Birds Found on the Arctic Slope of Northern AlaskaBee, James W.
Science
Birds Found on the Arctic Slope of Northern Alaska
Bee, James W.
Birds -- Alaska
On a small lake between Barrier Lake and Teshekpuk Lake (July 29,
1951) a male and female attracted our attention by uttering guttural
notes and occasionally a sound resembling the meowing of a cat. This
lake was approximately 200 feet long and 40 feet wide and was bordered
by exceptionally high sedges. Several points of sedges projected into
the lake from its edge. When the loons were approached they dove
under water with a splash suggesting the sound made by a beaver as it
strikes its tail against the water before submerging. A loud
high-pitched shrieklike call was given just before diving. They
remained under water for about 20 seconds, came to the surface, and
repeated the behavior. These birds were capable of leaving the lake
but remained in close proximity to their young that were hiding in the
grasses and sedges along the side of the lake. Both adult birds were
collected. A broken egg was on one of the points of vegetation that
projected into the lake. This lake was approximately 600 feet from
feeding grounds at Teshekpuk Lake where small fish three-fourths of an
inch in length were numerous (30 per square foot) along the edge of
the lake. Other red-throated loons were noted on July 29 through
August 4.
At Chandler Lake (Aug. 15, 1951), two red-throated loons frequently
fed in a small meandering creek at the south end of the lake.
+Olor columbianus+ (Ord): Whistling swan.--On July 16, 1951, a boat
with three Eskimos neared a point of land approximately 1/3 mile north
of our camp on the Kaolak (Kuk) River. At 200 feet from the point, two
adult whistling swans and three cygnets left the edge of the river.
The female pretended to have a crippled wing and flapped upstream on
the surface of the water for 100 feet and then continued at normal
cruising speed. The male left the area but returned in a few minutes
and joined the female as she endeavored to lure the hunters up the
river. The Eskimos inspected the shore where the swans had been
resting and then returned to their boat and continued up the river in
the wake of the female swan which was then 200 yards upstream. As the
boat approached the female, she fluttered out of their way and the
boat passed at approximately 30 feet. The Eskimos did not attempt to
shoot at the male, the female, or the three cygnets. The following day
we inspected the area from which the swans had been flushed. Four
molted primary feathers of the adults were found. Twenty feet from the
edge of the river was an old nest which had been occupied the previous
year. This nest was in willows and grasses one foot high. At our camp
(July 12), numerous foot prints measuring 160 mm in length and 142 mm
in width of the swan were noted on the north side of a sand bar in the
river.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account