NorthernCanada

Yukon established the first con- wasa greatmidnight find at HerschelI., n. firmed breeding record for the Yukon 10-11 Jun (ph. PS, SDa, IM, WN). DempsterHwy. (CE). A pair of ad. Other scarceshorebirds recorded during Swans was at Tweed L., CanadianWildlife Servicesurveys on the NWT 1 Jun (OB, SDe, CS); another Yukon'sNorth Slopewere 2 Black-bellied was at BelotL., NWT 27 Jun (OB, Ploversseen w. of Komakuk11 Jun (PS) and ph. SDe, CS). An imm. Whooper 3 White-rumpedSandpipers at HerschelI. Swan,the firstto be photographed 10-11Jun (ph. PS).Baird's Sandpiper was re- in the Yukon, was at Herschel I. 26 ported to be commonlynesting in tundra Jun-6 Jul (ph. LJM, DA, ph. MB, aboveArctic Bay, 20 Jul (TB). A WB, KM). A late reportof a male numberof speciesnormally seen in Cam- EurasianWigeon at HendersonCor- bridgeBay, Nunavut but absentthis year dur- ner,cen. Yukon 4 May (CD) provid- ing 6-10 Jul wereWhite-rumped Sandpiper, ed one of the few Dawson area Buff-breastedSandpiper, and RedPhalarope; records.The arrivalof Long-tailed as well, there were lower-than-normalnum- Ducksat ,Nunavut seemed a bersof PectoralSandpipers and Ruddy Turn- bit latethis year, but some were ob- stones (RK, EET). Cameron D. Eckert servedin meltingponds by 11 Jun (MM). A countof 13 Red-throatedLoons was GULLSTHROUGH FINCHES recordedat HerschelI., Yukon 13 Jun (PS). An amazing57 Long4ailedJaegers•a species of monitoring long-term trends Red-throatedLoon numbers appear to besta- not previouslydetected in the area--were whileortherners alsofaceresponding thetwinto challengesimminent ble at Nanisivik,Nunavut, with nestingpairs loafingon theice of ColvilleL., NWT on the threatsto birdlifeposed by development. This on mostsmall lakes; a nestthere had one egg morningof 5 Jun (OB,SDe, CS); this event year. shorebirdsurveys across northern 25Jun and 2 chicksby 29Jul (CK). TwoYel- wasdefinitely related to weather,as a bitterly Yukon and Northwest Territories collected low-billedLoons were seen at CambridgeBay, coldsystem had rolledin fromthe Beaufort baselinepopulation data for theBird Conser- Nunavut8 & 10Jul(RK, EET). A highbreed- Seathe previous day. Two ad. Little Gulls, ca- vationRegion known as the ArcticPlains & ing densityof Red-neckedGrebes, about 50 sualin s. Yukon,were spotted among a late Mountains. In the southwestern Northwest pairs nesting in Equisetummarshes, was flock of migrantBonapartek Gulls at Twin Territories,an intensivefield study of the ef- recordedon a surveyof Little Atlin L., s. Lakes6 Jun (ph. DM). Twoad. Little Gulls fectsof a pipelinecorridor in thenorthern bo- Yukon14Jun (CE, EN). A tallyof 27 Double- werereported from Akimiski I., Nunavut3 real forestfound surprisingly high diversity crestedCormorant nests 31 Mayprovided the Jun 0I). A countof 23 Icelandand 38 Glau- and productivityof songbirdsin the Fort first breedingrecord for AkimiskiStrait is- cousGulls was made at ArcticBay, Nunavut 1 Simpsonarea. These are two very different lands,Nunavut (KA). A TurkeyVulture seen Jun (CK). An ad. Slaty-backedGull greeted studies,but hopefullyboth will help under- 1Jun provided the first record for Akimiski L, an Eagle-Eyetour at CambridgeBay, Nunavut standand relievethe spiralingpressures on Nunavut (RB, SH). 743Jul (ph. RK, EET). Nestingof Glaucous northernbird populations.Birdwatchers also A PacificGolden-Plover, a first for North- and Thayer'sGulls in Nunavut'sHigh playan essentialrole in bird conservationin westTerritories, was at Tuktoyaktuk11 Jun was about a week late this season(MM). Sin- thisvast Region: reports from a fewnew ob- (ph. DM). Twoad. CommonRinged Plovers gle ad. Glaucous-wingedGulls were seenat serverscan providemuch-needed informa- with a chick were noted at Nanisivik, Herschel1., n. Yukon12 Jun (ph. PS) and at tion.Despite the greatdistances between Re'- Nunavut21-29 Jul (TB; CK). Threepairs of Whitehorse,s. Yukon5Jun (CE, DM) & 1Jul gionaloutposts•for example, nearly 3500 UplandSandpipers were at Duke Meadows, (ph. CE). A highcount of 25 Sabine'sGulls km separateHerschel Island, Yukon from sw.Yukon 5 Jul (RF). A pair of copulating wasmade at CambridgeBay, Nunavut 9 Jul Akimiski Island, Nunavut--there is a shared HudsonianGodwits on Akimiski I., Nunavut (RK, EET). Ivory Gull is excitingwherever it passionthat links peopleto the northern 1Jun suggestedlocal breeding, but no subse- is encountered;3 were seenon the ice of Ad- wilderness.If your summertravels take you quentnest was found(SB). A countof 24 miraltyInlet, Nunavut 15 Jun-1 Jul (PN),and to the North,please share your sightings and MarbledGodwits, including numerous pairs one was seen with a flock of Glaucous and stories. on territories,was made on Akimiski1.3 Jun Thayer•Gulls attracted by a Narwhalfeeding In theYukon, a briefspell of warmweath- (KW). A latebut noteworthyreport was of 2 on ArcticCod at VictorBay, Nunavut 31 Jul er in Junegave way to a relativelycool sum- RuddyTumstones at SurfbirdMi., near km (CK);one must marvel at thebeauty of such mer. In Northwest Territories, June was 100 on the DempsterHwy., cert.Yukon 31 a scene.A CaspianTern seen just alongKlu- slightlywarmer and wetter than the norm for May (SF,BL). Surfbirdreports, all from the anek., just s. of CongdonCr., sw. Yukon 5 Jul, muchof theMackenzie Valley, while July was Yukon,included a singingmale at Surfbird followeda sightingof 2 at KelsallL., on the close to seasonal norms. Mi., nearthe Dempster Hwy. 31 May (SF,BL), HainesSummit just s. of theYukon border 3 one at BlueberryRidge along the Dempster Jul (RF).An impressive300 ArcticTerns were WATERFOWLTHROUGH Hwy. 7 Jun (BL), another singingin the at a colonyat ColvilleL., NWT 29 Jun (OB, SHOREBIRDS RichardsonMts., 40 km n. of theEagle R., 12 SDe, CS). The increasingoverlap in the breedingrange Jun (SF,BL), 4 at InclineMi. alongthe Demp- A Eurasian Collared-Dove was seen of Trumpeterand TundraSwans in the nw. sterHwy. 20 Jun (SF, BL), and 4 at 2000-mel- brieflyat HainesJunction, sw. Yukon 16 Jun cornerof the Regionmeans that careful field evationin the Quill Cr. drainage,sw. Yukon (ph. WR); however,recent releases of this identificationis essential.A pair of Trumpeter 20Jul(ph. DD). TheYukon's first Red-necked speciesin Petersburg,se. Alaskahave mud- Swans on a nest at Tombstone Park, cen. Stint, a bird in stunningbreeding plumage, died the watersaround the provenanceof

540 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS NORTHERNCANADAI

thisbird. A MourningDove at Tulita,NWT 6 Jul (ph. RD) providedthe firstlocal record. Short-eared Owl nests have become increas- inglynoteworthy, as the speciesis now con- sideredof "specialconcern"; a nestwith six eggswas recorded at AkimiskiI., Nunavut2 Jun (SB).A Yellow-belliedFlycatcher banded at TeslinL. 11 Jun was the first seenthere throughthe "spring"banding season (ph. BS).The knownrange of Yellow-belliedFly- catcher in ceu. Yukon was fleshed out some- what with countsof 3 near Mayo 7 Jun (MOD), 8 on the Goldfield roads near Daw- son 24 Jun (PS, SDa), and 2 at Faro 27 Jun (PS,SDa). Three hatch-year Least Flycatch- ers,at the far nw.edge of theirrange in cen. Yukon,were bandedat Shell Cr. alongthe YukonR. 22 Jul (ph. TMK, BS).The Mount McintyreB.B.S. in Whitehorse,s. Yukonon 16Jun foundDusky Flycatchers well below their typicaltreeline breeding grounds this year(CE)--no doubta resultof heavysnow conditionsin alpineareas late into thespring. An EasternPhoebe, well beyondits range, HerschelIsland on theYukon's north coast has a well-deservedreputation asan outstanding rarity hotspot. Following close onthe heels of the Yukon's first Red-necked Stint was this first-year Whooper Swan, seen on the island 26 (here 29) June wassinging at HendersonCorner, cen. Yukon throughabout 6 July2006. Photo•lraph byMalkolm Boothroyd. 6 Jun (DM). Rare on the Yukon's North Coast were a day(ph. SB). Another Northern Mockingbird yet--a distanceof just 150 km separateda Tree Swallow between the Firth R. and Bab- was in Ft. Simpson,NWT 27-28 Jun (ph. malenear Carcross in lateMay (ph. BW) and bageR. 13 Jun (PS) and a BarnSwallow at DT); interestingly,it was in exactlythe same a femalenear HainesJunction, sw. Yukon in HerschelL 29 Jun (MB). A flock of 80 Bank placeand time (within a week)as a mocking- earlyJun (ph. JO). A male Brown-headed Swallowscircling and drinking from Rab- bird seentwo yearsearlier. Brown Thrasher Cowbirdwas a surprisevisitor to , bitkettle L., Nahanni National Park Reserve, reportsfrom Nunavut included one at Arviat Nunavut3-8 Jun (ph. LJS,JS). There was no NWT, then headingsoutheastward 30 Jul 3-14 Jun (ph. LJS,JS) and one singingat hidingfor the brilliantmale Baltimore Oriole (DT), wasa suresign of fall migrationunder- Akimiski I. 9 Jun (SB). CedarWaxwings that stoodout like a fiery blazeagainst the way.A Blue-headedVireo at SwanL., s. Yukon stagedone of theirperiodic mini-invasions in brownspring vegetation at Arviat,Nunavut 3 9Jun (v.r.BD) wasa firstrecord for theWhite- the Whitehorsearea, s. Yukon this summer;a & 6 Jun(ph. LJS). horsearea; another singing in DeadmenValley pair was confirmednesting (five eggs)at 13Jun(DT) wasthe firstfor NahanniNation- MarshL. in lateJun (ph. DP). Contributors(subregional editors in bold- al ParkReserve. Red-eyed Vireo is very rare in Tennessee Warblers continue to be seen in face):Ken Abraham,Deon Arey, Olivier Bar- the Whitehorsearea, s_ Yukon; reports this highnumbers in se.Yukon; a countof 22 was den, TimothyBarksdale, Erin Bayne,Steve year includedsingles in downtownWhite- recorded on the Rancheria B.B.S. 17 Jun Belfry, Malkolm Boothroyal, Wendy horse13 & 15Jul (RP;DS, MS), at Little Atlin (HG). Reportsof CapeMay Warblerswell w. Boothroyd, Rod Brook, Sarah Davidson L. 14 Jun (CE) & 16 Jun (BD), and on the of theirrange included males in Whitehorse (SDa), Samuel Denauh (SDe), Boris Do- Atlin Rd. 17 Jun (PS).Winter Wren, scarcein 1-7Jun(ph. PS; CE; MB), at HainesJunction, browolsky,Ron Doctor,Christine Drinnan, s. Yukon,was heard near Ranchefta17 Jun sw.Yukon 10 Jun (MOD), and on the s. side Dan Drummond, Eagle-EyeTours (EET), (HG). TwoGolden-crowned Kinglets, rare n. of ChilkatPass just s. of the Yukonborder 3 CameronEckert, Sylvie Frisch, Roger Foxall, of the s. edgeof the Yukon,were at Little Jul (RF). Five TownsendgWarblers were tal- Helmut GrOnberg,Sarah Hagey, Jean Iron, SalmonL. 26Jun (CE, PS). lied alongthe Top-of-the-WorldHwy., cen. Clare Kines, Richard Knapton, Berwyn A pairof NorthernWheatears was seen at a Yukon23 Jun (PS,SDa). A singleBlack-and- Larsen,Ken Madsen,Mark Mallory,lan Mc- nestat ArcticBay, Nunavut 20 Jul (]'13).An whiteWarbler was heard in DeadmenValley, Donald,Doug McRae, Lee John Meeyok, Ted AmericanRobin nest (with four eggs) was re- NahanniNational Park Reserve, NWT 13Jun Murphy-Kelly,Erin Neufeld,Paul Nicklen, portedfrom Arviat, Nunavut 12-16 Jun (ph. (DT). A femaleWestern Tanager, w. of its WendyNixon, Mark O'Donoghue,John Os- AU). A study around Ft. Simpson,NWT range,was banded at TeslinL. 4 Jun(ph. BS). tashek,Doug Phillips, Rosamund Pojar, Wolf found Swainsoh's Thrush to be the most com- Lark Sparrowsare known to wandernorth- Riedl,Carl Saviguac,Ben Schonewille, Debi mon breedingbird, while Red Squirrelwas ward in summer; one found at Colville L., & Mark Schwan,Jeff van den Scott,Lisa-Jo identifiedas the predator responsible for most NWT 29 Jun (OB,ph. SDe)may now mark van den Scott,Nigel Sharp,Pamela Sinclair, nest failures;significant nest predationby our northernmostrecord. A highcount of 8 DouglasTare (NorthwestTerritories), Alexis Sharp-shinnedHawks was also an unexpect- Smith'sLongspurs was madeat TweedL., Utatnaq,Blaine Walden, Katie Walker. • edfind (EB).Rare songbirds noted at Akimis- NWT 7 Jun;this species was later confirmed ki I., Nunavutincluded a GrayCatbird 1 Jun breedingthere (OB, SDe). Yellow-headed CameronD. Eckert,1402 Elm Street, Whitehorse, (NS) and a NorthernMockingbird the next Blackbirdsbreeding in the Yukon?Well, not Yukon,Y'IA 4B6, (cdeckert@.net)

VOLUME 60 (2007) NUMBER 4 541