KILBUCK AND AHKLUN MOUNTAIN BIRDS 



35 



Common eider (Sotnateria mollissimd), Uspm, Csr, Cwr? 



This eider occurred along the coast and on offshore islands. Spring 

 migrants passed Cape Peirce during 2-15 May 1973 and 5 May-9 June 

 1976 in low numbers (25 ± 15.7 birds per hour during 8.8 h in 1976). 

 Birds roosted in ice-free areas or on ice floes in Nanvak Bay in spring. J. G. 

 King and M. A. Monson (unpublished) found several thousand eiders in 

 the open waters of Bristol Bay, Hagemeister Strait, and Togiak Bay during 

 an aerial survey on 22 April 1968; C. P. Dau (unpublished) reported 

 62 eiders on the coastal portion of the area during an aerial survey on 

 23 April 1981. We found eiders along the entire coastal portion of the 

 study area in summer. Eiders probably migrated along coastal areas in late 

 fall and wintered there until sea ice formed; 33 birds were at Nanvak Bay 

 on 25 September 1973. Common eiders are common in Bristol Bay in 

 open water during fall and winter (King and Dau 1981). 



We saw flightless birds at Nanvak Bay and in inshore waters near 

 Cape Peirce (28 July-9 September 1976) and near Summit and Round 

 islands (9 July 1962). Thirty-three eiders were at Nanvak Bay on 25 Sep- 

 tember 1973. P. D. Ameson and D. B. McDonald (personal communica- 

 tion) saw eiders at Crooked, High, and Hagemeister islands in June-July 

 1977. 



Birds nested near Chagvan Bay where J. L. Hout (unpublished) found 

 one female with six young in July 1969. Common eiders nested on an 

 island in Nunavachak Lake in July 1962. Approximately 100 pairs nested 

 at Shaiak Island in 1976. At least 10 eider eggs were among hundreds of 

 gull eggs taken by local people at Shaiak Island on 14 July 1973. D. R. 

 Herter and D. Lloyd (personal communication) found broods in Nanvak 

 Bay and on Shaiak Island in 1981. Egg laying began in early June in 1973 

 and 1976 at Shaiak Island. Nests there were subject to severe losses due 

 to red fox predation during some years (Petersen 1982). 



King eider (Sotnateria spectabilis). Aspm, VRsr, Awr. 



King eiders were found only in coastal areas. Migration past Cape 

 Peirce was spectacular with 62,800 birds per hour (2 h) passing on 2 May 

 1973 and 4,600 birds per hour (2 h) at peak migration on 5 May 1976. In 

 1976, pairs migrated primarily between 30 April and 17 May, and 

 subadults migrated primarily between 22 May and 30 June (peak, 1 June; 

 200 birds per hour, 2 h). Flocks were reported in ice-free areas along the 

 coast in early spring in inshore and offshore waters (C. P. Dau, unpub- 

 lished; J. G. King, unpublished; D. I. Eisenhauer, personal communica- 

 tion). A flock of eight birds (both sexes) flew northward over Chagvan 

 Bay on 25 May 1987 (D. F. Parmelee and J. M. Parmelee, unpublished). 

 Subadult (DNW photo, MHD photo) and adult males molted in nearshore 

 and inshore waters throughout the study area between 30 July and 



