J.P. Myers 1977 Journal GRID 1, Barrow, AK 3 July (cont'd) Activity varied across species, but the theme was: "life harasses the human". C. pusilla were especially pernicious, and I saw one set of clicks. One C. alpina nest was hatching. As Dave S. and Dick E. have reported, melanotos and fulicaus activity is quite low this year here: no 3P on the grid of either species. 2 8T melanotos passing through, but several incubating 8T fulicaus, with 5 of their nesting (I think) on or off the grid. Calcanius were also a real trial, and my estimate of Calcanius number is off the mark probably. It is next to impossible to count them at this time of the year. Means 6-10 5 July Light rain from 0400 to 0600, but clearing there abouts. Strong E winds, reaching 20 knots. Censused Trans3,6-10 beginning 0930, ending 1540. A thoroughly cold day with temperatures in 30's, reaching ~40 after staying at a classic 38°. Distribution of birds has changed during last several days, perhaps related to significant cold (frozen morning/ some ice). Could not happen at worse time for birds, probably, because most duck/bird meets are hatching in a rush now. The chicks are out in the cold. Insect activity very low. I see adult tipulids crawling about in low number, and many of the ponds are writhing with emerged chironomid adults, but with this severe cold continuing perhaps their availability must be depressed. Today the distribution of Calcanius were remarkably different from just 4 days ago. On that transect day they were largely in upland areas, with very few in low wet edge marsh. Today it was just the opposite, and most of them were obviously with chicks. What gives? Are dleulin moving down this year? It is very dry, more so than last year. Pond depths decreased by over 10cm in a 14 day period ending 1 July. So if we assume that it is a real trend, and not some temporary aberrancy, I see 2 possible explanations: 1) that they are seeking damper foraging conditions for physical/invertebrate reasons (i.e. moving to a region similar in dampness to where they go each year) or 2) responding facultatively to the absence of melanotos and going into what is normally melanotos habitat. Pectorals, as I imply they, are quite sparse. I encountered 3 8P today which behaved as if they had 600s. 3 8P on ~50 ha. of transect. Trans 3 and 10 are largely barren, contrasting strongly with my experience of previous year.