1 22 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA 76 



pair was seen copulating on 25 May 1987 at Chagvan Bay (D. F. Parmelee 

 and J. M. Parmelee, unpublished). 



Spring migration of longspurs began at Cape Peirce before 28 April 

 1976 and on 3 May 1973 and continued into mid-May both years. Fall 

 migrants were usually first noted in late July at the Tuluksak River and 

 mid-August along the coast. At both Goodnews and Cape Peirce, migrants 

 were still in the area until late September and may have been there later. 



Snow bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis). Cspm, Asr, Cfm (18 April- 

 10 October). Specimen: RMS 1962/36/62. 



Buntings were found throughout the study area, especially in alpine 

 and coastal cliff areas. Birds nested each year at the Salmon and Tuluksak 

 rivers, Goodnews Bay, Chagvan Bay, and Cape Peirce G^NW; MHD 

 photo). They probably nested at Cape Newenham and possibly nested 

 at the Kisaralik River. Mindell (1983) considered them uncommon along 

 the Kisaralik River in 1982, and birds were seen there on 14 August 1985 

 (M. Brown et al., unpublished). M. Brown et al. (unpublished) also saw 

 buntings at the Kwethluk River on 15 July 1985 and the Eek River on 

 17-19 June 1985. T. J. Eley (unpublished) saw one bird at Round Island 

 in July 1974. 



Pairs were found on the coast along cliffs and screes (I8-3OO m asl). 

 Inland, they were 800-1200 m asl (and occasionally as low as 550 m asl) 

 in dwarf shrub mat on screes, cliffs, and fell-fields. We found low 

 numbers of breeding birds (<1.0 pairs per linear kilometer) at the 

 Tuluksak River on summit ridges and plateaus. At old tailings along the 

 Salmon River near Platinum, we found 38 scolding pairs per square 



Fig. 23. Snow bunting nest on windswept ridge; Cape Peirce, 24 June 1970. 

 Photo by M. H. Dick. 



