KILBUCK AND AHKLUN MOUNTAIN BIRDS 



45 



(P. D. Ameson and D. B. McDonald, personal communication). Bald 

 eagles were "suspected" to nest at Summit and High islands (P. D. 

 Ameson and D. B. McDonald, personal communication), and were seen 

 in summer at the Kwethluk River (M. Brown et al., unpublished), Kagati 

 Lake (M. J. Fry, unpublished), and the Togiak River. An empty nest with 

 an eagle nearby was along the Eek River (White and Boyce 1978), and 

 birds were seen there on 24 and 27 June 1985 (M. Brown et ai., 

 unpublished). 



Of 10-12 nesting locations visited systematically on this area, >50% 

 appeared occupied by pairs, but visits to some sites in only 1 year 

 exaggerated occupation. Of the 21 eagles seen in summer near nest sites, 

 excluding juveniles, 15 (71%) were adults and 6 (28%) were unpaired 

 subadults. Inland nest sites were below timberline in riparian woodlands 

 in broad valleys (30-215 m asl) close to beaver (Castor canadensis) 

 ponds or lakes (seven nests) or in spruce woodland in a narrow valley 

 beside an extensive beaver dam complex (one nest). Sites on the coast 

 (two) were near large seabird colonies. Nests were on steep areas of sea 

 cliffs (two), the tops of balsam poplars (two), the top of a paper birch 

 (one), the tops of white spruces (two), and the tops of unspecified 

 broadleaf trees (three). 



Pairs were present at Cape Peirce in late April in 1973 and 1976, and 

 birds were seen in the area during an aerial survey on 23 April 1981 (C. P. 

 Dau, unpublished). An adult was incubating eggs there on 5 May 1973, 

 and small, downy young were found on 6 July 1970. The young at Cape 

 Peirce had not fledged by 20 August 1970, fledged between 2 and 4 July 

 1981 (D. R. Herter and D. Lloyd, personal communication), and by 12 

 August 1976. Large, downy young were found inland on 20 July 1978. A 

 nest with two eaglets was located at the Kisaralik River on 5 July 1988 

 (B. J. McCaffery and R. D. Ernest, unpublished). Adults and immatures 

 were on Round Island on 11-12 June 1972 (R. H. Miller, unpublished). 

 Broods along the coast consisted of two young (three broods) and one 

 young (three broods). At the upper Tuluksak River migrants were found 

 primarily in early October and an adult was seen on 15 October 1977. 



Food items from the nest at Cape Peirce included salmon (Oncorhyn- 

 chus spp.), wolffishes (Anarhichadidae), kittiwakes (Rissa spp.), and 

 tufted puffms (Fratercula cirrhata). During the snowshoe hare popula- 

 tion crash at the Tuluksak River in 1982, at least six bald eagles (mainly 

 subadults or immatures) were present from spring to late fall and fed on 

 dead or dying hares Q. Birch, personal communication). Prey remains 

 beneath two nests near our study area at the Kuskokwim River included 

 one Barrow's goldeneye, one mallard, four unidentifled ducks, one 

 Canada goose, one showshoe hare, one sheefish (Stenodus leucichthys 

 nelma), and four unidentifled fish (Mindell 1983). 



