KILBUCK AND AHKLUN MOUNTAIN BIRDS 



43 



were seen in summer at the Kisaralik River (M. Brown et al. , unpublished), 

 the Kwethluk River (M. Brown et al., unpublished), the Eek River (R. 

 Baxter, unpublished; M. Brown et al., unpublished), the Kanektok River, 

 and the Kinegnak River. Two common mergansers were seen during an 

 aerial survey from Carter Spit to Platinum on 12 May 1985 (C. P. Dau and 

 R. J. King, unpublished). 



We found broods or pairs in streams >10 m wide in riparian wood- 

 lands at the Salmon, the Tuluksak, and the Kisaralik rivers. We found 

 1.5 ± 0.5 pairs of birds per year (A^= 8 years) in 12 seasons at the Tuluksak 

 River along 48 km of streams. Downies were found on 1 1 July 1976, 9 July 

 1983, and 21 July 1987, and fully feathered young were seen on 26 July 

 1979 and 23 August 1977. 



Red-breasted merganser (Mergus serrator). Uspm, Csr, Ufm 

 (28 April- 8 October). 



This merganser nested throughout the study area and used estuaries 

 during migration and when molting. Birds nested at the Salmon River, the 

 Tuluksak River, the Kisaralik River, the Togiak River (this study), Kagati 

 Lake (M.J. Fry, unpublished), the Kanektok River (White and Boyce 1978; 

 J. L. Hout, personal communication), Togiak Lake, Goodnews Bay, 

 Chagvan Bay, and Nanvak Bay. Mergansers were also seen by others at the 

 Kisaralik River (10 and 14 August 1985; M. Brown et al., unpublished), at 

 the Kwethluk River (10-26 July 1985; M. Brown et al., unpublished), and 

 at the Eek River (17-29 June 1985; M. Brown et al., unpublished). Mer- 

 gansers molted at Goodnews, Chagvan, and Nanvak bays and Cape Peirce, 

 and they migrated past Cape Peirce and Nanvak Bay. D. F. Parmelee and 

 J. M. Parmelee (unpublished) observed a pair on 23 May 1987 and a 

 probable breeding pair during 25-26 May near Chagvan Bay. P. D. Ameson 

 and D. B. McDonald (personal communication) found birds at Crooked 

 and Hagemeister islands in June-July 1977. 



From 1 to 17 birds were seen each day throughout spring migration 

 (28 April- 17 June) in Nanvak Bay or in inshore waters at Cape Peirce. 

 During spring aerial surveys along the coast, estimates of mergansers 

 included 30 in 1983 (25 April; C. P. Dau, unpublished), 2 in 1984 (28 April; 

 C. P. Dau, unpublished), 2 in 1985 (12 May; C. P. Dau and R. J. King, 

 unpublished), 4 in 1986 (4 May; C. P. Dau and R. J. King, unpublished), 

 154 in 1987 (1 May; R. J. King and C. P. Dau, unpubUshed), 354 in 1988 

 (3 May; R. J. King and C. P. Dau, unpublished), and 795 in 1989 (4 May; 

 R. J. King and C. P. Dau, unpublished). In summer, we found up to 300 

 birds (both sexes) each year at Nanvak Bay and flightless birds in the bay 

 and in inshore waters from 30 July to 7 September; J. G. King (unpub- 

 lished) found approximately 300 birds at Nanvak Bay on 3 July 1964, D. R. 

 Herter and D. Lloyd (personal communication) found up to 1 50 birds there 

 in July 1981, and D. R. Herter et al. (personal communication) found 375 



