BREEDING CONDITIONS REPORT, 2001


RESPONDENT

Robert Gill, Jr.

SITE NAME

Seward Peninsula, central and south-central, W Alaska, USA

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

PROJECT DETAILS

Project name:

Start of survey:

End of survey: Team size:

26.06

29.06

4


WEATHER CONDITIONS

Season phenology: late

Weather conditions:

Much snow was accumulated in winter and a combination of late March storms and unusually low temperatures in April-May produced one of the latest breakups on record. Snow lingered in valleys into late June, almost 3 weeks longer than normal.

 

Season temperature:
Season humidity:
Date of 50% snow-cover:
Date of ice-break on rivers:
Date of final loss of snow:

BIOTIC CONDITIONS

Rodents abundance evaluation:

low

Breeding conditions:

During our visit to the area on 26-29 June small rodents were not seen and breeding Rough-legged Buzzards were not recorded, however, some Golden Eagle, Northern Harrier, Merlin, Gyrfalcon, Long-tailed Skua and Raven were present. Peregrine Falcon was breeding. Among terrestrial predators we saw a Wolvorine.
High numbers of Willow Ptarmigans were characteristic for the season, but numbers of breeding Bar-tailed Godwits were strongly reduced, and nesting Red-throated Loons were not found at their usual places. For the first time in 14 years the hatch of Bristle-thighed Curlews did not begin until early July.
 

Rodent dynamics:

Rodent species recorded:

LatinAbundance

Summary of fauna studies:

 

FAUNA IN STUDY AREA

Group of speciesPresenceAbundanceBreedingDetailed studiesComment
wadersYes breedingNo 
birds of preyYes    
ptarmigansYesabundant   
skuasYes    
passerinesYes    

 

SEABIRD COLONIES

speciesComment

 

WATERBIRD NON-BREEDING AGGREGATIONS

speciesAggregation typeNumberComment

 

HUMAN ACTIVITY IN THE STUDY AREA

Human activityComment

 


Recommended citation

Gill, Jr., R.E., Dementiev, M.N., Tibbitts, L., Tomkovich, P.S. (2001). Breeding conditions report for Seward Peninsula, central and south-central, W Alaska, USA, 2001. ARCTIC BIRDS: an international breeding conditions survey. (Online database). Eds. M.Soloviev, P.Tomkovich. . Updated 11 Dec. 2008. Accessed .

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