Report : setinfo

RESPONDENT
Susan Savage

SITE NAME
Alaska Peninsula from King Salmon to Chignik Lake, Alaska, USA

Contact details (phone/fax//e-mail//address):
(907) 246-1205/(907) 246-6696(f) // susan_savage@fws.gov // Alaska Peninsula / Becharof National Wildlife Refuge PO Box 277, King Salmon, AK 99613 USA

PROJECT DETAILS

Project name:
Inventory of waterfowl, shorebirds, landbirds, small mammals and selected invertebrates

Start of survey:	End of survey:	Team size:
15.03	10.08	6

WEATHER CONDITIONS

Season phenology:

early

Weather conditions:

Often no continuous snow throughout winter. No specific data for 2003-2004 winter. Naknek River broke up / refroze and broke up 3 times between February 28 and April 6, 2004. There was some wet weather in May causing major rivers to run high. Don't think it caused major effects on bird numbers.

Season temperature:

warm

Season humidity:

dry

Date of 50% snow-cover:

Date of ice-break on rivers:

Date of final loss of snow:

BIOTIC CONDITIONS

Rodents abundance evaluation:

Breeding conditions:

It would be difficult to make such an assessment because most of these studies were new in 2004. We did not follow most nests found for breeding success. The seabird colony appeared to be stable and hatching date was within previous normal range. We did not appear to have a seabird die-off at this colony as reported in other parts of the state. Several waterfowl species monitored during spring migration had lower peak abundances than 13-year averages.

Rodent dynamics:

Rodents were trapped at seven sites over study area in July and August. Species were variously abundant depending on habitat. Generally Northern Red-backed Vole was more common that Tundra Vole. I do not believe that Northern Red-backed Vole cycles are synchronized across the Alaska Peninsula.

Rodent species recorded:

Latin	Abundance

Summary of fauna studies:

We conducted numerous studies in 2004. Report have been completed for most and are in progress for the remainder. All are unpublished except the Savage / Johnson paper was just submitted to J. Field Ornithology for consideration. Shorebird and landbird work examined abundance using Distance estimation. Nesting information was noted when found. The Puale Bay trip report attempted to estimate hatching date for common murres. Abundance trend was examined for waterfowl in the Schuster report.
Schuster, S.M. 2004. Spring staging waterfowl along the Naknek River, Alaska Peninsula, Alaska, March - May 2004. US Fish and Wildlife Service, King Salmon, Alaska. (Unpublished). 36pp.
Kaler, R.S.A., S. Savage, L. Tibbitts. In Progress. Alaska Peninsula Shorebird Inventory Project, Alaska, 13 May - 1 June 2004.
Savage, S.E. and O.W. Johnson. Pending. Breeding range extensions for the Pacific golden-plover and black-bellied plover in Alaska.
Sesser, K.A. and G. Jehle. 2005. Alaska Landbird Monitoring Survey, Alaska Peninsula / Becharof National Wildlife Refuge, 9 - 28 June 2004. Unpublished. USFWS, King Salmon, Alaska. 62 pp.
Savage, S.E. 2004. Trip Report: Seabird Colony Status, Puale Bay, Becharof National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska Peninsula, Alaska 29 July - 10 August 2004. Unpublished report, Alaska Peninsula/Becharof National Wildlife Refuge Complex, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, King Salmon, Alaska.
Andersen, E.M. 2005. Small Mammal Baseline Surveys, Alaska Peninsula / Becharof NWR, Alaska - Summer 2004. USFWS, Administrative Report, King Salmon, AK (Unpublished). 19pp.
Savage, S.E. 2005. Small Mammal Baseline Surveys, Alaska Peninsula / Becharof NWR, Alaska - Summer 2004 ADDENDUM. USFWS, Administrative Report, King Salmon, AK (Unpublished). 9pp.
Eyster, J.A. and K.A. Sesser. In Progress. Invertebrate Inventory of the Alaska Peninsula: A Progress Report for 2004. Unpublished. US Fish & Wildlife Service, King Salmon. 9 pp.

Group of species	Presence	Abundance	Breeding	Detailed studies	Comment
voles	Yes	common	breeding	Yes
waders	Yes	common	fledging	Yes
swans	Yes	common	hatching
geese	Yes	rare	hatching
ducks	Yes	rare	hatching
birds of prey	Yes	rare	hatching
buzzards	Yes	rare	hatching
ptarmigans	Yes	rare	hatching
cranes	Yes	rare	hatching
skuas	Yes	rare	hatching
gulls/terns	Yes	rare	hatching
owls	Yes	rare	hatching
passerines	Yes	common	hatching	Yes
shrews	Yes	common	breeding	Yes
auks	Yes	common	hatching	Yes	Common Murres

species	Comment
Fratercula corniculata
Larus glaucescens
Lunda cirrhara
Phalacrocorax auritus
Phalacrocorax urile
Uria aalge
Uria lomvia

Human activity	Comment
seasonal fishing/hunting
summer field camp
vicinities of a permanent human settlement