St.

Paul Island, Alaska

Spring 2007 Trip Report
May 21 – May 25, 2007

by Phil Davis
Davidsonville, Maryland
High Lonesome BirdTours

1. Introduction. This year marked my

eleventh birding trip to western Alaska
(locations include Attu, Adak, and Gambell)
but only my second trip to the Pribilof
Islands. This spring I led a group of eight
birders to St. Paul Island for a five-day trip
for High Lonesome BirdTours. Our group
arrived at St. Paul from Anchorage on the
afternoon of May 21 after a refueling stop at
King Salmon, AK. During our five-day stay,
we shared the island with another birding
group, Wilderness Birding Adventures
[WBA] (Aaron Lang, leader) and several
small groups of independent birders. Our
local TDX guides and hosts were the
Tucson-based trio of Gavin Bieber (lead),
Dylan Radin, Jake Mohlmann; with The St. Paul crab pot “forest” can be a good place to find
Anchorage-based Keenan Casteel. vagrant passerines although it produced nothing
remarkable during our trip. Photo by Trish Schumacher.
2. The Weather and the Environment.
NOAA charts of the St. Paul Island airport weather conditions for the period 14 May (a week
before our arrival) though our departure date on 25 May are shown in figure 1, below.

Winds. A strong high pressure sat over the Bering Sea and dominated the weather for most of
the period. Gavin Bieber told us that the winds had basically blown hard from the north since he
arrived on May 4. We did not experience any of the desired strong west or southwest winds that
are generally associated with Asian vagrants; although we did see several Trans-Beringian
migrants that were headed toward the northeast during our stay. During our time on the island,
the steady winds at the airport averaged from a low of 7 mph on our first day to a high of 32
mph. Gusts were recorded at the airport as high as 37, although we certainly experienced
higher gusts during our visits to the northern side of the island.

Temperatures. In general, the temperature was mild, ranging from 28 to 39 F. The average
temperature, during our stay, was 33 F at the airport.

Precipitation. We experienced approximately one-quarter inch of precipitation (mostly rain, but

some snow) during our stay.

Snow Cover. When we arrived, the snow cover was minimal, with just a few snow banks and
snow cover in low areas.

Lake Ice. Ponds and lakes were mostly open.

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 Figure 1. NOAA St. Paul Island Weather Data: 14 May – 25 May.

3. Staff and Clients. Our High

Lonesome BirdTours group included
eight clients from the US and
Canada.

4. Arrivals and Departures. Our

Anchorage departure was delayed
due to PenAir mechanical issues
and we were flown on the smaller
17-passenger Fairchild Metroliner III
plane rather than their larger 30-
passsenger Saab 340. We refueled
in King Salmon, AK. Our departure
from St. Paul was also delayed a
few hours due to a crew member
illness and subsequent replacement.
Return to Anchorage was non-stop
in the larger Saab aircraft. Some of our group at Anchorage. L-R: Phil Davis, Paul Cozza,
Marie Griffiths, Margaret Manson, Forrest Davis, Ferne Rogers,
Mike Sacopulos, Don Rogers, Colin Marchant. Photo by Trish
Schumacher.

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5. The Birding. When we arrived on 21 May several excellent Asian vagrant waterfowl were
already present, including a pair of Common Pochards and three Smew that had arrived on 12
May. We were too late for two Bean Geese (middendorfii ssp.) that had arrived on 15 May but
departed on 17 May. We also just missed two Bristle-thighed Curlews on 20 May. Other good
Asian / Trans-Beringian species that were seen during our stay included Brambling, Lesser
Sand-Plover, and Great Knot.

Other Western Alaskan specialties seen during our stay included Emperor Goose, Eurasian
Wigeon, King Eider, Yellow-billed Loon, Red-faced Cormorant, Pacific Golden Plover, Bar-tailed
Godwit, Rock Sandpiper, Vega Herring Gull, Slaty-backed Gull, Ancient Murrelet, Common
Murre, Thick-billed Murre, all three expected auklets, both expected puffins, Snowy Owl,
McKay’s Bunting, and Common Redpoll. We recorded a total of 64 species during our five days
on the island. We also observed several subspecies that could be split in the future into new
species; including Common (Green-winged) Teal, Kamchatka (Mew) Gull, and Vega (Herring)
Gull.

General. Each day, we were escorted to various birding locations in TDX vehicles (vans or
busses) and accompanied by one of the TDX guides.

Birding Areas. The birding areas we covered on the island included the locations shown in
figures 2 and 3.

Figure 2. St. Paul Island birding locations. Map courtesy of TDX Corporation.

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 Figure 3. St. Paul Island birding habitats. Map courtesy of TDX Corporation.

Trip List. A daily trip list of species seen is provided as a separate document.

6. Notable Species. Accounts of notable Asian, western Alaskan, Alaska mainland, and Saint
Paul Island species are presented, below.

Greater White-fronted Goose. Originally found on 5/22,

we saw this single bird at Pump House Lake on the
subsequent three days. It initially caused some excitement
since it appeared to be of the central Russian subspecies
albifrons, which has not been recorded in North America;
however, after inspection of some of the digiscoped
images, it turned into the other Russian Far Eastern
subspecies, frontalis, which is seen in Western Alaska.
These Russian subspecies have longer bills, are paler, and
have less speckling on the underparts. A yellow base to
the upper mandible is characteristic of the frontalis taxon. Greater White-fronted Goose (frontalis) on
Pump House Lake. 24 May. Photo by Phil
Davis.

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Emperor Goose. Two birds were seen on
the rocks at Southwest Point on 5/22.
Another was found at East Landing on 5/24.

(“Black”) Brant. A single bird was seen in

the surf at Polovina Point.

Eurasian Wigeon. A number of birds were

seen each day, sometimes in the company
of American Wigeon.

Green-winged Teal. Both forms, the

Eurasian “Common Teal” (A. c. crecca) and
the American Green-winged Teal (A. c. Emperor Goose at East Landing. May 24. Photo by
carolinensis) were seen at various locations. Paul Cozza.
These two taxa have been split by the
British and are a candidate for an AOU split.

Common Pochard. When we arrived, a

pair was already present on the island on
5/21. We observed them, mostly at Ice
House Pond, through 5/23. The Pribiloffs
and western Aleutians are the best places in
North American to find this Eurasian
species.

Greater Scaup. A number of birds were

seen around the island. We looked closely
at each male to see if it showed weaker and
lighter vermiculations on the mantle and
scapulars, characteristics of the Eurasian
subspecies, marila (Richard C. Banks,
1986, Subspecies of the Greater Scaup and
their Names, Wilson Bull., 98(3), 1986, pp. Male Common Pochard at Ice House Lake. St. Paul, AK. 23
433-444). There is only one record of this May. Phil Davis.
subspecies from North America, a specimen
taken at St. George in June 1968. Close observation and photographs may reveal other
individuals since most birders are not looking for this taxon.

King Eider. A cooperative single adult male often posed for us on a rock in Salt Lagoon at low
tide.

Harlequin Duck. Numbers of this species was seen on all days. This species is resident, but
does not breed, on St. Paul Island.

Scoters. All three species of scoter were found. The Surf Scoters, found on 5/22, were very
unusual for the island.

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Smew. On the day we arrived (5/21), a male and two female were already on Ice House Pond.
Our party did not see these birds again; however, on 5/23, we relocated a single first-year male
that was reported the previous day on Big Lake. On 5/25, two first-year males were found at
Antone Lake. There were probably a total of five separate birds on the island during our stay.

Smew: Adult male (left) at Ice House Pond 5/21 and first-year male (right) at Big Lake5/23. Photos by Phil
Davis.

Yellow-billed Loon. Several birds were seen flying and in the water off of Reef Point on 5/24.

Northern Fulmars. This species was seen daily, including at close range at Zapadni Cliffs.

Red-faced Cormorant. This species was seen in large

numbers each day. Many more birds were present than
I had seen on my previous trip in 2001. The strong
north winds had moved some of the other seabirds out
to sea and away from the cliffs and this species had
moved in, in numbers. This species was also observed
nest building at Black Bluffs, a first for that location.

Pelagic Cormorant. Present daily.

Sandhill Crane. Seen on 5/22.

Pacific Golden Plover. A single bird was seen on 5/24

at English Bay.

Lesser Sand Plover. One bird was reported at

Marunich Pond on 5/23. When we arrived at that
location, we found two females present.

Semipalmated Plover. This species was seen most

days at various locations. Red-faced Cormorants at Reef Wall
Rookery. 5/24. Photo by Phil Davis.
Wandering Tattler. Several birds were seen at various locations each day.

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Bar-tailed Godwit. This species is common
on this island and were seen daily at Salt
Lagoon. On 5/23, at high of over 70 birds
was reported.

Great Knot. At 11:30 pm on 5/23, TDX lead

guide, Gavin Bieber, found a distant Great
Knot at Salt Lagoon. He immediately came
to the hotel and woke up all the birders and
took them up to see the bird. We
subsequently saw the bird at various times,
at very close range, on the following two
days.

Western Sandpiper. This species was Bar-tailed Godwit (male) at Salt Lagoon. Photo by Paul
seen daily at Salt Lagoon. Cozza.

Pectoral Sandpiper. Two birds were seen

at Tonki Point on 5/23-24.

Rock Sandpiper. This species was seen

every day beginning on 21 May at various
locations. Courtship behavior and singing
was observed daily. This is the Pribiloff’s
subspecies, ptilocnemis, which is larger and
paler with a broader wing stripe than the
Bering Sea subspecies that is found on
Gambell. It also differs from the cousei
subspecies found in the Aleutian Islands.
Great Knot at Salt Lagoon 5/24. Photo by Phil Davis.
Dunlin. A few birds were seen in Salt
Lagoon.

Red-necked Phalarope. Birds were seen

each day at various locations.

Mew Gull. One first-year bird “Kamchatka”

Mew Gull was observed on 5/23 along with
three adult, North American (“Short-billed”),
Mew Gulls at Salt Lagoon. The same birds
were subsequently also seen on 5/23-24 at
various locations. This larger, darker,
longer-billed taxon is a candidate for an
AOU split.

“Vega” Herring Gull. This common gull Pribilof’s Rock Sandpiper (ptilocnemis) at Salt Lagoon.
was seen daily. This taxon (“Siberian Gull”) Photo by Paul Cozza.
is a also a candidate for a split from the
“American” Herring Gull since it more closely related to the other Siberian species rather than
the North American smithsonianus. One smithsonianus taxon was also seen on 5/23. Vega

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Gulls are darker mantled than “American” Herring Gulls with wing patterns that are more similar
to Slaty-backed Gulls and they also have dark eyes.

Slaty-backed Gull. An adult bird was seen on 5/22 and others of various ages were also seen
over the next two days.

Glaucous-winged Gull. Seen most days.

Glaucous Gull. Common and present each day.

Black-legged Kittiwake. This species was commonly seen. In addition to adults, some first-
year birds were also frequently seen.

Red-legged Kittiwake. We found our first

bird bathing with Black-legged Kittiwakes on
Weather Bureau Lake on 5/21. After that,
we found birds in flight at Southwest Point
and at Ridge Wall cliffs, flying and nesting.

Parasitic Jaeger. A single intermediate

morph bird was found at Weather Bureau
Lake.

Seabirds – General. Cliff watching and sea

watching was slow when we arrived due to
the long and hard blowing north winds. A
number of the species had either not yet
arrived in numbers or were driven back out
Red-legged Kittiwake at Ridge Wall Rookery. Photo by Paul
to sea by the windy conditions. By the end Cozza.
of our trip, cliff watching began to look more
like a classic St. Paul trip with all species and with birds present in good numbers.

Murres. Both Common and Thick-billed were

seen daily, affording good opportunities to study
their differences, with Thick-billeds being more
common. Thick-billeds came in to the Ridge Wall
cliffs in numbers on our last day.

Pigeon Guillemot. Present each day.

Ancient Murrelet. We observed several pair and

small flocks at various locations.

Auklets. All three species (Parakeet, Least, and

Crested) were seen daily at sea watch and on the
cliffs at various locations.

Puffins. Horned Puffins were seen on all days.

Tufted Puffins were not seen until 5/24, probably
after having been driven out to sea earlier by the
Common Murres (left) and Thick-billed Murres (right) at
winds. Ridge Wall Rookery 5/25. Photo by Phil Davis.

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Snowy Owl. One adult male was seen
perched near the airport on 5/23.

Common Raven. Seen at various locations

around the island. One bird was particularly
large, probably indicating the Asian
subspecies kamtschaticus which is also
found in the western Aleutians.

Lapland Longspur. The most abundant

passerine on St. Paul Island; males were
displaying and singing.
Least Auklet. Zapadini Rookery. 5/22. Photo by Phil Davis.
Snow Bunting. The second most abundant
passerine on the island; males were also
displaying and singing.

McKay’s Bunting. Two sub-adult birds

were identified in the quarry as this species.
A recent article in Birding magazine shed
some new light on the plumage of first and
second year birds, and why many birds are
often dismissed as hybrids when they in fact
are McKay’s. Characteristics of these
immature males include more black in the
places where adult McKay’s generally have
little black.

Brambling. An adult male was found at Parakeet Auklet at Ridge Wall Rookery. Photo by Paul
Cozza.
English Bay by Gavin Bieber. All of the
birders on the island swept the area and
relocated the bird. Good views were had by
all.

Gray-crowned Rosy-finch. This ubiquitous

species (the “House Sparrow of St. Paul”)
was seen at many locations, especially
around buildings. This taxon is the umbrina
subspecies that is unique to the Pribilof
Islands. With the increased use of DNA
analysis for phylogenetic determination,
indigenous subspecies are always worth
watching for potential splits.

Common Redpoll. A single Common

Redpoll was observed in the quarry on 5/22.
Pribilof's Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch. Photo by Trish
Schumacher.

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6. Misses. On 5/21 a Common Snipe (the recently split Eurasian species) was reported at
Pump House Lake. All of the birders on the island swept the area for it the next morning. Only a
few birders saw it flush and fly away. Others reflushed it the next day, but we did not succeed in
seeing it. Other notable species reported before and after our tour included Bean Goose (before
and after), Black-headed Gull (before and after), Wood Sandpiper on 5/25 (the day we left),
Bristle-thighed Curlew (before and after), Long-billed Murrelet (5/27), White Wagtail (5/26),
Terek Sandpiper (6/2-4), Far Eastern Curlew (5/31), Ruff (5/27-28), Common Snipe (several on
6/2), Tufted Duck (6/3-4), and Eyebrowed Thrush (on 6/8, the first day of westerly winds).
Timing … and winds … are everything!

7. Mammals. Species seen during our stay included: Northern Fur Seal, Steller’s Sea Lion,
Harbor Seal, and Arctic Fox.

Arctic Fox. Photo by Trish Schumacher.

Northern Fur Seal. Photo by Trish Schumacher.

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