SP Myers 1978 Journal Atkasook, N. Slope Borough, Alaska 31 May frithed away morning waiting for NARL please after a very successful taping of C. mauri (see sp accent) during 0630-0830. At 1230 walked N to Atkasook to attempt radio contact or telephone contact with NARL. Radio worked but couldn't raise Lab. Telephone did not work. At 1430, however, the place appeared. FLIGHT - saw very few birds en route some Larus hyponbros. Away from river, snow cover is virtually 99-100% from Atkasook to NARL. Barrow, N. Slope Borough, Alaska 1730 tepid 36° at NARL. No wind. No clouds. Snow melting rapidly. After dinner I censused TS - mostly 99% snow cover but the first units [(0,0) + (0,1)] with few due to proximity to road. Calidris alpina & Calacarus hypopnica most common birds [see spp accent and daily list]. According to Terry Hall this is the first nice day, and nice it is. Snowy owls breeding - 80 sp accent. 1 June Cold again, down to 28° or so at dawn with a strong N wind + clouds. Nothing except longspurs in transects (see summaria). Snow cover 99% over most places including garlind ridge. Shorebirds seemingly in flocks along roadside. 2 June Getting even colder - 22° at 0600. Never rose above freezing during the day and melted all melted water on the tundra is ice covered. Very few birds out there: they have all retreated to the areas beside the road kept warm by increased absorption due to dust. Especially remarkable is the continued flocking behaviour of shorebirds Dunlin have been here since 29 May [vide G.E. Hall] but they are still foraging in flocks - up to 30 or 40 birds per flock - by the road. Longspurs are also breaking from the tundra. Melanotos is virtually absent. Arenaria interpres also still flocking. 3 June somewhat warmer - 28° at 0600, 32° by late afternoon. But the story of retreat from the tundra continues unabated. B. McCaffrey arrived today. My interpretation of their vehicle business is as follows. According to P.G. Connors & others the melt-off is early in southern + central AK, even so far north as Kotzebue & Kruzenshtern. In fact in Anchorage & Fairbanks snow arranged to see the Batale & Dugulus already leaked out, with no snow. Connors told me over the phone today that when he arrived at Kruzenshtern (26 May), Pedicularis was blooming and there was a C. mauri with 2 eggs. So the areas south of the Brooks are far advanced compared to normal. The North