KILBUCK AND AHKLUN MOUNTAIN BIRDS 



107 



land (one), and the upper edge of a spruce forest (one). Nests were 1 -4 m 

 above the ground on beams of buildings and bridges (four), in willow 

 (one), and in spruce (two). Nesting birds foraged along the edges of all 

 habitats on the main valley floor then, after the young fledged, mainly at 

 edges of spruce-secondary broadleaf woods. More birds foraged up into 

 the alpine (to 925 m asl) as berries got ripe. 



Six nests at the Tuluksak River averaged 3 8 eggs per clutch (range, 

 3-4), and four broods averaged 3 5 young (range, 3-4). Robins arrived 

 there as early as 2 April, but generally in mid-May (C. Clark, Jr., personal 

 communication). Eggs hatched between 1 and 4 June (four nests), young 

 fledged beginning 18 June (five nests), and birds were present to at least 

 13-25 August. In 1983, robins nested exceptionally early at the Tuluksak 

 River and may have raised two broods; one brood fledged on 3 June, and 

 eggs were laid in the same nest later in the season. Birds at Platinum in 

 1974 incubated eggs by 12 June (two nests), with a late clutch laid 

 beginning 4 July. 



Varied thrush (Ixoreus naevius). Asr (5 May-22 September). Speci- 

 mens: RMS1962/36/37, RMS 1962/36/36, BMNH/83sk/DNW08, and 

 BMNH/83sk/DNW17. 



Varied thrushes nested in the northern Kilbuck Mountains, were rare 

 to the south, and were seen only once on the coast. Birds nested at the 

 Salmon and Tuluksak (DNW photo) rivers and possibly nested at the 

 Kisaralik River. Birds were considered common in the Nyac area and the 

 Kisaralik River in 1980 and 1982, respectively (Mindell 1983); seen daily 

 on the Kisaralik River on 16-21 June 1987 (B. J. McCaffery, personal 

 communication) and 25-27 August 1985 (M. Brown et al., unpublished); 

 seen 6 days during 17-26 July 1985 at the Kwethluk River (M. Brown 

 et al., unpublished); uncommon along the Kanektok River in June 1977 

 (White and Boyce 1978); and seen 17, 22, and 26-29 June 1985 at the 

 Eek River (M. Brown et al., unpublished). We saw them once at Cape 

 Peirce on 5 May 1973. 



At the Tuluksak River, birds nested 180-340 m asl in tall mixed 

 riparian woodlands (five nests in open canopy, one nest in closed 

 canopy) and upper edges of spruce forest (one nest). Nests were in 

 spruce trees (six nests) and willows (one nest) about 2.5 m above the 

 ground. Birds foraged in mixed tall riparian woodlands, secondary broad- 

 leaf woodlands, edges of spruce-birch and birch, and shrub habitats, as 

 well as in subalpine shrub habitat during berry season. In 1983, we found 

 1.7 pairs per square kilometer in disturbed riparian plots and 18.6 pairs 

 per square kilometer in one undisturbed riparian plot. 



Six clutches at the Tuluksak River averaged 3 8 eggs (range, 3-5). 

 The earliest spring arrival was on 15 May 1962. Varied thrushes were 

 incubating by 1 June 1974 and as late as 24 June 1974. In early spring 



