R.B.A. July 24, 2005

- RBA
* Alaska
* St. Paul Island, Pribilofs
* July 24, 2005
* AKSPI 2407.05


Hello Birders, this is the St. Paul Island rare bird alert for the week of July 18-24, 2005 sponsored by St. Paul Island Tour. The following sequence of sightings is in taxonomic order; an asterisk denotes a species of less than annual occurrence or one of particular note.

Birds Mentioned:

*Steller’s Eider
King Eider
White-winged Scoter
Red-necked Grebe
Short-tailed Shearwater
Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel
*Bald Eagle
Wandering Tattler
*GRAY-TAILED TATTLER
Ruddy Turnstone
Red Phalarope
Parasitic Jaeger
Herring Gull (smithsonianus)
Slaty-backed Gull
Rhinoceros Auklet
*Common Raven
*McKay’s Bunting
Common Redpoll


WEATHER
Light southwest winds on the 20th were followed by light west winds on the 21st.


WATERFOWL
One to three female Steller’s Eiders continued to linger around the harbor and Salt Lagoon this week. Two female King Eiders were seen in the harbor on the 21st. A White-winged Scoter was spotted from town cliffs on the 18th and 19th.

SEABIRDS
Two Red-necked Grebes were seen at Marunich on the 24th. One to three Short-tailed Shearwaters at East Landing all week allowed close study, as did a Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel there on the 20th. Single Parasitic Jaegers were spotted at Reef on the 18th and 22nd, with another seen on the 24th at Ridge Wall. A Herring Gull (smithsonianus) was noted on the 20th and 23rd around the harbor. A third-year Slaty-backed Gull was seen from July 20-22 at either East Landing or Pumphouse Lake. Two Rhinoceros Auklets were seen at East Landing on the 19th.

SHOREBIRDS
One to three Wandering Tattlers were seen at various sites on the island this week. Up to three GRAY-TAILED TATTLERS were seen daily at the Salt Lagoon, sometimes with Wandering Tattlers visible simultaneously. The number of Ruddy Turnstones increased to 1000+ by week’s end. Over 200 Red Phalaropes occurred between Reef and Tolstoi Point all week.

LANDBIRDS & PASSERINES
The lingering immature Bald Eagle was noted again this week. One or two Common Ravens were seen at various sites around the island this week. The male MCKAY’S BUNTING was seen on the 22nd at Crater Hill. Single Common Redpolls were spotted at various sites around the island this week.

Regularly occurring species now present on the island:
Northern Pintail
Green-winged (and Common) Teal --- all now in eclipse plumage
Harlequin Duck
Long-tailed Duck
Northern Fulmar
Red-faced Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Semipalmated Plover
Least Sandpiper
Rock Sandpiper (ssp. ptilocnemis)
Red-necked Phalarope
Glaucous-winged Gull
Black-legged Kittiwake
Red-legged Kittiwake
Common Murre
Thick-billed Murre
Ancient Murrelet
Parakeet Auklet
Least Auklet
Crested Auklet
Horned Puffin
Tufted Puffin
Winter Wren (ssp. alascensis)
Lapland Longspur
Snow Bunting
Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (ssp. umbrina)

For tour information or to make travel arrangements visit our website http:www.alaskabirding.com or call 1-877-424-5637. This is Rick Knight (rknight@preferred.com), Dylan Radin, and Brandon Percival, the 2005 St. Paul Island Tour guides, wishing you good birding.

R.B.A. July 17, 2005

- RBA
* Alaska
* St. Paul Island, Pribilofs
* July 17, 2005
* AKSPI 1707.05


Hello Birders, this is the St. Paul Island rare bird alert for the week of July 11-17, 2005 sponsored by St. Paul Island Tour. The following sequence of sightings is in taxonomic order; an asterisk denotes a species of less than annual occurrence or one of particular note.

Birds Mentioned:

Eurasian Wigeon
*Steller’s Eider
King Eider
White-winged Scoter
Short-tailed Shearwater
*Bald Eagle
Wandering Tattler
*GRAY-TAILED TATTLER
Ruddy Turnstone
Pectoral Sandpiper
Red Phalarope
Parasitic Jaeger
*Black-headed Gull
Herring Gull (smithsonianus)
Slaty-backed Gull
Rhinoceros Auklet
*Common Raven
*McKay’s Bunting
Common Redpoll


WEATHER
The only weather of note was moderate northwest winds on July 16 and light NW winds the following day.


WATERFOWL
A drake Eurasian Wigeon at the Salt Lagoon on the 12th was a surprise in mid-summer. One to three female Steller’s Eiders lingered around the harbor and Salt Lagoon this week. One female King Eider lingered around the harbor all week and another was seen at Ridge Wall on the 12th. Four White-winged Scoters remained at Webster Seawatch through the period.

SEABIRDS
Over a hundred Short-tailed Shearwaters passed Southwest Point on the 16th, with small numbers seen at Northeast Point that day and the next. A Parasitic Jaeger was spotted at Crater Hill on the 16th. An alternate-plumaged Black-headed Gull was observed at Big Lake on the 11th and 13th. An adult Herring Gull (smithsonianus) was noted at the harbor on the 15th. A third-year Slaty-backed Gull was seen on the 17th at East Landing. Only one Rhinoceros Auklet was seen this week, at Ridge Wall on the 14th.

SHOREBIRDS
Single Wandering Tattlers were at Lake Hill on the 14th and at the Salt Lagoon on the 17th. The season’s first GRAY-TAILED TATTLER appeared on the 11th at the Salt Lagoon; 1-3 were seen there from the 15th – 17th. The number of Ruddy Turnstones skyrocketed to 500+ by week’s end. One to three Pectoral Sandpipers were seen at Pumphouse Lake through the 16th. Fifty Red Phalaropes, some still in alternate plumage, were spotted at Ridge Wall on the 14th & 15th, while over 200 were seen at Southwest Point on the 17th.

LANDBIRDS & PASSERINES
The lingering immature Bald Eagle was noted several times this week. One to three Common Ravens were seen at various sites around the island this week. Our male MCKAY’S BUNTING was seen through the 15th at Crater Hill. Small numbers (1-3) of Common Redpolls were seen around the island all week.

Regularly occurring species now present on the island:
Northern Pintail
Green-winged (and Common) Teal --- all now in eclipse plumage
Harlequin Duck
Long-tailed Duck
Northern Fulmar
Red-faced Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Semipalmated Plover
Least Sandpiper
Rock Sandpiper (ssp. ptilocnemis)
Red-necked Phalarope
Glaucous-winged Gull
Black-legged Kittiwake
Red-legged Kittiwake
Common Murre
Thick-billed Murre
Ancient Murrelet
Parakeet Auklet
Least Auklet
Crested Auklet
Horned Puffin
Tufted Puffin
Winter Wren (ssp. alascensis)
Lapland Longspur
Snow Bunting
Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (ssp. umbrina)

For tour information or to make travel arrangements visit our website http:www.alaskabirding.com or call 1-877-424-5637. This is Rick Knight (rknight@preferred.com), Dylan Radin, and Brandon Percival, the 2005 St. Paul Island Tour guides, wishing you good birding.

R.B.A. July 10, 2005

- RBA
* Alaska
* St. Paul Island, Pribilofs
* July 10, 2005
* AKSPI 1007.05


Hello Birders, this is the St. Paul Island rare bird alert for the week of July 10, 2005 sponsored by St. Paul Island Tour. The following sequence of sightings is in taxonomic order; an asterisk denotes a species of less than annual occurrence or one of particular note.

Birds Mentioned:

Greater Scaup
*Steller’s Eider
King Eider
White-winged Scoter
Red-necked Grebe
Short-tailed Shearwater
*Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel
*Bald Eagle
Pacific Golden-Plover
Ruddy Turnstone
Pectoral Sandpiper
Long-tailed Jaeger
*Black-headed Gull
Herring Gull (smithsonianus)
Slaty-backed Gull
Glaucous Gull
Rhinoceros Auklet
*Common Raven
*Barn Swallow (Eurasian form)
*McKay’s Bunting
Common Redpoll


WEATHER
We had light west winds on the 6th, brisk west winds on the 9th, and moderate west / southwest winds on the 10th.


WATERFOWL
One Greater Scaup was spotted at Sheep Lake on the 5th. The female Steller’s Eider remained through the period with the Harlequin Ducks in the harbor and was joined by a second there on the 4th, while another female Steller’s was seen at Marunich on the 7th. One to two King Eiders lingered around the harbor all week. Four White-winged Scoters were noted at Webster Seawatch through the period.

SEABIRDS
A Red-necked Grebe was seen at Marunich on the 7th. A few (10+) Short-tailed Shearwaters were spotted off Northeast Point on the 4th & 9th, with 100+ there on the 10th. A Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel sitting on the water at Southwest Point allowed close study on the 8th, while two were seen at East Landing on the 9th. A Long-tailed Jaeger appeared at Webster Seawatch on the 10th. An alternate-plumaged Black-headed Gull was observed at Pumphouse Lake and the harbor on the 10th. A Herring Gull (smithsonianus) was noted at Pumphouse Lake on the 5th. A third-year Slaty-backed Gull was seen on the 4th at Northeast Point. The saga of the lingering injured Glaucous Gull (“Lucky”) came to a conclusion on the 9th when it was found dead. Only one Rhinoceros Auklet was seen this week at Ridge Wall.

SHOREBIRDS
An alternate-plumaged Pacific Golden-Plover appeared at Pumphouse Lake on the 4th and remained through the 7th; it was replaced by a transitional-plumaged plover on the 9th. The number of Ruddy Turnstones grew to 45+ by week’s end. One to four Pectoral Sandpipers were seen at Pumphouse Lake from the 8th – 10th.

LANDBIRDS & PASSERINES
The lingering immature Bald Eagle was noted several times this week and the adult was seen on the 4th. A Common Raven was seen at Reef on the 10th. The white-bellied Barn Swallow (of a Eurasian race) lingered around the airport buildings and settling pond through July 6th. Our male MCKAY’S BUNTING continues to be seen at Crater Hill. Small numbers (1-10) of Common Redpolls were seen around the island all week.

Regularly occurring species now present on the island:
Northern Pintail
Green-winged (and Common) Teal
Harlequin Duck
Long-tailed Duck
Northern Fulmar
Red-faced Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Semipalmated Plover
Least Sandpiper
Rock Sandpiper (ssp. ptilocnemis)
Red-necked Phalarope
Glaucous-winged Gull
Black-legged Kittiwake
Red-legged Kittiwake
Common Murre
Thick-billed Murre
Pigeon Guillemot
Ancient Murrelet
Parakeet Auklet
Least Auklet
Crested Auklet
Horned Puffin
Tufted Puffin
Winter Wren (ssp. alascensis)
Lapland Longspur
Snow Bunting
Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (ssp. umbrina)

For tour information or to make travel arrangements visit our website http:www.alaskabirding.com or call 1-877-424-5637. This is Rick Knight (rknight@preferred.com), Dylan Radin, and Brandon Percival, the 2005 St. Paul Island Tour guides, wishing you good birding.

R.B.A. July 3, 2005

- RBA

* Alaska

* St. Paul Island, Pribilofs

* July 3, 2005

* AKSPI 0307.05

Hello Birders, this is the St. Paul Island rare bird alert for the week of June 27 – July 3, 2005 sponsored by St. Paul Island Tour. The following sequence of sightings is in taxonomic order; an asterisk denotes a species of less than annual occurrence or one of particular note.

Birds Mentioned:

Cackling Goose

Greater Scaup

*Steller’s Eider

King Eider

White-winged Scoter

Red-breasted Merganser

*Common Loon

Red-necked Grebe

Short-tailed Shearwater

*Bald Eagle

Wandering Tattler

Ruddy Turnstone

Parasitic Jaeger

Glaucous Gull

Rhinoceros Auklet

*Barn Swallow (Eurasian form)

*McKay’s Bunting

Common Redpoll

WEATHER

The only notable weather event for this week was west winds on June 28^th, which shifted to the southwest on the following day. Wind velocity both days was less than 10 mph.

WATERFOWL

Six Cackling Geese were reported on the 28th at Kittiwake Lake. Three Greater Scaup drakes were in the Salt Lagoon from June 29 to July 1. A lone female Steller’s Eider remained through the period with the Harlequin Ducks in the harbor, while another female Steller’s was seen on the 29^th and 1^st at Webster Seawatch. Small numbers (1-3) of King Eiders lingered around the harbor all week. Four White-winged Scoters were noted at Webster Seawatch from the 29^th to July 1 and three Red-breasted Mergansers were also there on the 29^th.

SEABIRDS

A basic-plumaged Common Loon was an unexpected sight on the 29^th at Northeast. Two Red-necked Grebes were seen at Marunich on the 1^st & 2^nd of July. Six Short-tailed Shearwaters were spotted off Northeast Point on the 1^st. A light-morph Parasitic Jaeger appeared at Northeast on the 28^th and a dark-morph Parasitic was seen there the next day. The injured Glaucous Gull (“Lucky”) remains around the Salt Lagoon. Rhinoceros Auklets continue to be seen as singles and pairs at Southwest Point and Ridge Wall.

SHOREBIRDS

A Wandering Tattler was seen at Southwest Point on the 27^th. Up to 15 Ruddy Turnstones were seen at Marunich on the 1^st & 2^nd.

LANDBIRDS & PASSERINES

The lingering immature Bald Eagle was noted several times this week. Evidently blown in by the light west winds, a white-bellied Barn Swallow (apparently of a Eurasian race) was seen around the airport buildings and settling pond from June 29 through July 2. Our male MCKAY’S BUNTING continues to be seen at Crater Hill. Small numbers (1-8) of Common Redpolls were seen around the island this week.

Regularly occurring species now present on the island:

Northern Pintail

Green-winged (and Common) Teal

Harlequin Duck

Long-tailed Duck

Northern Fulmar

Red-faced Cormorant

Pelagic Cormorant

Semipalmated Plover

Least Sandpiper

Rock Sandpiper (ssp. ptilocnemis)

Red-necked Phalarope

Glaucous-winged Gull

Black-legged Kittiwake

Red-legged Kittiwake

Common Murre

Thick-billed Murre

Pigeon Guillemot

Ancient Murrelet

Parakeet Auklet

Least Auklet

Crested Auklet

Horned Puffin

Tufted Puffin

Winter Wren (ssp. alascensis)

Lapland Longspur

Snow Bunting

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (ssp. umbrina)

For tour information or to make travel arrangements visit our website http:www.alaskabirding.com or call 1-877-424-5637. This is Rick Knight (rknight@preferred.com), Dylan Radin, and Brandon Percival, the 2005 St. Paul Island Tour guides, wishing you good birding.