BREEDING CONDITIONS REPORT, 2002


RESPONDENT

Robert Gill, Jr.

SITE NAME

DeLong Mountains, USA Noatak National Park & Preserve, 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:

Montane-nesting birds inventory

Start of survey:

End of survey: Team size:

3.06

4.06

2


WEATHER CONDITIONS

Season phenology:

Weather conditions:

During our 2 days on the site, we experienced clear skies and no precipitation. Cold evenings and mornings, and very warm days with daytime temperatures of approximately 15øC and nighttime temperatures of approximately -2øC. No wind.

 

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:

Breeding conditions:

We spent about 46 hours at this montane site located on the northern border of Noatak National Preserve. The landscape held snow only on northern exposures, but despite the large amount of available habitat, we encountered very few individuals of sixteen bird species. We encountered only two wader species during our stay, Wandering Tattler Heteroscelus incanus (2 individuals detected, calling) and Surfbird Aphriza virgata (one individual detected, calling); neither species were confirmed breeding. It is our impression, however, that our visit was timed during the peak period of display and territory establishment as most passerine detections were of singing or displaying males. We detected no sign of microtine rodents, but sighted Caribou Rangifer tarandus, Dall Sheep Ovis dalli, and Arctic ground squirrels Spermophilus parryii throughout the area.
 

Rodent dynamics:

Rodent species recorded:

LatinAbundance

Summary of fauna studies:

 

FAUNA IN STUDY AREA

Group of speciesPresenceAbundanceBreedingDetailed studiesComment
wadersYes breedingNo 
birds of preyYes    
ptarmigansYes breeding  
gulls/ternsYes    
passerinesYes    
reindeersYes    
ground squirrelsYes    

 

SEABIRD COLONIES

speciesComment

 

WATERBIRD NON-BREEDING AGGREGATIONS

speciesAggregation typeNumberComment

 

HUMAN ACTIVITY IN THE STUDY AREA

Human activityComment

 


Recommended citation

Gill, Jr., R.E., Pelt, van, T., Ruthrauff, D.R. (2002). Breeding conditions report for DeLong Mountains, USA Noatak National Park & Preserve, Alaska, USA, 2002. ARCTIC BIRDS: an international breeding conditions survey. (Online database). Eds. M.Soloviev, P.Tomkovich. . Updated 11 Dec. 2008. Accessed .

 See also

Tibbitts, L., D. Ruthrauff, R. Gill, and C. Handel. 2003. Inventory of montane-nesting birds in National Parks of Northwest Alaska: a summary of the 2001 and 2002 field efforts. Unpubl. Rpt., U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alask

 more on citation guidelines

 

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