

Red-necked Stint is a rare breeder on the Seward Peninsula but it can be difficult to find, especially after spring migration.  This adult is still in relatively bright alternate plumage.

Female Bluethroat Luscinia svecica, Teller Road, near Nome, 14 July 2009.

We were fortunate to have several wonderful looks at Bluethroat, a breeding species that is present but difficult to see well in mid summer.  After the males stop displaying, usually by late June, this skulker can be very difficult to find.  The best strategy is to go where you know they were displaying in the spring, walk the area and listen.  This female was noticeably agitated and probably had chicks nearby.  She perched up calling for several minutes.  We got a brief look at a male and another female about 200 yards further down this same stretch of road, mile 52-53 Teller Road.

Arctic Loon Gavia arctica, Salmon Lake, Kougarok Road, Nome, 13 July 2009.

Salmon Lake is usually frozen solid in early June, but in July Arctic Loons are sometimes found on the lake, where they have nested in the past.  The white flank patch is obvious on this resting bird.  Also note the dark nape and bill that his held with the tip in the air.  Pacific Loons have a lighter, more silvery nape and usually hold their bill more parallel with the water.  We also saw Red-throated, Pacific, and a single Yellow-billed Loon on the trip.  Common Loon is usually the most difficult loon to get in Nome.

Red Fox Vulpes vulpes, Salmon Lake, Kougarok Road, Nome, 13 July 2009.

This fox made an early morning appearance on the shore of Salmon Lake.

Kamchatka Rhododendron Rhododendron camtschaticum, Kougarok Road, Nome, 13 July 2009.

A highlight of going to Nome in July is an impressive bloom of tundra wildflowers.  There are many special plants in the area, including this Kamchatka Rhododendron which is endemic to the Bering Sea region.