Alaska 
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CHUKCHI SEA 
BEAUFORT SEA 
Prudhoe Bay 
Brooks Ran^o 
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Amchitka I. 
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Dutch Harbor GULF of ALASKA V\ Ketchikan 
B y most accounts, summer 2009 ban- 
ished memories of the cold and wet 
conditions that dominated the Region 
in summer 2008. May opened what became 
nearly eight straight weeks of above-average 
temperatures, few storms, and below-average 
rain. The fire season started early, included 
long periods of widespread smoke coverage, 
and ended with extensive burned acreage in 
the Interior. With few data otherwise, it ap- 
peared to be a generally quick and probably 
successful nesting season, with a few excep- 
tions, notably swallows and possibly North 
Slope coastal tundra nesters. It seemed that 
this summer also yielded more than the usu- 
al wandering or lingering non-breeders at 
sites well south of traditional breeding areas. 
Although the El Nino developed in the cen- 
tral Pacific in June, sea surface temperatures 
in the northern Gulf of Alaska appeared about 
average at least through July. One of the sea- 
son’s most notable events was an invasion of 
Eurasian Collared-Doves that commenced in 
late May and continued through June, with 
many individuals lingering at several sites 
through the season. Summer rarities were 
above the norm, including a new addition to 
the Alaska list and quite a few birds rarely 
found in Southeast. 
Abbreviations; A.B.O. (Alaska B.O., Fair- 
banks); North Gulf (n. Gulf of Alaska); Refer- 
enced details (T), specimens (*), photographs 
(ph.), videotape (vt.), and audiotape (v.r.) are 
on file at the University of Alaska Museum. 
WATERFOWL THROUGH GREBES 
Single Greater White-fronted Geese in South- 
east (where the species typically moves 
through by mid-May) were at Sitka through 
10 Jul (MEW, MET, ph.) and Juneau 19 Jul 
(PMS), a first in summer there. Northbound 
Brant showed a similar pattern in Southeast, 
with lots of late birds still moving deep into 
Jun. Pour Brant in Ketchikan 12 Jul (SCH, 
AWP) were the first ever for mid- 
summer in s. Southeast. Other 
very late Brant included a group 
of 12 in Juneau 28 Jun-1 jul 
(MWS, GBW), 2 in Haines 2 Jul 
(PMS), and 18 in Glacier Bay 22 
Jul (NKD). A Cackling Goose de- 
scribed as probably minima 
accompanied local Cana- 
da Geese in Anchorage 
16 Jun (Pield Guides) — 
most unusual for South- 
coastal Alaska in sum- 
mer — while a parvipes 
Canada Goose was casual in 
the Bering Sea at St. Paul 7-15 Jun (St. Paul 
Tour). A Cackling Goose at Juneau 12 Jun 
(PMS) was thought to be simply a late mi- 
grant. A male Gadwall was extralimital on the 
North Slope, where there are a few records of 
overshooting individuals, at Barrow 26 Jun 
(Field Guides), while a Northern Shoveler 
pair there 26 Jun (Field Guides) was also rare 
for the North Slope but is a species recorded 
with more regularity. First noted on a fresh- 
water lake at Adak 29 May, a pair of Falcated 
Ducks hung around through 3 Jun (ph. IH). 
While there are early Jun records from the 
cen. Aleutians, most reports come from far- 
ther west. Among the standard handful of 
Eurasian Wigeon reports, 
concentrated at n. coastal 
sites, a drake in Juneau 16 
Jun (PMS), where casual in 
summer, was most notable. 
Of the usual scattering of 
mostly single Blue-winged 
Teal beyond the e. Interior, 
a male at Safety Lagoon 
near Nome 12-13 Jun (JT, 
JR, EP) was farthest from 
core range; they are inter- 
mittent visitors there, espe- 
cially during droughts on 
the prairies. Macintosh 
identified a male Eurasian 
Teal at Kodiak 3 Jun (RAM, 
CT); there are a few previous reports there. 
It turned into a good summer for Aythya re- 
ports. Sixty Canvasbacks estimated from Safe- 
ty Lagoon 20-22 Jun (Field Guides) was an 
exceptional grouping from beyond their Inte- 
rior taiga nesting areas well to the southeast. 
A male Common Pochard in partial eclipse 
plumage at Adak 30 Jun (ph. IH) was only the 
Aleutians' 2nd ever in summer. Fourteen 
Ring-necked Ducks at Barnes L. on the lower 
Stikine R. 7 Jun was a strong showing at one 
of Southeast’s few known nesting sites, while 
9 were counted at Juneau’s Mendenhall Wet- 
lands 28 Jun (PMS, BAA), and 3 were offshore 
at Sitka 12 Jun (MLW, MET). Out in the 
North Gulf off Kodiak, a lone male occupied 
a pond n. of Big Bay, Shuyak 1. 30 Jun (RAM) 
in good-looking nesting habitat, Kodiak’s 2nd 
summer record. The summer’s only Tufted 
Ducks included a single male at Nome’s Safe- 
ty Sound 1-2 Jun (Wilderness Birding, LD, JJ) 
and 4 at St. Paul 22 & 27 Jun (St. Paul Tour). 
Lesser Scaup in odd locations included 2 
males near Safety Sound 2 Jun (LD, JJ, AL), 
where they are occasional, and 5 males with a 
female near Perevalne Passage on Shuyak 1. 
near Kodiak 29 Jun (RAM), near where the 
only previous Kodiak area nest was found in 
1997. Ruddy Ducks continue to occupy Ken- 
ny L. in the se. Interior s. of Glenallen, with at 
least 4 ads. towing around 7 imms. between 
24 Jun and 13 Jul (BM, ph. AL, EWC, JDL, 
RLS, ph. TGT et al.). Ad. Ruddy Ducks have 
become a regular feature at this large, shallow 
farm pond, which seems to be filling in and 
shrinking. 
Noteworthy was an ad. Red-throated Loon 
with 2 chicks on a pond near Carroll Pt. on 
Revillagigedo 1. near Ketchikan 11 Jul (ph. 
JEP), the 3rd local confirmed breeding record. 
Red-throated Loon is an uncommon breeding 
species in Southeast. A Horned Grebe located 
on a small pond n of Toolik L. in the n. Brooks 
Range foothills 14 Jun (JS) was very near the 
site of the Region’s only prior breeding record 
n. of the Brooks Range. Careful scoping of the 
Kenny L. oasis in se. Interior turned up a 
breeding-plumaged Eared Grebe 2Jul (EWC, 
JDL), a bird that associated with Horned 
Grebe family groups through at least the 11th 
(m.ob., ph. TGT, ph. DD). We now have two 
photographically documented Alaska records 
and at least one convincing sight report. 
ALBATROSSES THROUGH ALCIDS 
It was a great summer for Short-tailed Alba- 
tross reports, highlighted by a subad. pho- 
tographed in Southeast waters w. of Kruzof 1. 
This adult Swainson's Hawk in the alpine zone above Juneau, Alaska 26 June 2009 
represented one of few reports from Alaska's Southeast, and there is only one previ- 
ous summer record. Photograph by Mark W. Schwan. 
NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS 
638 
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