74 



NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA 76 



high) we found three families with fledged or almost fledged young within 

 1.6 km of Platinum on 2-5 August. 



South polar skua (Catharacta maccormicki). VRv. 



One bird was seen by MRP and M. J. Sigman in the marsh near Nanvak 

 Bay on 29 July 1976 after a series of storms in the Bering Sea. The 

 individual was uniformly dark, almost black, and had distinctive white 

 patches at the base of its primaries. While in the area, the skua was 

 mobbed by a parasitic jaeger. 



South polar skuas are seen regularly at sea from the Gulf of Alaska to 

 California (American Ornithologists' Union 1983), and one has been 

 reported at sea off Icy Cape in northern Alaska (Watson and Divoky 

 1972). 



Bonaparte's gull (Larus Philadelphia). Uspm, Uv, Ufm (5 May-22 

 September). 



Bonaparte's gulls used the coastal portions of the study area through- 

 out summer and during spring and fall migrations. We found birds on tiie 

 coast at Goodnews and Nanvak bays and in the Ahklun Mountains at the 

 Togiak River. Adults and yearlings were at Nanvak Bay during spring 

 migration from 5 May to 3 June 1973 (up to l6 per day, 1 1 days total). 

 Altemate-plumaged adults were at Goodnews Bay on 19 June 1974. J. G. 

 King (unpublished) found three subadult (or basic-plumaged) birds at 

 Nanvak Bay on 5 July 1964; W. Arvey (personal communication) found 

 several birds there on 5 July 1973, and we observ^ed one on 2 July 1970. 

 Hatching-year birds (MRP photo) arrived at Nanvak Bay beginning on 

 23 July 1970 and 1976. We found young gulls there between 1 and 

 22 September 1973, and D. R. Herter and D. Lloyd (personal communi- 

 cation) found gulls there during 21 July- 15 August 1981 (seven imma- 

 tures on 2 August). Few gulls were seen at Nanvak Bay. Small groups and 

 singles were seen every few days in 1973, with 45 birds noted on 18 

 September. Between 10 and 20 birds were there most days in late July 

 and August 1976. Up to 43 birds foraged for sticklebacks (Gasterosteus 

 spp.) in a small pond near Nanvak Bay on 31 May-3 June and 29-30 July 

 1976. Both adults and hatching-year birds were at the Togiak River in 

 August 1973. M. J. Fry (unpublished) found an immature bird inland at 

 Kagati Lake on 15 August 1962. 



Mew gull (Larus canus). Cspm, Csr, FCfm (28 April-24 September). 

 Specimen: RMS 1962/36/22. 



Mew gulls used the coastal portions of the study area during spring, 

 summer, and fall, and nested in suitable habitat along the coast and 

 inland. In spring 1973, mew gulls arrived at Nanvak Bay on 28 April and 



