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SITE NAME
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Alaska Peninsula, Alaska, USA
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| 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
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PROJECT DETAILS |
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Project name:
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Alaska Peninsula Lowland bird Survey (Focus shorebirds)
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Start of survey:
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End
of survey: |
Team
size: |
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15.05
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29.05
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4
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WEATHER
CONDITIONS
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| Season phenology: |
average
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Weather conditions: |
| It was a very cold winter, but as we have intermittent snow through the winter, snow thawing is not a definitive indicator in this area. According to observations on 15-29 May the season was average in timing. The ice on the Naknek River at King Salmon (250 km north of this study area), broke on 1 April (3 days later than 16 year mean). The average March air temperature was 8.3°C below the 50 year average. In King Salmon April temperatures were above average, but the rest of the season was near average. It was a little warmer in August and September and a little drier in August and wetter in June and September.
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| Date of ice-break on
rivers: |
1.04
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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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The Red Fox, but not Arctic Fox was recorded. The Rough-Legged Buzzard, skuas and owls were rare without signs of breeding.
During this year's survey we found eleven shorebird species, ten of which demonstrated evidence of breeding. Nests were found of the Pacific Golden-Plover, Dunlin, Least Sandpiper, and Wilson's Snipe. The presence, behaviour and nests of the Pacific Golden-Plover present evidence for a range extension of this species. Numbers of breeding Ptarmigans were low. We did not remain at any one plot long enough to evaluate breeding success. We have not visited these plots previously so no between-year changes could be noted.
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Rodent dynamics:
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| Voles were rare and no signs of lemmings were found.
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Rodent species recorded:
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Summary
of fauna studies: |
| This year's work is part of an ongoing shorebird inventory started in 2004. The inventory includes 64 plots in two strata systematically dispersed across lowland areas of the Alaska Peninsula from the Naknek drainage to the end of the peninsula. Point transects are conducted on the plots. All shorebirds and avian predators are recorded. To date 792 points have been surveyed on 52 plots. Distance estimation is being used with hopes of generating density estimates. The work is still in progress. Point counts are also being done for all other birds. Habitat data are collected at each point. Incidental records are kept on mammal, invertebrate observations and conditions.
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