JP Myers 1977 Calidris melanotos NATL, Barrow, Alaska. 12 June (cmt'd) 200 m beyond south edge consistently, sociable banking display. The tracking area included 10 ha. Incredibly because of the low density - Hooting infrequent, over possibly 2 q. Unfortunately the tape aborted after 14 min. I am surprised to see there appear an appreciable # of transient P.O.T morning by. 13 June GR104 tracking - did well on one bird but in afternoon was misled by another. curious events out here, with definite non-territorial q around, inconsistently tolerant of conspecific q. 14 June returned during o.w. to track - did a P.O.T each for 100 minutes (6/14-77-3, 6/14-77-4). They were the easiest P.O.T to track that I've ever done, because of the small territory + their low activity. Virtually no time lost! Also - and probably at the root of it - no q, save a quenchable q w/ 6/14-77-4 at the onset. Why quenchable you ask - because there are q around now with poorly developed chuits and the behaviour of other P.O.T part of GR104 are INCONSISTENTLY TERRITORIAL. Thus 6/14-77-3 and 4 showed some area between them, and appeared to feed tolerantly even though only 20m or so, for several minutes. #34 finally did push #3 off the area, but such lackadaisical supplementary at this time of the year is a NEW thing for me. I suspect that it has to do w/ a paucity of q. To what extent might the P.O.T a territorially be due to habitat? After all, GR104 is pretty low - being heavy on Carex-Eriophorum russeolum and ponds. But last year even their site were defended assiduously. q are the key. No q, no defense. Not immediately, but if the chances of q are low enough, then no defense will occur. The afternoon melanotos of 13 June on GR104 has a territory at the base of garden. It may get a reasonable rate of q intrusion, making defense worthwhile. 15 June which tracking q fidelicus on GR1 saw 1 flock 10 q melanotos go by and also came across several q on grid. Has there been an influx? Also, how have P.O.T responded? Dick also saw 1 flock. 17 June great deal of q melanotos activity on GR104, with several q settling in area. Had we been working on pictorials we would have caught it all.