Agjfls /Q-'F5 in J
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
-'., '. .... (QL. El Paso Alaska Company, etal. 6~5.5 -, Docket Nos.' CP75-96, et aI.- ,4'-( Exhibit AA- (RGG-6) -. -\ _., , ~ . K:.b7 AGJflS /Q-'f5 -" A S11lDYOF nn: nJSTIUBuno:-.J A\JD t,[)VEHr~\J'rs OF ~4g , SNOW GEESE, 0111ER' GEESE, AND \\'1 nSTLING SWj\.\JS ;1 j o.\J TIm H\CKf:NZIEDELTA, YUKON Nom1l SLOPE, j A~D AI..ASKAl'J NOR1l1 SLOPE IN AUGUST A!\JD SEPTEl'll3ER, 1975. J .~ ::;1: I; 'I' .' .J r:':» .. '~ ( 11\ i.~~ By J , / \ ~~{ 'l\T. R. KOSKI j.J' .J Inf··~i LGLLIMITED --;1'" .J environmental rescard1 associates 1 ~-'I 1\ U J ~ ti J C'" ~. ~; .; ~£:i .s y;!"" -4 -. :<~ '" -tot7" :..:t - J F: i; ~. j J LJ' December, 1975 .. y; ARLIS Alaska Resources ~Lj .. Library & Infonnation Services , Anchorage, Alaska .,.i ~~ :., - 4.,:0:.3 .. ·' ~: AHS'fJV'\Cl' ~1 . II -/- Aerial transect surveys and rccormoissance surveys were flown of the .... outcr Hackcnzi.c Delta, Yukon North Slope, and eastern Alaskan North Slope -" j; 4 from August 20 to September 25, 1975. 111e surveys were flown to deter- ~ ~r: mine (1) the numbers of geese and swans that used the study area during ..I -"' the fall staging period, (2) the concentration sites of these bi.rds, ....., .. , T (3) the chronology according to wlri.ch the geese and swans used the study 1 ~ area, (tl) the brood sizes and adult to juvenile ratios of these birds, 11-J '1' and '(5) the year-to-)'ear variations in these variables. ~ ~{ 3'L ~j " .s In- 1975, large number's of 8nO\'1 Gcese used the study a'rea between .... , '1t September 3 and September 24. The peak number of Snow Geese present was -,l,.j.{--- j 375, 000. Because of adverse weather conditions few SnO\'! Geese used the ..--.{ IT.:.,i -, "'I nl JJ North Slope; instead most were concentrated around Shall.ow Bay in the ~ !"'Wi Mackcnzic Delta. Production of young 5nO\'1 Geese in 1975 was very good. ~i ~~' I J Fj ' .. White-fronted Geese used the Mackenzie Delta from August 20 to ti J September 19. A peak number of 23,700\'.'as present on September 10. r""-." r'-It -=" "'I lj Between August 25 and 28, 12, ZOO Black Brant were sighted along the j coast between Ki.tt'i.gazuit Bay and Camden Bay. The peak number of IT,. en ~~, ..... en Whistling Swans present in the, area was 31100 on August 20. Swans ..i (0 !'; ..... j:' M were present in the area urrti L September ,Z3. Production of young :~ o ji o S,,,ru1S was similar to production in previous years. LO l? LO ~' I' M ....iJ M ~: ~ " ~~ . ex -oo<ll of} -, ii ACKNOWLEne!},jJ:NTS TIle ficlu portion of this study Has carried out by W. R. Koski and L.D. Roy. Special thanks go to T.W. narry, P.L. Sharp, mid C.D. Tull who aided in the collection of .data concerning family group sizc and aduIt to juvenilc ratios. ....i W.W.H. Gunn, W.J. ~ichardson, and C.B. Tullmade useful connnents ~-'~. ~: and assisted in the preparation of this report. ...1 ~"""I ; : U' The Arctic Gas Biological Report Series, of H'hich this rcport is d rr part, is a scries of consultant project reports presenting data based ...," ..... on field and laboratory. studies. The fonnat and presentation varies --.\ 1~ :.~ among reports in accordance with the author's discretion. ~. ..:i l!r' ;.....;J 'I11e data for this work were obtaincd as a result of investigations ~ ~ carried out by LGLLimited for Alaska Arctic Gas Study Company and J,I -~~ ~ Canadian Arctic Gas Study Limited. The text of this report may be ;~~ l: quoted provided the usual credits arc given. --'''''' ..J [". -; .~ --'j ::'j v<: -.,t· -:iOoi .J C" ~, ..i f;I' 1· 'a ...J f" ~ ...;'...... "- -, i.ii -,. TABLE or co:~n:I'\l'rs rr-, -, -~ PAGE rNfRODucrIO:~ · . 1 '.., -'F METIIODS ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••." •••• '0" I-I ••• 1.1 •••••• 11 RESULTS ............................... 14 .,,:1 j) j -.... Snow Geese · . 14 -1 ~rrival, General Movement.s , and Depar'tur'e 14 1i Total Numbers 16 ~i Concentration Sites 18 lH ,I '4- ~ Adult to Juvenile Ratios and Brood Sizes 20 ;iT a: Dark Geese 23 ~I White-fronted Geese 27 ,I\ -,1"- Black Brnnt 27 ril' ~:~, Canada Geese 29 ~.... J Wl1ist1ing Swans ................ .... 29 ~r ~~ Numbers mld Distribution 29 .J ~il Adult to Juvenile Ratios and Brood Sizes 32 ~ ·;1 JJ DISClJSSION ... It •••••••••••••••••••••• It • It ••••••••••••• It ••• It ••• " • 36 7': '. ._."!J: SnO\'J Geese • ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• It •••••••• 36 ~,4: ::3' :J Arrival, General ~rovcments, and Departure 36 "(i j~- Peak Number's ••••••••• o ••••••••••••••••••••••• • ••• 39 ... Con~('ntrntion Sites ....... , . 39 I'ffif:_:~tj .~~ Adult to Juvenile Rntios nnel Brood Sizes •••••••••••••• e ••• 42 -' ~ t" '\~'li tc-fronted Geese ........ , . 43 ~- -' Bl.nck Brant ••••••••' ••••••••••••• t ••••••••••••••••• 44 r" .1, Canndn G('(~~;0. ........... , . 4S -. -...:~ c~r~ ,[J " .. .. .. £S S~JlaN::rddV .... :' .. .• • • • • • •• allIJ IT'JflLV'Ju.LI1 IS , ., .. .. .. .. .. .. .. e .... .. ..0. ......... 611 • • •• }."HV~ \Wf1S • o.••• II .. ,. ...... ................................. -.. e_ .. r : aI.LNUJ S.T}J~IJ.NCo :IO snav..L ., v LIST OJ~ TABLES ...1 -v """II'. ,;-, TABLE PAGE . 1. Numbers of Snow Geese Sighted on Transect (During Each ...., -q Aerial Survey Period) on thoHackcnzle Delta, Yukon ! j. North Slope, and Eastern Alaskan North Slope: August 25 ~ll :1 Ji~ to .September 23-, 1975 .............•............ '-. 15 .. ~.- 2. Tot.al, Numbers of Snow Geese Sighted on Transect on the :;1; ,f .1' Mackenzie Delta, Yukon North Slope, and Eastern Alaskan :;11 ~. North Slope: August and September, 1973, 1974, and 1975 17 ,Ji- .1 ~ 3. !·lumbers of Snow Geese Sighted on Transect on Concentration -.( - '5,\ Sites on the Yukon North Slope and Mackenz-ie Delta: ~. August and September, 1975 II . .19 -:r··~~-~ - ,- -'~:- 4•. Adult to Juvenile Ratios of Snow Geese as Determined by ... ~\~ Surveys of the Mackenzie Delta, Yukon North Slope, and ~.:i .. Eastern Alaskan North Slope: August; and September, I ~ §:l 1973-·, 1-974, and 1975 . 21 5. Distribution of Brood Sizes of Snow Geese as Dctermtned by po il,i !~ Surveys of the Hackenzie Delta, Yukon North Slope, and ~'!j Bast.ern Alaskan North Slope: September, 1973 1975 t ·i and 22 ]\1 ::.1 .. 6. Total Nembcrs of Dark Geese Sighted on Transect on the • t ,."': r:t ' Mackenzie Delta, Yukon North Slope, and Enstenl ;.ll . .1 Alaskan North Slope: Angust and September, 1973, ~ ~.~:~ ~~ .. 1974.) and 1975 .. , 0 ••• 24 j F 7. .Totul Numbers of Dark Geese Sif~htcd on Transect (During ~ ;;la- Each Survey Period) on the Nackcnz i.c Ddtn , Yukon e- North Slape, and F:l:;tcrn Al.nsk.m North Slope: All!~11;,t [1n<.1 SC1)1"C1Hht'r, 1!l75 •.•.•••.••••...•..•••.•••.•••.•.•••••.•• 2S -~ ... vi LIST Or: TN3LES -(:O:~Tl ~) /,.... "1 i TABLE PAGE : , l\~1itc-fronUxl 1: \ 8. Total Number's of Cccsc, Black Brant, Canada :1 :' .J Geese, and Un ident.iHedDark Geese Sighted on 'I'ranscct "':" ~ i: on the Mackenzie D31tn, Yukon North Slope, and Eastern --., Alaskan North Slope: August and September, 1973, '1' J ~ 1974, and 1975 ' ' ' . 26 .- .... ~\ - 9. Numbers of '\'llite-fronted Geese Sighted. on Transect (Dur.ing' ,. ,-I j; Each Survey Period) on the Mackenzie Delta, Yukon North ~1 ! ]j! - Slope,and Eastern Alaskan North Slope: August and .r Sept.ember, 197-5 •••••••••••••...••• CI •••••••••••••••••••••••• 28 ·-:-4,' 'li( 'j - , 10. Number-s of i\11istling Swans Sighted on Transect on the ---' ......-: ~;il Mackenzie Delta, Yukon North Slope, and Eastel1l ~1' - .J Alaskan North Slope: August and September, 1973, r;i ~~.~ , . ~ \ 1974, and 1975 - . 30 -=j~ .J 11. Numbers of '\~li$tling Swans Sighted on Transect (During ~ iJI .ill Each Survey Period) on the Mackenzic Delta, Yukon j r""!l North Slopc, and Eastern Alaskan North Slope: August :~ ~\ J~ 311d September, 1975 ~ . 31 -; .~ 12. Brood Sizes of 1\~1istling Swans as Determined by Aerial -:1-" -' Surveys of the Hackenzie Delta, Yukon North Slope, !'-;:-'-; r 'I :::3 : ~"'~::» -and Bas tern Alaskan North Slope: August and 'September, J ~ f"!r 1974 and 1975 ............ 0 •••••••• • • Ii' 33 :Ii~ ~~ 13. Adult to .JuvcniIc Ratios of MlistJing Swans as Determined .J r~ -~ . by Aerial Surveys of the Mackenzi.c De1t a , Yukon North ..i ... Slope, and Eas tcrn Alaskun North Slope: August, and ., tl, ~ Scptcmhor , ]!)7:); J!17 nnd ]!)75 " 3,1 .-I ... J .. ..., vii l.IST or: FIGURES FIGURE PAGE ,i '- 1. Transects Fl.own During Acr ial; Surveys of the 'Mackenzie Delta and Concentration Sites of Snow Geese as Determined by Aerial Surveys: August and September, 1975 , .:..-, 2 _.:I 2. Transects Flo\".'I1 During Aerial Surveys of the Yukon North '""l. -- ~li -4 Slope and Concentration Sites of SnO\\' Geese, Black ...l ;1·--- Brant, and ";hitc-fronted Geese: August and September, !"'ij ~ f" ~ ... ----' 1975 ' , . j 4 G-- ~. : 3. Concentration Sites of White-fronted Geese, Black Brant, and '.J Whistlillg Swans as Determined by Reconnaissance Surveys "'.:- j ~ 'J i.l~ of the Eas tern Alaskan North Slope: August and .J Fj- September, 1975 ' _ . 6 I 4 . l i ~' ... ",! 4. Transects Flown During Aerial Surveys of the Mackenzie ..J }-,""~ '~lite-£ronted -~;'I Delta and Concentration Sites of Geese, ~~~-- ...i Black Brant, Canada Geese, and Mlistling Swans: August; ,; ,; -, ' ;.~ and September, 1975 .......................................... 8 ...l r~ 1-,,) ,..j re i i ,.I, , :Ilo;o;. d l""" r, ~~\ T .. viii l..lST or APpnnlICES -,j APPENDIX PAGE 1 1i· ; } ; 1. Important Sightings which Document Snow Goose Movements: . August and Scr>tcniiJcr) 1975 . 53 "'! ,-,-, ....; . 2. Coastal SurvcyErom Sha Ll.ow Bay to Camden Bay: August 25, -' ! 1975 , . 54 --i I ~ 3. Reconnaissance SurveySha'l.Iow Bay to Phillips Bay: 1 -~ - September 4·, 19·75 - 0 •••••••••••••••••• 5S J I 4. Reconnaissance SUTVeyAklavik to Demarcation Bay: ~ September 8, 1975 ........................ 56 5. Numbers of 1~~1itc-£ronted Geese and Unidentified Dark r Geese Sighted on Transects D70-D79 in the Mackcnzie I i "tn~r:- :::!i Delta: September 11 and SepLL:J11Uer 17-18, .LJ ''''' ••••••••••••• 57 l~' .