Late Summer Occurrence of Shorebirds on the Southern Nushagak Peninsula, Alaska, 2000
•
Late Summer Occurrence of Shorebirds on the Southern Nushagak Peninsula, Alaska, 2000
• Rob MacDonald
• Key Words: Shorebirds, Greater Yellowlegs, Dowitchers, Dunlin, Western Sandpiper, Nushagak Peninsula, Togiak National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska
U.S . Fish and Wildlife Service Togiak National Wildlife Refuge P.O. Box 270 Dillingham, Alaska 99576
October 2000 TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS ......
LIST OF TABLES ...... 11
LIST OF FIGURES ...... n
ABSTRACT ...... I
INTRODUCTION ...... I
OBJECTIVES ...... 2
STUDY AREA ...... 3
METHODS ...... 3
RESULTS ...... 4
DISCUSSION ...... 4
RECOMMENDATIONS ...... 6
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ...... 7
LITERATURE CITED ...... 8 LIST OF TABLES
Table 1. Total number of shorebirds observed per estuary, Nushagak Peninsula, Alaska, 1999-2000 ...... 11
Table 2. Occurrence of shorebirds at all survey sites, Nushagak Peninsula, Alaska, 2000 ...... 12
Table 3. Occurrence of shorebirds at Heads Estuary, Nushagak Peninsula, Alaska, 2000 ...... 14
Table 4. Occurrence of shorebirds at Ten Day Creek, Nushagak Peninsula, Alaska, 2000 ...... 15
Table 5. Occurrence of shorebirds at Protection Point, Nushagak Peninsula, Alaska, 2000 ...... 16
Table 6. Occurrence of shorebirds at Nichols Spit, Nushagak Peninsula, Alaska, 2000 ...... 17
Table 7. Occurrence of shorebirds along beaches and lowland coastal tundra, Nushagak Peninsula, Alaska, 2000 ...... 18
Table 8. Number of shorebirds and number of observations by behavior and habitat for shorebirds documented at Heads Estuary, Ten Day Creek, Protection Point, and Nichols Spit, Nushagak Peninsula, Alaska, 2000 ...... 20
Table 9. Number of shorebirds and number of observations by behavior and habitat for shorebirds documented along the beaches and lowland coastal tundra, Nushagak Peninsula, Alaska, 2000 ...... 21
Table 10. Known occurrence of shorebird "Species of High Concern" on the Togiak National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska ...... 22
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1. Location of Nushagak Peninsula and shorebird monitoring study areas, Togiak National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska ...... 9
Figure 2. Shorebird monitoring study areas, Togiak National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska .. 10
11 ABSTRACT
The occurrence of shorebirds was documented along the southern tip of the Nushagak Peninsula on the Togiak National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge) from 3 August to II September 2000. This is the second consecutive year that the fall occurrence of shorebirds in this area was documented. Four small estuaries in the Cape Constantine area were chosen as regular survey sites. The sandy beaches between the estuaries and the adjacent coastal lowland tundra were also searched for migrating shorebirds. The species, number, location, habitat, and behavior of the shorebirds were recorded. A total of 31 species of shorebirds were recorded. Dunlins Calidris alpina constituted 47% of all shorebirds observed. Western Sandpipers C. mauri accounted for the largest number of small sandpipers identified to species. Dowitchers Limnodromus spp. and Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melano/euca were also observed in high numbers. Feeding was the most common behavior of the shorebirds observed. Although individual birds were checked for color-marked bands or flags, none were seen. It is recommended that the Togiak National Wildlife Refuge continues to monitor the fall migration of shorebirds along the Nushagak Peninsula, initiates monitoring at other important staging and migration areas on the Refuge, and continues to conduct area searches throughout the Refuge to assess the occurrence of breeding shorebirds.
INTRODUCTION
Because of its size and northerly position, Alaska provides breeding habitat for more shorebird species than any other state in the United States (Brown et. al. 2000). Seventy-one species of shorebirds have occurred in Alaska; 3 7 of them, including several unique Beringian species and Old World species, regularly breed in the region. An overall conservation goal for shorebirds in Alaska is to keep species and their habitats well distributed across not only the Alaskan landscape, but also other regions used by these same populations during other phases of their annual cycles. This will be achieved through a subset of goals and objectives specific to several major components of the Alaska Shorebird Conservation Plan that focus on population and habitat, research, and education/outreach. Documenting the occurrence of shorebirds throughout the Togiak Refuge will contribute to these goals and objectives.
Since the creation of the Cape Newenham National Wildlife Refuge in 1969, which was later included in the Togiak National Wildlife Refuge (created in 1980), there have been few shorebird studies conducted within the borders of the Refuge (Dick and Dick 1971, Petersen and Sigman 1977, Winker and Klicka 1990, MacDonald and Wachtel 2000). Various field camps have documented shorebirds secondary to their main projects, aerial surveys have been conducted counting shorebirds in conjunction with other species, and many incidental observations of shorebirds have been recorded while performing other work. Most of these data are unpublished with a few exceptions (Petersen et. al. 1991, Seppi 1995). Gill and Sarvis ( 1999) report shorebirds counted during an aerial survey conducted in 9 estuaries on the west coast of Alaska, including Nushagak Bay. The occurrence of shorebirds has not been thoroughly documented on the Togiak National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge). The Refuge has desired data on shorebird species and numbers occurring along the southern tip of the Nushagak Peninsula for a number of years. In the past, high numbers of shorebirds have been observed in the estuaries along the Nushagak Peninsula while performing aerial surveys and overflights for other projects, however, the shorebirds present had not been identified or counted. This is the second consecutive year that the late summer occurrence of shorebirds has been documented in the Cape Constantine area.
On either side of the Nushagak Bay area (i.e., Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta and Alaska Peninsula estuaries) there is a comparably rich body of material on seasonal shorebird use (Gill pers. comm.). However, from Egegik Bay around to Togiak Bay little is known. Given the extent of intertidal habitats in upper Bristol Bay and the use of adjacent areas by shorebirds, it is suspected that the Nushagak-Kvichak area is important to shorebirds, especially during late summer and autumn.
Western Alaska has a unique breeding shorebird component that is largely restricted to Beringia (e.g. Pacific Golden-Plover, Bristle-thighed Curlew, Black Turnstone, and Western Sandpiper) (Alaska Shorebird Working Group 2000). Several Old World species also regularly breed or migrate through this region (e.g. Sharp-tailed Sandpiper). Intertidal habitats in Western Alaska and along the north side of the Alaska Peninsula support millions of shorebirds during migration, mostly sandpiper species such as Dunlin, Western Sandpiper, and Red Knot.
In addition to Refuge applications, these data have wider use as well. Nushagak Bay has been designated as a Regional Shorebird Reserve in the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve NetWork (WHSRN), a network of sites providing important shorebird wintering, migrating, and breeding habitat. These data, along with those from an aerial survey of Nushagak Bay (Gill and Sarvis 1999) and the results last year's monitoring of shorebirds along the Nushagak Peninsula (MacDonald and Wachtel 2000) demonstrate Nushagak Bay's importance for staging and migrating shorebirds.
OBJECTIVES
I. Document the numbers and species of shorebirds present along the southern tip of the Nushagak Peninsula.
2. Document the location, habitat, and behavior of shorebirds along the southern tip of the Nushagak Peninsula.
3. Document color-marked or banded shorebirds.
2 STUDY AREA
The southern tip of the Nushagak Peninsula is located about 75 km south-southwest of Dillingham within the Togiak National Wildlife Refuge (Figure I). Four small estuaries in the Cape Constantine area were chosen as survey sites. The study area covered approximately 39 km of coastline in northern Bristol Bay beginning at Heads Estuary along the southwest corner of the Nushagak Peninsula and continues east and north up the coast to Nichols Spit (Figure 2). Between these estuaries were two more estuaries, Ten Day Creek and Protection Point. Heads Estuary is approximately 7.96 km 2 and of this, roughly 3.55 km 2 were surveyed. Ten Day Creek is approximately 1.09 km 2 and of this, roughly 0.48 km 2 were surveyed. Protection Point is approximately 1. 94 km 2 and of this, roughly 1. 92 km 2 were surveyed. Nichols Spit is approximately 3.23 km 2 and of this, roughly 3.04 km 2 were surveyed. In addition, the sandy beach between the estuaries and the adjacent coastal lowland tundra were surveyed for staging and migrating shorebirds.
Note that the estuary listed as Ten Day Creek in this report is the same as the estuary listed as Ten Day Slough in last year's shorebird report by MacDonald and Wachtel (2000).
METHODS
Four estuaries, the sandy beaches between them, and the immediate adjacent coastal lowland tundra were inventoried for shorebird species and numbers. Travel along the coast and to each estuary was by four-wheeler. The inventory involved repeated visits to the individual estuaries as well as documenting shorebird species seen incidentally en route to each estuary or in and around camp and the coastal lowland tundra adjacent to the study areas.
Surveys were conducted at all times of the day but were constrained by weather and tidal level. For surveys at Protection Point and Nichols Spit, low tide was a requirement to cross the sloughs and creeks between camp and the individual estuaries on the four-wheeler. The field crew was able to cross two hours prior to peak low tide to accommodate travel time to and from the estuaries and to ensure an adequate amount of time for the inventory itself. The other two estuaries (Heads Estuary and Ten Day Creek) were easily visited without the concern of slough crossings. Each estuary was divided into easily observed sections. Often the location of the birds required walking through the tidal mudflats to achieve an adequate view for identification. Binoculars and spotting scopes were used to identify the birds. When necessary, care was taken to prevent over-counting or under-counting flocks of shorebirds moving in or out of the estuaries. No estimation of this occurrence was recorded.
For each observation, the species, number of birds, habitat, and behavior of the shorebirds were recorded. Habitats were classified as beach, marsh, mudflat, pond, slough, tundra, or unknown. Behaviors were classified as feeding, flying, roosting, swimming, or unknown. While identifying and counting shorebirds, individuals were checked for colored bands or flags.
3 RESULTS
From 3 August to 11 September 2000, Refuge staff monitored the late summer occurrence of shorebirds along the southern Nushagak Peninsula. Shorebirds were recorded throughout the Cape Constantine area with major concentrations being located within four estuaries (Tables 1 and 2). Heads Estuary was visited 16 times (Table 3 ), Ten Day Creek was visited 15 times (Table 4), Protection Point was visited nine times (Table 5), and Nichols Spit was visited three times (Table 6). General shorebird observations were also made. These general observations consisted of shorebird species and numbers observed in and around camp, along the beaches, and in the adjacent coastal lowland tundra (Table 7).
Thirty-one species of shorebirds were identified. Birds were identified to genus when accurate species designations were difficult (e.g., turnstone spp.). More general size-related categories were used when identification was not possible (e.g., small sandpipers).
Dunlins Calidris alpina constituted 47% of all observed shorebirds with 14,335 birds observed. Western Sandpipers C. mauri accounted for the largest number of small sandpipers identified to species at 11% of the total. Dowitchers Limnodromus spp. and Greater Y ellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca were also observed in high numbers representing 9% and 5%, respectively. Other numerous shorebird species were Rock Sandpipers C. ptilocnemis (4%), Black-bellied Plovers Pluvialis squatarola (3%), Sanderling C. alba (3%), and Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus (2%). All other shorebirds identified to species were at 1% or less of the total number of shorebirds observed.
Shorebird habitats and behaviors are shown in Tables 8 and 9. For shorebirds recorded in the estuaries, the predominant observations were of birds feeding on the mudflat or flying over the estuaries. Along the sandy beaches between the estuaries and the adjacent coastal lowland tundra, most shorebirds were feeding on or flying over the beach. Combining all shorebirds, 84.2% were observed feeding and 10.8% were observed flying in or through the study area. This represents 68.4% and 24.7% of all individual observations, respectively. No color-marked or flagged shorebirds were seen.
DISCUSSION
For the second year in a row, Togiak National Wildlife Refuge staff documented the late summer occurrence of shorebirds along the southern Nushagak Peninsula. In 2000, 31 shorebird species and 30,807 total shorebirds were observed compared to 1999 when 25 shorebird species and 35,395 total shorebirds were observed. In both years, Dunlins C. alpina constituted about half of all shorebirds observed, Western Sandpipers C. mauri accounted for the largest number of small sandpipers identified to species, and Dowitchers Limnodromus spp. and Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca were also observed in high numbers. Other numerous shorebird species were Rock Sandpipers C. ptilocnemis, Black-bellied Plovers Pluvialis squatarola, Sanderling C. alba, and Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus.
Of special note was a Ruff recorded this year which is the first record of this species on the Togiak National Wildlife Refuge. Combining the past two years, we see a total of 33 separate shorebird species have occurred on the southern Nushagak Peninsula. For the Togiak National Wildlife Refuge overall, a total of 39 species of shorebirds are known to occur.
These data can be misleading, however, when looking at the total number of shorebirds recorded. Totals represent a summation of each days' data per species and probably include re sightings of the same individuals over multiple days. These data do not appear to be applicable in determining shorebird movement between the four estuaries, which would allow us to gain a better overall assessment of total numbers of birds using the areas. Without some measure of the length of stay of shorebirds at the various sites, the numbers recorded could be considerably off from what actually occurred. A better indication of species totals may be to look at the daily peak numbers or to add multiple peaks if there are lulls in the numbers recorded which may reflect different flocks moving through the area.
Numbers of birds and species present at the estuaries varied between days of observation as well as among the estuaries themselves. Due to logistical complications, Nichols Spit was only visited three times and will be hard to compare to the more continuous data collected at the other sites. Perhaps in the future a more reasonable means of accessing both Protection Point and Nichols Spit will be used at this field camp. Those two estuaries may be important for shorebirds and it may be very beneficial to be able to consistently observe those areas.
In 2000, the field crew was asked to make an extra effort to visit the estuaries more frequently than last year. Because of this, Heads Estuary was visited two more times than last year, Ten Day Creek was visited three more times than last year, Protection Point was visited four more times than last year, and Nichols Spit was visited two more times than last year. In both years, general shorebird observations were made almost daily in and around camp, along the beaches, and in the adjacent coastal lowland tundra.
Like last year, the data from 2000 supports the findings of the aerial survey data collected by Gill and Sarvis ( 1999) that a large number of Dunlin use the area. Dunlin arrived in abundance in early August and numbers remained high into early September. A late July start to the surveys might yield a more accurate date for peak numbers and allow us to better assess migration timing. By the date of our departure on 11 September, most species of shorebirds had already peaked in numbers and were noticeably decreasing.
These data, along with those from an aerial survey of Nushagak Bay (Gill and Sarvis 1999) and the results last year's monitoring of shorebirds along the Nushagak Peninsula (MacDonald and Wachtel 2000) demonstrate Nushagak Bay's importance for staging and migrating shorebirds. In September 2000, Nushagak Bay was designated as a Regional Shorebird Reserve in the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN), a network of sites providing
5 important shorebird wintering, migrating, and breeding habitat. Nushagak Bay was accepted as a WHSRN site by unanimous approval of the WHSRN Council to become the 41"1 site in the network and the 3rd site in Alaska. The first two sites in Alaska were the Copper River Delta and 1 Kachemak Bay. In addition, the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge was designated as the 4 h site in Alaska. Currently, the Togiak Refuge, Village of Clark's Point, City of Dillingham, Curyung Tribal Council, and Choggiung Limited have signed resolutions supporting Nushagak Bay's designation as a WHSRN site.
Fourteen shorebird species or subspecies found in Alaska are listed in the Alaska Shorebird Conservation Plan as "Species of High Concern" (Alaska Shorebird Working Group 2000). Eleven of the taxa of high concern in Alaska also appear under the same category on the national list (Brown et. al. 2000). Most species of high conservation concern in Alaska were classified as such because of their generally small global populations or limited breeding distributions with Alaska encompassing most of their breeding range. Of these fourteen species listed as species of high concern, 13 are listed in Western Alaska as species of concern during breeding or migration: Pacific Golden-Plover, Black Oystercatcher, Wandering Tattler, Whimbrel, Bristle thighed Curlew, Hudsonian Godwit, Bar-tailed Godwit, Marbled Godwit, Black Turnstone, Surfbird, Rock Sandpiper, Dunlin, and Short-billed Dowitcher.
Table 10 shows a breakdown of the known occurrence of each of these species on the Togiak National Wildlife Refuge. Most of these species are uncommon during the spring, summer, and fall. However, a few of these species are common locally in the fall only or in the spring, summer, and fall. One species, Black Oystercatcher, has only rarely been observed on the Togiak Refuge. Not much is known regarding the winter occurrence of these species on the Refuge, although most are assumed to be absent or rare during this time due to the ice conditions in the estuaries and along the coastline.
Because threats to shorebirds on the breeding grounds are less significant in Alaska than threats during other stages of the annual cycle, conservation actions in Alaska's Bird Conservation Regions will be less dramatic than in other regions of North America. In Alaska, monitoring the size and trend of shorebird populations and the health and quality of their habitats will dominate conservation actions.
RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Continue to monitor the fall migration of shorebirds along the Nushagak Peninsula.
2. Expand fall shorebird monitoring efforts to other staging and migration areas on the Refuge, such as Nanvak Bay, Chagvan Bay, and other areas.
3. Begin future monitoring efforts in mid July to better assess migration timing.
6 4. Begin documenting the shorebird occurrence and use during the spring, a time where shorebird information is lacking on the Refuge.
5. Continue to perform area searches throughout the Refuge to document breeding shorebirds.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thanks to Diana Brann and John Haddix for documenting the late summer occurrence of shorebirds on the southern Nushagak Peninsula this year. An extra thanks to Diana Brann for data entry and quality control of the data. This report incorporates last year's data and thanks also goes out to Jessica Wachtel and Liz Mitchell for their shorebird work on the Nushagak Peninsula last year. Thanks to Michael Hinkes, Wildlife Biologist/Pilot, for resupply flights, support, and assistance.
7 LITERATURE CITED
Alaska Shorebird Working Group. 2000. A Conservation Plan for Alaska Shorebirds. Unpublished report, Alaska Shorebird Working Group. Available through U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Migratory Birds Management, Anchorage, Alaska.
Brown, S., C. Hickey, and B. Harrington, eds. 2000. The U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan. Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences, Manomet, MA
Dick, M.H. and L.S. Dick. 1971. The natural history of Cape Peirce and Nanvak Bay, Cape Newenham National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska. Unpublished report, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bethel, Alaska.
Gill, R.E., Jr. and J. Sarvis. 1999. Distribution and numbers of shorebirds using Bristol Bay estuaries: results of an aerial survey conducted between 2 and 5 September 1997. Unpublished report, U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Biological Science Center and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Anchorage, Alaska.
Gill, R.E. Personal communication. U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Biological Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska.
MacDonald, R and l WachteL 2000. Late summer occurrence of shorebirds on the southern Nushagak Peninsula, Alaska, 1999. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Togiak National Wildlife Refuge, Dillingham, Alaska.
Petersen, M.R. and M.J. Sigman. 1977. Field studies at Cape Peirce, Alaska 1976. Unpublished report, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Anchorage, Alaska.
Petersen, M.R, D.N. Weir and M.H Dick. 1991. Birds of the Kilbuck and Ahklun Mountain Region, Alaska. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, North American Fauna Number 76, Washington, D. C.
Seppi, B.E. 1995. Migration and staging of shorebirds and waterfowl and other field studies at Carter Spit, Alaska, 1994. Unpublished report, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, Anchorage, Alaska.
Winker, K. and l Klicka. 1990. Avian and other natural history observations at Cape Peirce, 1990. Unpublished report, Bell Museum of Natural History, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
8 ~ "
1.0 1--- I I Kuskokwim Bay .... .- I I r----1 I Cape I D~ Newenha~. I L--- .... ,- Round" Island l----' I Cape Peirce N Bristol Bay Kilometers Study Area Cape E3 E3 E=:l W~E Constantine 0 l 0 20 30 40 so s
Figure l. Location of Nushagak Peninsula and shorebird monitoring study areas, Togiak National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska. '• ,.t Nushagak Bay
~ t'l ~· ~~ 0 ~ e. Bristol Bay ' Protection •• Point . ·- ~4· > • Ten Day Creek 0 2 4 6 8 Kilometers Cape Constantine
Figure 2. Shorebird monitoring study areas, Togiak National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska. Table 1. Total number of shorebirds observed per estuary, Nushagak Penin.sula, Alaska, 1999-2000.
~--~- ·-···------Heads Ten Day Protection Nichols Beaches, Gra1nd Estuary Creek Point Spit Tundra Total Percentage SPECIES 1999 2000 1999 2000 1999 2000 1999 2000 1999 2000 1999 2000 1999 2000 Black-bellied Plover 88 439 28 13 136 133 7 19 106 343 365 947 ---~------·3- American Golden-Plover 4 4 0.013 Pacitic Golden-Plover 27 35 13 19 13 49 41 110 94 213 0.266 Mongolian Plover 2 2 0.006 Unid. Plover spp. 34 1 28 245 5 312 I I 0.003 Semipalmated Plover 63 79 133 liS 18 143 72 339 287 1 1 Greater Yellowlegs 498 937 137 206 106 196 2 337 160 1,080 1,499 3 5 Lesser Yellowlegs 3 1 IS 2 1 20 0.003 0.065 Wandering Tattler 4 4 2 2 ll 3 17 9 0.048 0.029 Spotted Sandpiper 1 1 I J 1 5 0.003 0.016 Whimbrel 17 60 73 12 26 56 4 9 235 474 355 611 1 2 Bristle-thighed Curlew 7 8 17 1 9 5 2 114 243 149 257 0.421 Unid. Whimbrel/Cur1ew 24 25 6 65 80 120 80 0.339 0.260 Hudsonian Godwit 1 1 4 6 0.019 Bar-tailed Godwit 36 341 1 7 52 1 7 42 Sl 436 0.144 I Marbled Godwit 6 6 0.019 Unid. Godwit spp. 14 2 6 7 7 27 9 0.076 0.029 Rud Slough - Au~ust _August Sertembtlf SPECIES 3-5 6-12 13-19 20-26 27-2 6-12 3-5 13-19 20-26 --- 27-2 3-9 Black-bellied Plover 7 22 42 32 27 2 2 8 American Golden-Plover Pacific Golden-Plover 3 4 25 I 5 I 13 Mongolian Plover Unid. Plover spp. Semipalmated Plover 6 4 9 7 5 1 13 24 4 5 4 Greattlf Ydlowlegs 26 62 61 79 72 47 26 8 14 27 3 2 Lesstlr Y ellowlegs 2 I 2 2 5 Wandering Tanl Total 578 1,257 830 882 945 300 0 I 218 222 269 123 70 30 0 *** Data in table represents the average number of shorebirds per day per period listed that birds were recorded. Table 2. Occurrence of shorebirds at all survey sites, Nushagak Peninsula, Alas~, 2000. •u Protection Point Nichols Spit 'tundra ·- August September August September August September SPECIES 3-5 6-12 13-19 20-26 27-2 3-9 10-11 3-5 6-12 13-19 20-26 27-2 3-9 10-11 3-5 6-12 13-19 20-26 ----· -·· --- 27-2 3-9 10-11 · Black~belliedPI rer 33 15 10 13 21 10 II 14 19 4 IS s-··"'2 American Golde: ·Plover 4 Pacific Goldllll JVer 5 19 2 3 2 12 5 7 19 Mongolian Plov 2 Unid. Plovc:r sp Sc:mipalmatc:d P ver 9 II I 24 I 0 945 0 732 794 129 240- 0 0 0 1,040 0 338 0 366 589 527 328 543 488 269 Total ·--- -~-············--- --·-················-- *** Data in table represents the average number of shorebirds per day per period listed that birds were recorded. Table 3. Occurrence of shorebirds at Heads Estuary, Nushagak Peninsula, Alaska, 2000. SPECIES ---- Biuck-bellied Plover Pacific Gulden-Plover 3 6 I 25 35 Unid. Plover spp. I Semipalmuted Plover R 4 3 3 3 6 2 10 14 10 7 2 . 7 79 Greater Y ellowlegs I 51 Ill 34 63 40 68 46 6 124 147 10 69 74 78 15 937 Lesser Yellowlegs I 2 3 Wundering Tattler 2 4 Spotted Sundpiper I Whim brei 4 2 30 23 GO Bristle-thighed Curlew 2 3 I 8 Hudsonian Godwit I Bur-tailed Godwit 5 20 7 45 76 41 40 57 27 5 13 4 341 Marbled Godwit 2 3 I 6 Unid. Godwit spp. 2 2 Ruddy Turnstone II 15 8 2 3 6 5 13 4 2 2 2 73 Bluck Turnstone 3 13 3 10 5 7 15 9 4 69 ~ Surtbird 2 I I 2 4 10 ..~:>. Red Knot 6 2 8 Sunderling 2 3 Western Sandpiper 50 128 230 187 68 26 159 145 57 142 30 5 18 1,246 Least Sundpiper 5 10 8 5 3 2 12 I 4 9 9 68 Sharp-tailed Sundpiper 6 10 16 Rock Sundpiper I 16 34 68 40 57 137 107 115 82 40 2 16 21 13 4 753 Dun lin 245 162 843 709 794 836 74 343 81 217 589 264 567 868 368 45 7,005 Unid. small sundpiper 50 67 30 100 150 397 Short-billed Dowitcher 6 66 9 5 l 87 Long-billed Dowitcher 2 3 I 3 9 Unid. Dowitcher spp. 59 44 6 32 108 142 96 43 163 65 9 21 789 Red-necked Phalarope 43 35 3 14 29 15 4 2 17 162 Totul 346 648 30 747 996 938 I 57 303 760 --··-----105 I 12 Tab I~! 4. Occurrl!ncl! of shorl!birds at Ten Day Cr~!ek, Nushagak Peninsula, Alaska, 2000 SPECIES 4 5 6 l 13 Pacific Golden-Plover 5 I 13 19 Semipalmated Plover I 16 9 49 13 lO 4 2 7 4 3 118 Greater Y dlowlegs 19 32 19 3 2 8 14 19 28 35 18 4 I 2 2 206 Lesser Yellowlegs I 2 I 2 2 7 15 Spot1ed Sandpiper l I Whimbrd 3 9 12 Bristle-thighed Curlew I I Bar-tailed Godwit I I Ruddy Turnstone I 2 3 Black Turnstone 14 35 I 2 5 57 Semipalmated Sandpiper 3 3 Western Sandpiper 119 134 35 38 31 72 213 24 2 34 5 3 15 2 I 728 Least Sandpiper 2 I 14 24 50 3 5 14 7 14 3 137 Rock Sandpiper I 4 5 7 I 8 8 24 4 5 2 4 I 74 Dw1lin 34 9 58 49 I 21 21 8 II 3 5 220 -Ul Unid. small sandpiper 50 17 67 Short-billed Dowitcher 18 9 2 29 Long-billed Dowitcher 6 8 13 27 Unid. Dowitcher spp. 58 27 29 16 8 12 16 9 21 196 Common Snipe I I Red-necked Phalarope 7 2 I 2 4 I 4 21 Total 194 200 187 205 99 264 279 113 59 138 90 58 27 13 23 1,949 Table 5. Occurrence of shorebirds at Protection Point, Nushagak Peninsula~ Alaska, 2000. r--~~:r-- 6 8 20 24 L_ Obs~ _ 33 20 11 133 American Golden-Plover 4 4 Pacific Golden-Plover 5 28 10 2 1 3 49 Semipalmated Plover 7 11 18 Greater Yellowlegs 6 8 9 69 48 24 25 3 4 196 Lesser Yellowlegs 1 1 2 Wandering Tattler 2 2 Whimbrel 16 34 5 I 56 Bristle-thighed Curlew 1 4 5 Hudsonian Godwit 1 1 Bar-tailed Godwit 4 12 2 18 15 1 52 Ruddy Turnstone 5 34 16 55 Black Turnstone 28 35 14 24 101 Red Knot 6 6 -0\ Sanderling 4 5 6 I5 Western Sandpiper 130 3I4 260 38 24 367 8 44 I,I85 Least Sandpiper 6 16 22 Rock Sandpiper 2 97 40 36 5 6 2 4 I I93 Dun lin 30 80 I 50 233 7 7 118 68 156 849 Unid. small sandpiper 247 20 250 15 532 Short-billed Dowitcher 25 5 30 Long-billed Dowitcher 2 5 7 Unid. Dowitcher spp. 252 289 316 88 399 4I 18 10 1,413 Red-necked Phalarope 1 I I 2 5 Total 244 1,070 870 798 262 745 573 129 240 4,931 -·---···---·-·· Table 6. Occurrence of shorebirds at Nichols Spit, Nushagak Peninsula, Alaska, 2000. Aug_~:~~__p_, Sept~mber j Total SPECIES 24 Obs. -·---~------5 Black-bellied Plover 7 12 19 Whimbrel 9 9 Unid. Godwit spp. 7 7 Ruddy Turnstone I I Sanderling 2 2 Western Sandpiper 30 31 I 62 Rock Sandpiper 8 3 II -...... Dun lin 650 490 102 1,242 Unid. small sandpiper 270 70 235 575 Unid. Dowitcher spp. 170 266 436 Red-necked Phalarope 16 16 Total 1,144 898 338 2,380 Table 7. Occurrence of shorebirds along beaches and lowland coastal tundra, Nu~hagak Peninsula, Alaska, 2000. ~------·----· ------August SPECIES 22------'c·---4 Black-bdlk:d Plov~r Pacitic Uold.:n-Piover 2 21 9 6 2 7 Mongolian Plover 2 S.:mipalmated Plov.:r 21 41 7 Ureat.:r Ydlowkgs 8 26 37 3 4 12 7 5 Wandering Tanler Sponed Sandpiper Whim brei 7 36 40 2 6 8 4 30 13 45 Bristl.:-thighed Curlew 122 6 2 7 I 3 I 3 8 Unid. Whimbrel/Curlew 80 Hudsonian Oodwit 4 Bar-tailed Uodwit 6 2 4 s I 7 Ruddy Turnstone I 8 56 2 4 Black Turnstone 2 2 7 2 24 35 4 100 29 6 4 Unid. Turnstone spp. IS Sur third 2 Red Knot 8 Sanderling 4 20 19 4 9 15 S.:mipalmated Sand pi per 2 00 Western Sandpiper 10 20 3 10 4 86 10 7 Least Sandpiper 6 Rock Sandpiper 2 7 4 17 6 4 69 33 7 5 14 Dun lin 2 490 778 159 100 3 448 10 309 75 Unid. small sandpiper 30 100 30 so 30 30 160 40 Rutr Short-bilk:d Dowitch.:r 33 Long-billed Dowitch.:r 5 13 II Unid. Dowitcher spp. 13 12 Common Snipe I 2 R.:d-n.:ck.:d Phalarope 7 4 5 Red Phalarope: 73 57 377 181 614 34 840 190 84 120 47 51 460 95 Total------Table 7. Occurrence of shorebirds along beaches and lowland coastal tundra, Nus.hagak Peninsula, Alaska, 2000. Pacific Golden-Plover 5 4 13 3 31 7 110 Mongolian Plover 2 Semipalmated Plover I 72 Un:ater Yellowlegs 28 6 3 5 7 I I 5 I I 160 Wll!ldering Tattler I 2 3 Spotted Sll!ldpip!lr I I 3 Whimbrel 89 40 5 36 8 26 5 20 3 I I 2 3 3 I 39 I 474 Bristh:-thighed Curlew 8 3 14 33 10 I IS 4 2 243 Unid. Whimbn:I/Curh:w 80 Hudsonillll Uodwit 4 Bar-tailed Godwit 6 2 2 5 42 Ruddy Turnstone 24 9 2 4 112 Black Turnstone 8 6 I 2 234 Unid. Turnstom: spp. 15 Surtbird 4 Red Knot 21 9 38 Sll!lderling 4 3 8 183 129 22 122 93 23 58 43 33 35 118 946 Semipalmated Sll!ldpiper 2 \() Western Sll!ldpiper 11 161 Least Sand piper 12 7 3 1 30 Rock Sll!ldpiper 1 8 2 5 59 243 Dun lin 2 120 962 2 560 5 780 3 7 204 5,019 Unid. small sll!ldpiper 470 Rutr I Short-billed Dowitcher 33 Long-billed Dowitcher 7 37 lJnid. Dowitcher spp. 1 26 Common Snipe I 4 R!ld-n!lcked Phalarope 2 I 4 23 Red Phalarope Total 8 158 118 151 98 45 1,221 152 653 153 129 31 60 47 8 791 54 147 324 8,935 Table 8. Number of shorebirds and number of observations by behavior and habitat for shorebirds documented at Heads Estuary, Ten Day Creek, Protection Point, and Nichols Spit, Nushagak Peninsula, Alaska, 2000. Number of Birds I Number of Observations Feed on Roost on Roost on Slough mudflat Flying mudflat marsh Unknown Black-bellied Plover 567/29 36n Ill American Golden-Plover 4/l Pacific Golden-Plover 77/10 26/5 Unid. Plover spp. Ill Semipalmated Plover 185/24 24/2 6/3 Greater Yellowlegs 772/37 65/10 502/ll Lesser Yellowlegs 19/10 Ill Wandering Tattler 614 Spotted Sandpiper 2/2 Wbimbrel 87/9 50/8 Bristle-thighed Curlew 2/1 12/8 Hudsonian Godwit 2/2 Bar-tailed Godwit 387/19 7/2 Marbled Godwit 6/3 Unid. Godwit spp. 711 211 Ruddy Turnstone 120118 10/3 2/1 Black Turnstone 137115 81/9 9/3 Surfbird 8/4 2/l Red Knot 14/3 Sanderling 14/5 611 Semipalmated Sandpiper 3/1 Western Sandpiper 2838/40 344/5 39/4 Least Sandpiper 217/25 811 211 Sharp-tailed Sandpiper 16/2 Rock Sandpiper 983/40 43/6 5/2 Dunlin 8,200/38 456/11 660/8 Unid. small sandpiper II89n 382n Short-billed Dowitcher I24n 10/3 611 6/1 Long-billed Dowitcher 19/4 22/4 211 Unid. Dowitcher spp. 2550/32 159/9 125/5 Common Snipe l/1 Red-necked Phalarope l85/l8 19/6 111 20 Table 9. Number of shorebirds and number of observations by b.ehavior and habitat for shorebirds documented along the beaches and lowland coastal tundra, Nushagak Peninsula, Alaska, 2000. Number of Birds I Number of Observations Feed on Feed in Feed in Feed in Roost on Roost on Swim by Observed Observed General beach tundra beach tundra beach -··-----··--~------Black-bellied Plover 324/25 Pacific Golden-Plover 44/9 49/3 17/l Mongolian Plover 2/1 Semipalmated Plover 10/4 20/1 41/1 l/1 Greater Yellowlegs 14/3 ll/3 86/5 49/10 Wandering Tattler 3/2 Spotted Sandpiper 3/3 Whimbrel 70/7 11/3 387/25 6/l Bristle-thighed Curlew 2/1 23/2 94/17 2/1 122/2 Unid. Whimbrel/Curlew 80/1 Hudsonian Godwit 4/1 N Bar-tailed Godwit 34/8 4/3 4/1 - Ruddy Turnstone 55/9 5112 6/1 Black Turnstone 74/9 150/8 10/2 Unid. Turnstone spp. 15/l Surfbird 4/3 Red Knot 38/3 Sanderling 941/21 511 Semipalmated Sandpiper 2/1 Western Sandpiper 95/6 10/1 11/l 45/2 Least Sandpiper 24/5 6/1 Rock Sandpiper 195/15 1/1 47/1 Dunlin 4,986/19 33/2 Unid. small sandpiper 40/l 430/7 Ruff Ill Short-billed Dowitcher 20/1 13/1 Long-billed Dowitcher 7/1 30/4 Unid. Dowitcher spp. 5/1 7/1 14/2 Common Snipe l/1 3/2 Red-necked Phalarope 5/1 5/2 5/3 8/2 Red Phalarope 1/1 Total 6,975/159 41/5 137/12 34/5 1,562/100_ - 17/4 20/3 8/2 2/l 139/6 ---··--·············-·-- Table 10. Known occurrence of shorebird "Species of High Concern" on the Togiak National Wildlfie Refuge, Alaska. ~ecies _ Spring Summer Fall Winter Pacific Golden-Plover Uncommon Uncommon Common Locally Black Oystercatcher Rare Wandering Tattler Uncommon Uncommon Uncommon Whim brei Uncommon Uncommon Common Locally Bristle-thighed Curlew Uncommon Rare Uncommon Hudsonian Godwit Uncommon Uncommon Bar-tailed Godwit Uncommon Uncommon Uncommon Marbled Godwit Uncommon Uncommon Black Turnstone Uncommon Uncommon Uncommon Surfbird Uncommon Uncommon Uncommon N Rock Sandpiper Common Locally Common Locally Common Locally N Dun lin Common Locally Common Locally Common Locally Short-billed Dowitcher.------1Jncommon 1Jncommon Uncommon Spring = April-May Summer= June-July Fall August-October Winter November-March Rare= Seldom seen Uncommon = Might see Common Locally Should see in the area