Trip Log

Trip Report

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Stuart Healy
Species recorded in Alaska May 29-June 17, 2003
Kenai Peninsula - Barrow - Denali Highway - Nome


See bottom of page for key to location and abundance abbreviations:
Species Links are to photos & daily log entries Sighting information
GREBES  
Red-necked Grebe C HOM, 1 NOM-c 
CORMORANTS  
Double-crested Cormorant 1 KEP   
Red-faced Cormorant  02 6+ KAB   
Pelagic Cormorant FC HOS, NOM-c 
DUCKS, SWANS, GEESE  
Trumpeter Swan  11 2 DNH; 2 INT (Parks Hwy)
Tundra Swan FC NOM-c, BAR; 2 DNH
Greater White-fronted Goose FC BAR 
Snow Goose 1 NOM-c 
Canada Goose FC NOM-c,k; C POM
Brant UC BAR, NOM
American Wigeon UC Widespread
Green-winged Teal UC KEP, FC DNH
Mallard FC KEP, POM
Northern Pintail FC BAR, NOM-c,k,t, POM
Northern Shoveler UC DNH, NOM-k, POM
Canvasback FC POM
Greater Scaup A KEP, C NOM-c,t
Lesser Scaup FC INT
Common Eider FC KEP NOM-c
Spectacled Eider  06 1 & 20+ BAR, separate days
Steller's Eider  06 1 & 3 pairs BAR, separate days
Harlequin Duck  10 10+ KAB; 10+ DNH; C SEW
Oldsquaw  06 A BAR; FC DNH; 2 HOS; C NOM-c,t
Black Scoter 2 NOM-c, 2 NOM-t
Surf Scoter 3 DNH; 2 NOM-k; C HOS, SEW
White-winged Scoter C HOS
Barrow's Goldeneye UC DNH; 2 KAB; C SEW
Bufflehead FC DNH
Red-breasted Merganser C NOM-c,k,t
Common Merganser UC KEP
OSPREY  
Osprey 1 NOM-c
HAWKS AND EAGLES  
Bald Eagle  P2  03  01 C KEP; 2 INT
Northern Harrier 1 DNH
Rough-legged Hawk 2 NOM-t
FALCONS  
Gyrfalcon 2 NOM-t (other present NOM-k)
GROUSE  
Willow Ptarmigan  10 C NOM-k,t; UC DNH
Rock Ptarmigan  P2  P3  13 4+ NOM-k 2 NOM-t
CRANES  
Sandhill Crane UC KEP; UC NOM-k,t
SANDPIPERS  
Wilson's Snipe 1 DNH; FC KEP
Bar-tailed Godwit  16 2 BAR; UC NOM-c,k
Whimbrel UC NOM-k,c
Bristle-thighed Curlew 3+ NOM-k
Greater Yellowlegs UC KEP
Lesser Yellowlegs UC DNH
Solitary Sandpiper 1 SEW
Spotted Sandpiper UC KEP; 2 NOM-t
Wandering Tattler  30 1 DNH; FC SEW
Ruddy Turnstone 1 NOM-c
Long-billed Dowitcher  06 FC BAR
Semipalmated Sandpiper  06 C BAR; C NOM-c,t
Western Sandpiper UC NOM-c,t
Baird's Sandpiper 1 BAR
Pectoral Sandpiper  07 C BAR
Dunlin  08 FC BAR; UC NOM-c
Red-necked Phalarope  07 C BAR; FC DNH
Red Phalarope  P2  06  07 A BAR
OYSTERCATCHERS  
Black Oystercatcher 2 KAB
PLOVERS  
Pacific Golden-Plover  P2  P3  14 UC NOM-c,k
American Golden-Plover  10 FC BAR; FC NOM-c,k,t; 1 DNH
Semipalmated Plover 2 NOM-t
GULLS AND TERNS  
Mew Gull  P2  30 A KEP; C DNH; A NOM
Glaucous-winged Gull A KEP
Glaucous Gull A BAR; A NOM-c,t
Herring Gull UC POM 1 (Vega) NOM-c
Bonaparte's Gull 5+ DBH
Sabine's Gull 2 BAR
Black-legged Kittiwake  P2  02 A KEP; A NOM-c,t
Arctic Tern  P2  08  10 C-A Widespread
Aleutian Tern C NOM-c
JAEGERS  
Pomarine Jaeger  08 FC BAR
Parasitic Jaeger UC NOM-c
Long-tailed Jaeger  P2  17 UC BAR; C NOM-c,k,t
ALCIDS  
Common Murre C HOS, A KAB C NOM-c
Thick-billed Murre 3+ NOM-c
Pigeon Guillemot FC HOS; FC KAB FC SEW
Marbled Murrelet FC HOS; FC KAB; FC SEW
Tufted Puffin  02 C KAB
LOONS  
Red-throated Loon FC BAR; FC NOM-c
Arctic Loon 2 NOM-c
Pacific Loon  09 UC KEP, 2 INT; UC NOM-c
Common Loon 2 DNH; C HOS
DOVES  
Rock Dove UC SEW
HUMMINGBIRDS  
Rufous Hummingbird UC SEW
KINGFISHERS  
Belted Kingfisher 1 SEW
WOODPECKERS  
Northern Flicker 1 INT 
TYRANT FLYCATCHERS  
Olive-sided Flycatcher  02 UC KEP; 1 INT 
Western Wood-Pewee 1 KEP
Alder Flycatcher 1 KEP; 1 INT 
CROWS AND JAYS   
Steller's Jay UC KEP
Gray Jay  04 UC KEP, INT
Black-billed Magpie C KEP; UC INT
Northwestern Crow  30 C HOS, SEW
Common Raven C INT, KEP, NOM
DIPPERS  
American Dipper 2 NOM-t
THRUSHES  
Varied Thrush C KEP; 1 NOM-c
Gray-cheeked Thrush  P2  09  10 C DNH; UC KEP; C NOM
Swainson's Thrush UC DNH, KEP 
Hermit Thrush 1 DNH; FC KEP; 1 NOM
American Robin C INT, KEP
OLD WORLD FLYCATCHERS  
Bluethroat  P2  16 2 NOM-t
Northern Wheatear  P2  14 1 NOM (Anvil Mtn); others present NOM-k,t
NUTHATCHES  
Red-breasted Nuthatch UC KEP
SWALLOWS  
Tree Swallow FC KEP; UC INT, NOM
Violet-green Swallow C KEP
Bank Swallow UC KEP
Cliff Swallow FC INT, KEP; UC NOM
KINGLETS  
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1 INT; FC KEP
Golden-crowned Kinglet UC KEP
OLD WORLD WARBLERS  
Arctic Warbler  13 UC DNH; FC NOM-c,t
CHICKADEES  
Black-capped Chickadee FC KEP
Boreal Chickadee UC KEP
Chestnut-backed Chickadee UC SEW
LARKS  
Horned Lark UC DNH; 1 HOS; UC NOM-c
WAGTAILS AND PIPITS  
Yellow Wagtail FC NOM-c,t
American Pipit UC INT, NOM
SISKINS, CROSSBILLS AND ALLIES  
Pine Siskin UC INT; C KEP
Hoary Redpoll  08 C BAR; UC NOM
Common Redpoll FC BAR, INT; A KEP; FC NOM
Red Crossbill 8 KEP
White-winged Crossbill FC KEP
NEW WORLD WARBLERS  
Orange-crowned Warbler FC DNH; C KEP; FC NOM
Yellow Warbler FC DNH; UC KEP; FC NOM
Yellow-rumped Warbler UC KEP
Townsend's Warbler FC KEP
Blackpoll Warbler  10 C DNH
Northern Waterthrush 2 POM; 2 NOM-k
Wilson's Warbler FC DNH; C KEP; FC NOM
BUNTINGS, SPARROWS AND ALLIES  
Lapland Longspur  08 A BAR; C NOM
Smith's Longspur  10 2-3 pairs DNH
Snow Bunting  07 A BAR; 1 NOM
Fox Sparrow FC INT; C KEP; FC NOM
Song Sparrow UC KEP
Lincoln's Sparrow 1 KEP; 1 POM
White-crowned Sparrow FC INT; 1 POM; FC NOM
Golden-crowned Sparrow  P2  03 C KEP, NOM
Dark-eyed Junco UC DNH; FC KEP
Savannah Sparrow UC BAR; FC DNH; C KEP, NOM
American Tree Sparrow  15 C DNH; FC NOM
BLACKBIRDS  
Rusty Blackbird 1 BAR

Location abbreviations

BAR Barrow
DNH Denali Highway
HOS Homer Spit
KEP Kenai Peninsula
INT Interior (from Anchorage to E side of DNH and return from W side of DNH)
KAB Kachemak Bay (boat excursion)
NOM Nome (-c, -k, -t for Council, Kougarok and Teller Roads.)
POM Potter Marsh, Anchorage
SEW Seward (mostly Lowell Rd & Resurrection Bay viewed from Lowell Point)

The abundance levels defined below are only with respect to what I saw or heard. I did not look for owls, woodpeckers nor woodland/forest birds in general. For the most part, my focus was on coastal and tundra birds. Many species that I recorded in low numbers may well have been easily seen in greater numbers if specifically looked for. Also, more individuals of some species will no doubt be present as the season wears on.

Abundance definitions (in proper habitat)

A abundant > 200 recorded daily
C common > 20 recorded daily
FC fairly common 1-20 recorded daily
UC uncommon not recorded daily and/or in low numbers overall 

Trip Log


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Stuart Healy
Species recorded in Alaska May 29-June 17, 2003
Kenai Peninsula - Barrow - Denali Highway - Nome