60 IT. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 217 



Family GRUIDAE: Cranes 

 Grus canadensis canadensis (Linnaeus) 



Lesser sandhill cranes are seen and heard regularly during spring 

 migration. They were reported May 30, 1949, and May 25, 1954. As 

 TattidgaJc, their characteristic mode of flight and calls are well known 

 to the Nunamiut. It is said that flocks greater than six in number are 

 not seen, and that they do not alight in the Valley. A few are known 

 to nest along the lower Colville. 



Family CHAR ADRIID AE : Plovers, Turnstones, Surfbirds 

 Charadrius semipalmatus Bonaparte 



16 males 



May 19-June 22 



weight (11), 39-48, 

 average 42 g. 



2 females 



Jime 22-Aug. 6 



weight (3), 41, 40, 39 



1 young male 



Aug. 16 



g- 



2 nests with 3 and 



June 22, 1949 





4 fresh eggs; one 







male, one female 







parent. 







The attractive semipalmated plover was recorded in Tuluak Valley 

 May 20, 1949, June 2, 1950, May 6, 1951, May 23, 1953, and June 1, 

 1954. One which had been collected at Tuluak June 3, 1948, was 

 examined but could not be saved. A considerable number in migrant 

 flight pass through late in May, and many settle to disperse along the 

 sand and gravel bars of the river, where they may often be seen 

 running with surprising swiftness for such small birds. The first set 

 of eggs was found by Thomas Brower; it contained three eggs on 

 June 12, 1949, and since no addition was made, it was collected partly 

 incubated June 22. The other set listed was fresh. 



The bird in young plumage was collected at Akmalik Creek, Killik 

 Valley, on August 6. It could then fly well and was near full length 

 and wing size. It was with an adult female, and both appeared to be 

 in residence. The last record for 1950 was September 1 at Contact 

 Creek. 



One of the nests collected by Tom Brower was found on the fine sand 

 near a little stream and was made of coarse and finer grasses with a 

 few leaves and fragments of willow and other dry tundra material. 

 The other was found on a ridge above the river and contained moss, 

 fragments of grass, and small leaves from the adjacent dry tundra. 



These handsome and alert little plover are well liked. The 

 Nunamiut name Kodrakoruk is given them in resemblance of their call. 



There is a considerable northbound flight of semipalmated plover. 

 Those which remain in the Valley are conspicuous by their calls and 



