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RESPONDENT
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Robert Gill, Jr.
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SITE NAME
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Cape Krusenstern National Monument uplands, NW Alaska, USA
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| Contact
details (phone/fax//e-mail//address): |
| 907-786-3514/907-786-3636(fax) // robert_gill@usgs.gov // U. S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, 1011 East Tudor Road, Anchorage, AK, 99503, USA |
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PROJECT DETAILS
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Project name:
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Inventory of montane-nesting birds in National Parks of Northwest Alaska |
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Start of survey:
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End
of survey:
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Team
size:
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1.06 |
10.06 |
2 |
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WEATHER CONDITIONS
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Weather conditions: |
| Snow cover on hills and low mountains in study sites of the region reduced from about 40-50% to 10-20% during the survey period from 1 to 10 June, although some areas were still snow covered over 50%. This rapid thaw was due to warm sunny weather, although night temperatures were normally below freezing. By 10 June snow remained mostly on north facing slopes and in creek valleys. |
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| Date of 50%
snow-cover: |
31.05 |
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| Date of ice-break
on rivers: |
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| Date of final loss
of snow: |
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BIOTIC CONDITIONS
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| Rodents abundance evaluation: |
low |
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Breeding conditions:
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Arctic Foxes were not recorded, while Red Foxes were seen several times and one den with pups was found. Brown Bear, the only other terrestrial predator, was recorded only once. Long-tailed Skua, Raven, Northern Harrier, Rough-legged Buzzards, and Short-eared Owls were the most common avian predators, and Arctic Skua, Peregrine Falcon, Gyrfalcon, and Golden Eagle were also seen; among these species only Long-tailed Skua, Rough-legged Buzzard and Gyrfalcon were confirmed breeders in the areas. Avian predators possibly relied mostly on ptarmigans. Taking into account favorable weather, high numbers of ptarmigans (alternative food for predators), low densities of other birds and low to moderate densities of predators, nesting success of most bird species could be expected to have been moderate to high.
In the first days of June waders, ptarmigans and passerines were actively displaying and in pairs. First clutches of Lapland Buntings were found on 4 June, and first complete clutches of waders ( Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus and American Golden-Plover Pluvialis dominica) were found on 6 June, however many birds were still egg-laying at the end of this period. Waterfowl are almost missing in the area. No comparative data are available for the area to judge about bird numbers, but numbers of both Willow Grouse and Rock Ptarmigan were likely at peak. Densities of Whimbrel also appeared high. |
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Rodent dynamics:
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| Microtine rodents were not seen in June, but their abundant winter nests, droppings and patches of completely destoyed vegetation at some sites indicated high numbers in 2000. Rodent numbers were possibly high locally in two northernmost sites in June, but from 10-22 July microtine rodents (Collared Lemming, Tundra, Singing and Ruddy voles) and shrews were very rare everywhere. Ground Squirrels were uncommon.
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Rodent species recorded:
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| Latin | Abundance |
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| Dicrostonyx torquatus | rare |
| Microtus oeconomus | rare |
| Clethrionomys rutilus | rare |
| Microtus miurus | rare |
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Summary
of fauna studies: |
| Birds were counted using point counts. |
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