Field notes, v669
Page 241
Image from the Biodiversity Heritage Library. Contributed by Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley. | www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Transcription
June 13-17, 1975, St. Lawrence Island, Gambell and vicinity - continued Red Phalaropes - almost always in pairs, riding the sea or in the marshes. Few pairs in high mtn. tundra SE of Mt. Sevoukuk, 6/16. Northern Phalarope - few pair over tundra and marshes. None on sea. Pomarine Jaegers chased by Ruddy Turnstones. Not too common here. Parasitic Jaeger - only few seen, but more than Pomarine. Long-tailed Jaeger - the common one, tho all 3 have been seen at one time in one area. On hi tundra SE of mtn. a pair came within 10-15 feet of me. Flew to rock on the tundra, and as I approached they mated for 20-40 seconds. Many heard giving long, drawn-out scream call as they sailed over the mtn. ridge above the marsh and flats. Glaucous Gull - 6/14 on - not common Glaucous-winged Gulls - not common Black-legged Kittiwakes - 6/15 - 35 on TL, and during stay - dozens off NWC. Many /& Sabine. immutures with different two spots and dark areas. Quite similar to Black-headed immms./ Sabine Gull - adult in full plumage back and forth on p.m. of stormy sea. Beating and circling. Weak, jerky flyer compared to kittiwakes. Arctic Tern - not common, but everywhere seen on lowlands and along coastal waters. Common Murre - 100's by NWC each day Thick-billed Murre - 1000's by NWC each day. Pigeon Guillemot - only seemed to pass NWC in pairs, perhaps only 3 or 4 per hour watching. **Black-Guillemot - Cepphus grylle - NA lister - 6/15 630a.m. a black paired with a pigeon, passed NWC 2x. No black on white area. Larger clear space showing and with almost white underwing area, compared to pigeon. A good contrasting poing. Fewothers seen later. Ancient Murrelet - 1 floated by NWC 6/17 a.m. Parrakeet Auklets - 100's Crested Aukets - 1000's and 10,000's - perched \frac{1}{2}way up Mt. N cliff. Least Auklets - 1000's and 10,000's Horned Puffins - 6/13-20 in eve. 6/16 perched hi on Sevoukuk N cliffs. Tufted Puffins - 6/13-6 in eve. C. Raven - 6/16 pair over mtn. heard earlier day, too. **Dusky Thrush - Turdus naumanni - 6/145 a.m. in boneyard by mtn 1 mi.E of village. Two views of this brown thrush with dark head and clear whitish line thru or over eye, Showed rufous on wings as it hopped about and on back or rump. Bird always moving away so could not see the breast and underparts. Was not a NA thrush. Life lister.ll:30. Gray-cheeked Thrush - saw at about same time as Dusky Thrush in same area. This bird was present for still another look upon revisit about 3 p.m. No one else saw Dusky, but thisOl **Wheatear - Oenanthe oenanthe - NA lister. One north of Sevoukuk mtn. on 6/16 in p.m. **White Wagtail - Motacilla alba - NA lister. 6/13 and daily about Gambell village. Water Pipits - few **Red-throated Pipit - Anthus cervinus - located by Ben King of Bonanza. We went and found them calling along lower mountain slopes E of TL. Breeding song in air? **Pechora Pipit - Anthus gustavi - Life lister -Bonanza located it. Never heard song, but saw with Ben King, Joe Taylor, et al. Two prominent white lines down back clue of it. **Indian Tree Pipit - Anthus hodgsoni - unverified NA lister - studied carefully on slope near McKay Bunting rocks. Plumage fits, and different call than another of 3 other sp. **Common or Scarlet Rosefinch - Carpodacus erythrinus - Life Lister. In village boneyard 6/14 9:30 p.m. female. 5"& gray brown. Slight wing bars (2) Tail richer on proximal \frac{1}{2}. Ground feeder, seldon flew. Bill smallish. Slightly dark cap. Breast lightly barred. Gray-crowned Rosy Finches - rare Hoary Redpolls Common Redpolls Tree Sparrows Lapland Longspurs abundant in village and on tundra and in marshes Snow Buntings - perhaps 35-40 seen different places. **McKays Bunting - Plectrophenax hyperboreus - Life lister.6/15 p.m. Went to mtn. slope E of village where most island birders had seen these day before. I was in snow&storm. They flew from rock area high on slope 100's of feet to beach at water's edge. Poly. Tattler footnote - late nite of 6/13, while studying it, we watched it stand or wade in shallow stream from NE marsh into TL. It successfully caught many fish and took them on to sand bank, sometimes placing them in little pools of water. The next a.m., 6/14 I checked out the dead fish, which Tattler didn't eat any of and found l-spined stickleback w/ red tail, 2&" long. Also 2" many-spined, black above, white under and wide ofer eyes.