86 



NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA 76 



Five murres collected at Cape Peirce in 1976 had eaten sandlances 

 and unidentified fishes. Five murres collected there in 1981 had eaten 

 copepods (80% of birds), mysid (40%), decapod (20%), gammarid (20%), 

 rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax dentex; 20%), and sandlance (80%; 

 Lloyd 1985). 



Thick-billed murre (JJria lomvid), VRv. 



One dead thick-billed murre was found on the beach at Chagvan Bay 

 on 17 July 1986. A very few were tentatively identified as thick-billed 

 murres at Round Island on 9 July 1962 by DNW, but T. J. Eley (unpub- 

 lished), R. Macintosh (unpublished), and Ameson (1977) saw none there 

 in later years. 



Pigeon guillemot (Cepphus colutnbd), Csr (27 April-22 Septem- 

 ber). Specimens: UAM2621 and WFB867. 



Guillemots probably nested along the coastal portion of the study 

 area in all suitable habitats from Goodnews Bay to the Walrus Islands, 

 although we found nests only at Cape Peirce and Shaiak Island. Recent 

 population estimates for the study area totaled 1,601 birds (Sowls et al. 

 1978; plus 10 pairs at Beluga Peak). Birds were present when we arrived 

 at Cape Peirce on 27 April 1973, and the first birds were seen on 1 May 

 1976. They were present intermittently until 11 May 1973 and 12 May 



1976. Pairs were commonly seen in the water before their return to the 

 cliffs. We found altemate-plumaged birds in summer near rock cliffs and 

 boulder piles at Beluga Peak, along the shore near Chagvan Bay, and at 

 Cape Peirce, Shaiak Island, Hagemeister Island, High Island, Twin Islands, 

 Black Rock, and Round Island. Ameson (1977) also found guillemots 

 ubiquitous throughout the Walrus Islands and Hagemeister Island in 



1977. R. Macintosh (unpublished) thought they nested at Round Island 

 in June 1976. Nest sites were in crevices between large rocks and 

 boulders above the high tide line. D. R. Herter and D. Lloyd (personal 

 communication) found a nest with one egg and one chick on 1 3 July 1981 

 at Shaiak Island. Fledged young were first seen on I6 August (1973) and 

 13 August (I976) at Cape Peirce. 



One subadult bird at Cape Peirce had eaten small invertebrates 

 (Dermaturus mandtii and Spiroutocaris arcuata), and an adult had 

 eaten hermit crabs (J'agurus spp.) and unidentified fishes. Unlike other 

 alcids, guillemots foraged at the mouths of Goodnews, Chagvan, and 

 Nanvak bays. 



Marbled murrelet (Brachyramphus tnarmoratus). VRv. 



We watched a single bird dive near Shaiak Island on 7 August 1970. 

 J. L. Hout (unpublished) saw a bird in Nanvak Bay in September 1971. 



