J.P. Myers 1975 Journal Grid 3 13 August (cont'd) in the abundance of birds: within the difference in pectoral densities on grids 3 (run yesterday) and 2. Both areas are contiguous, essentially, and have a similar although not identical array of habitat. I can perceive a few differences between the areas: grid 3 abuts on its northern edge, and indeed includes along the north side, a strip of low center polygon [illegible] ponds, with low topographical relief. This is one of the more extensive stands of that habitat in the area and is where many #9 melanotos brought clutches. Grid 2 possesses only a small area near the southern side (0.5 ha) + this piece of habitat, and does not extend extensively beyond the grid. Several #9 were plooting clutches earlier in the season but are gone now, perhaps because of the proximity of Huxley. Transsects 1,3,5 19 August 0740 began sampling #5. A moderate east wind, 100% clouds and 37° graced the morning. Transsect totals: 1 3 5 C. alpina j 0 2 12 i 1 1 8 C. melanotos j 0 0 0 i 2 2 8 3 H. fuliginos j 0 10 5 i 0 0 0 Pluvialis dominica j 0 0 2 i 0 0 0 So, transsect 5 was again covered with shorebirds, especially alpina. I suspect that part of the reason for its continued high density is the proximity of #5 to good littoral habitat. (Could that be?) Birds are piled into the littoral zone (mostly alpina) and in at least some other upland areas adjacent to the coast. There are high densities. This is true of the Acrolophus marsh behind the lake (C. melanotos instead of alpina). I also found concentrations of alpina juveniles, adults as well as fuliginos and melanotos between the two Meadow lakes. [Note that the quadrats on #3 near S Meadow Lake were the only significant contributors to the #3 totals.] So perhaps it is not the littoral so much as simply an extreme patchiness, perhaps related in some way to waterer proximity (an important initial cue to vagile flocks no doubt). One trend is for the previously noted habitat separation to be disintegrating, or changing. I no longer am picking up large #'s of melanotos, so perhaps in one that do occur on Mount birds, which when there were larger #'s would have been