<I>Phylloscopus Trochilus</I>
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GAMBELL, ALASKA, AUTUMN 2002: First North American Records of Willow Warbler (Phylloscopustrochilus), Lesser Whitethroat(Sylvia curruca), and SpottedFlycatcher (Muscicapa striata) Paul E. Lehman ired theseislands each spring since about as Middendorff'sGrasshopper-Warbler the mid-1970s, and that these visits have (Locustellaochotensis), Siberian Accentor E0.Box 379 produced many first records of Asian (Prunellamontanella), and Little Bunting speciesfor North America.At Gambell, (Emberiza pusilia) are more likely to CapeMay, New Jersey 08204 the number of observersin spring has occur in Alaskaduring the fall than in increased.with many visitingthe village spring. The only two North American (eraall:[email protected] ) areaas participantson scheduledbirding recordsof Yellow-browedWarbler (Phyl- tours that generallylast about a week. loseopusinornatus) come from Gambell in Extensivedata now exist on the spring autumn 1999 and 2002 (Lehman 2000a, migration there. Coverageat Gambell 2000c, Tobish 2000a, 2003). A substan- ABSTRACT later in June--after most of the north- tially greaternumber of mainlandNorth This articlesummarizes records of single bound migrantshave passedthrough-- American breedingspecies wander west individualsof Willow Warbler(Phyllosco- has been very poor, however,despite or northwest out to the offshore islands in pustrochilus), Lesser Whitethroat (Sylvia good potential for unusual speciesto fall than in spring.These birds include a curruca),and SpottedFlycatcher (Musci- occur late in the season. numberof speciesnever reported in Asia. capast•iata) al Gambell,Saint Lawrence In contrast,this region'sbirding out- At Gambell in just the past five years, Island,Alaska, all of which representfirst postshave receivedscant attention from examplesinclude Least Flycatcher (Empi- records for North America. An overview birders or ornithologistsin fall. South- donateminimus), Pacific-slope/Cordilleran of field conditions,migrant passerine boundbird migrationthrough the Bering ("Western")Flycatcher (E. difficilis/occi- assemblages,and meteorologicalcontext Searegion stretches out overa morepro- dentalis),Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus), at Gambellis provided,along with brief tractedperiod than doesthe springpas- TennesseeWarbler ( Vermivoraperegrina) , discussionsof identification,taxonomy, sage.The peak of southboundshorebird MagnoliaWarbler (Dendroicamagnolia), distribution, and vagrancyof the three migration (betweenJuly and early Sep- MacGillivray's Warbler (Oporornis new speciesfound here. More extensive tember) is largely over before most tolmiei), and Brown-headed Cowbird notes, physicaldocumentation, and dis- vagrantpasserines occur (late Augustto (Molothrus ater) (Tobish 1999. 2000a, cussions are archived with the Alaska mid-October). Thus, to be assured of see- 2002, 2003). Further,a goodunderstand- ChecklistCommittee at the Universityof ing a goodcross-section of transientsand ing of the sizablefall seabirdmovements Alaska Museum. a numberof Asianstrays during a single throughthe BeringSea is still in its fledg- visit, a birder typically must make a ling stage.Finally, autumn visits to west- OVERVIEW longertime commitmentin the autumn. ern Alaska provide the opportunityto The BeringSea region in westernAlaska The chancesof findinga vagranton any study and photograph a number of is well known to most North American givenday aretypically greater in late May speciesin juvenal and freshfall plumages birdersas the placeto go to find Asian and early-to-middleJune than in August, not normallyseen by manyNorth Ameri- migrantsand vagrants, Alaska specialties, September,or October.Another factor is can birders. and spectacularseabird concentrations. the increaseddifficulty in finding low- Most observers who have visited the densitymigrants and vagrantsin the rela- FallMigration at Gambell renowned birding destinationsof Attu tively lush vegetationof early fall. In Gambell,Alaska, is a SiberianYupik vil- Island (western Aleutian Islands), Saint spring, there is only sparsecover pro- lage on Saint LawrenceIsland and is Paul Island (Pribilof Islands), and Gam- videdby deadplants, and the remaining home to some700 people.It lies approx- bell (northwest corner of Saint Lawrence snow further concentratesmigrants to imately300 km (190 mi) west-southwest Island) have done so betweenmid-May thoseopen patches that havethawed. of Nome, and only 65 km (40 mi) from and earlyJune. In spring,there is a con- Despitethese drawbacks, fall birdingin the closestpoint on the ChukotskPenin- centrated"pulse • of arrivingbirds. As an muchof coastalAlaska can be thrilling.In sula on the Siberianmainland (Figure 1). additionalincentive, the springvagrant additionto the potentiallylarge number Within andbordering the villageare three seasons for waterfowl, shorebirds, and of regularmigrants, the compositionof major middensites (known by both the passefinessubstantially overlap. So it is Old World speciesin fall is differentfrom localresidents and visiting birders as "the not surprisingthat manybirders have vis- that of spring.For example,such species boneyards"),as well asseveral other areas 4 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS of disturbedground (Figure 2). These earnestearlier than 20 August, however. Peninsula,where severalspecies of Asian areasare characterizedby relativelylush Thus, the early fall migrationperiod is waterbirds that have occurred at Gainbell vegetation dominated by Northern still poorlyknown. undoubtedlydo originate. Wormwood/Tall Wormwood (Artemisia A numberof landbirdspecies with pri- The number and variety of migrant tilesii)and Arctic Sage/ArcticWormwood marfly Old World distributionsnest in shorebirdsand landbirdspresent at Gain- (A. arctica), which are mint-like plants mainland Alaska--a few also do so in bell, as well as the numbers of seabirds thatby latesummer grow to a heightof sinall numbers on Saint Lawrence visibleoff the tip of NorthwestCape ("the up to a half-meter.This growthis a mag- Island but then return west in late sum- Point"), are highly dependent upon net to passerines in autumn, particularly to such regular migrants as Arctic Warbler • Barrow (Phylloscopusborealis), Blue- Chukotsk A Anadyr Peninsula• RUSSIA ALASKA throat (Lusciniasvecica), Gray- Rn,erbasin•.• Nome cheekedThrush (Catharusrain- o Kdomcters 800 iraus),and Red-throated (Antbus I KoryakAnadyr GRI•BEL Anchorage 0 Md½s 500 i St.Lawr- ce I. cervinus) and American (A. Highlands 60 • rubescerts)Pipits, as well as to Num?kI, 5• PaulI, most of the vagrant landbirds / PRIBILOFS•t George I. froIn both Asia and mainland , Sea Okhotsk North America.Many of these •Attu• Shemy• birdsare shy and difficult to see Sakhahn Adak easilyin thiscover. Two of the / Island threeboneyards are locatednear the base of 187-ineter (614- foot) Sevuokuk Mountain, North PacificOcean which may act as a barrier to some landbirdsthat might oth- 40 erwisecontinue moving farther jAPAN east.Other migrantsthat arrive elsewhereon the island may work theirway to the northwest Figure1. Mapshowing the Bering Sea region, westernAlaska, and the RussianFar East. Gainbell A tip at Gainbell. BERING islocated at thenorthwestern tip of Saint The Following some limited LawrenceIsland and is only some 65 kilometers SEA point autumn fieldwork on Saint (40miles) from the ChukatskPeninsula in Siberia. GambeU circular LawrenceIsland through 1969, Mostof the Asian landbird vagrants that have eboneyard summarizedby Fay and Cade beenfound in spring and fall at Gainbelland Ior (1959) and Sealyet al. (1971), elsewherein thecentral and northern Bering Seanest as far northas the Koryak Highlands Sevuokuk several observers visited Gain- bo•;•rd• Ibonyar. Mountain orAnadyr River basin, but not on the Chukotsk. bell for less than a week in late Mapby Vir•linia Maynard. Contour interval: August or early September I00 feet airstrip• Troutman/•tke 1975, 1989, 1992, I993, 1994, and 1996. ruerand earlyfall to winterin GAMBELL I haveled birdingtours there, each lasting Southeast Asia or Africa. AREA • up to a week, in late August 1992 and These birds, known as annuallyfrom 1997 through2002_ In "trans-Beringian" migrants, I998, I remainedat Gainbellafter the tour includesuch species as Arctic Figure2. Mapof the Gainbell village area, showing three of the pdndpal sitesfor migrant passerines: the"near,"far" and "circular" boneyards (mid- concluded, through 8 September. In Warbler, Bluethroat, North- dens).Most seabird watching takes place from"the Point,"the tip of Saint 1999, 1 rexnaineda total of 45 days,until ern Wheatear (Oenanthe LawrenceIsland's Northwest Cape. Sevuokuk Mountain, lying immediately 3 October.Gary Rosenberg,Scott Terrill, oenanthe), Yellow Wagtail tothe east, may act to impede the dispersal ofsome landbird transients. and others filled in for me after the tour in (Motacilla fiava), and Red- Thisbarrier, combined with the otherwise sparse vegetation and extensive 2000, remaininguntil 15 September.In throated Pipit. Their peak gravelthat characterizes thevillage area, helps to further concentrate 2001, I returned for an extendedstay, numbers occur at Gainbell migrantsand vagrants inthe boneyards. Adapted from omop by Cindy b•pincott. from 23 Augustthrough 1 October,and between early August and wasjoined for part of that timeby Nelson earlySeptember. Another trans-Beringian weather conditions. Local weather data Dobbs, Steve Mlodinow, and others. In migrant,the Gray-cheekedThrush, has coveringwind speedand direction,tem- 2002, I remainedfrom 23 Augustuntil 2 nesting populations in northeastern perature,and