SP Myers 1978 Journal NARL, Barrow, North Slope Borough, Alaska 15 JUNE (Cont'd) Life out on the tundra less than comfortable. Somewhat to my surprise, therefore, everyone had a good day on the field: McCaffrey and Sheppard ran transects (all saw 85), FAP census, Sticorarius pair (see sp accent) while I tracked a P. melanotos. Bird activity level was definitely higher than anticipated - for example the P. melanotos located regularly + gave frequent calls. McCaffrey ran me to a center of melanotos activity out along T9, at T10. He also found a fuscicollis nest. Apparently the transect region around T9+T10 contains many melanotos and Phalaropus fulicarius. That is especially interesting because of their low numbers there last year and the overall low density of melanotos this year. In 1977 we had few of either melanotos or fulicarius, especially on Grids 1+2 compared to 1975-6 densities. Grid 3, on the other hand, had good RP numbers, and I even found a & there from 1975-6 on Grids 1+2 (banded by Schaefer). A contrasted this last year as indicating local shifts in hot spots: 1975-6 the Grids 1+2 were good (80 was 3). 1977 the phalaropus moved to Grid 3, so that our overall (lower abundance) of RPs was strong on 1+2, but perhaps peculiar only to them. So this year we have low melanotos than Grids 1+2, but (according to McCaffrey) very well developed hot spots out on T9+T10. And as I observed above, T9+T10 were dead last year. What causes these local shifts? One hypothesis is that the location of settling is controlled by melt-off: perhaps a 'piper' such city not 100% clear, but something with some critical % cover value, something between 80 and 100. Locally there are important differences in melt-off. Grids 1+2 may have passed the critical level when the animal, so they moved on. T9-10 were later. 2nd Hyp - low density last year meant low cropping rates + thus higher densities of larvae this year? That would be something! NARL → Atkaook on the Meade, N. Slope Borough, Alaska 16 June Flight via single otter this am. To Meade River. We are carrying supplies, John Grouse (pilot), me, and an expediter. Grouse is to return with John Costoris and Bill Q. Gloege, USGS people surveying river water levels.