J.P. Myers 1978 Journal Barrow, North Slope Borough, Alaska 3 June (cont'd) Slope, in contrast, is neither normal or perhaps even retarded. The difference between condition south + north of the slope has had an important effect on the behavior of arriving birds. Condition to the south sped them along - they continued advancing as for no meet would permit, which this year dumped them abruptly onto the N. Slope. And it is so different here that they "don't know what to do". They are here before they should be, and thus are remaining flocked in areas suitable for foraging. This is why we see so many Dunlin flocks even though they have been here since 29 May - 6 days. 4 June a.m. took Brian McCaffrey & Ben Vogel nuts and south of town. It is always an eye-opening tour for newcomers to Barrow, and discovers commonest birds. Town is a dump, usually, olfactory, actually. Each house is surrounded by what seem to be tons of accumulated garbage, but what is probably only the past winters. Now that the snow is melting, it is coming to the surface, because it, unlike the snow, doesn't melt. Papers, garbage, wood chips, broken dishes + machinery, + just plain mud. With this there also comes a more troubling blend of putrefying odor. Yum! And the noise comes from trail bikes reawakening after a winter's rest. But where else could you find shorebirds foraging in the midst of urban life, meters from each house, by each road in all the small ponds? Throughout the morning a cold easterly wind blew strongly, although the temperature quickly rose above 0°C. We continued south of town to the Freshwater lake. The tundra remains almost 100% covered. Shorebirds numerous in flocks. And Stercorarius parasiticus began not only to move by air (drones), but also to set up territories (see sp. accent). At 1300 McCaffrey + I dropped Vogel at the lab, and we went out to the IBP area. By mid afternoon the wind had dropped to almost nothing. Calidris began to display frequently, and shorebirds started singing - both Calidris alpina + pusilla (at loon with a rally of display), &^2 cheering all along the Gasline Road from Beach Ridge out to the Smithsonian building, and along Voth Creek. On that Gasline Ridge, however, life was more quiet. We walked out to a Mycteria nest (one additional egg in days) and then returned toward camp. G.E. Hall waylaid us, reporting a Motacilla alba on the Brinton area. 45 min of search found us nothing, save 15 Calidris alba and a Motacilla flava. Returned to camp. Went out again at 2130 for an hour, visiting POW-MAIN