Zugunruhe Birding Tours

ADAK, ALASKA: Fall Migration

Fall Annotated Species List

The following is a list of species seen during the periods 12-26 Sep 2004 and 26 Aug-27 Sep 2007. Most were seen by me and those with me. A few are single observer sightings. Whenever possible, I credit those who found the bird when it was someone other than myself. Regionally endemic or otherwise interesting subspecies are indicated, largely following the taxonomy in Gibson and Byrd's "Birds of the Aleutian Islands, Alaska". Links will open a page with photos in another window.

Emperor Goose – a common winter resident that begins arriving in late September (in 2004, early date was 23 Sep)

Cackling Goose – only one fall report, a flock of about 40 flying over Kuluk Bay 21 Sep 2004

Eurasian Wigeon – uncommon to rare, early date 16 Sep in 2004 and 2007

American Wigeon – uncommon to rare, mostly around Clam Lagoon

“Eurasian” (Green-winged) Teal – common to abundant; most birds are in eclipse plumage in Aug/Sep; subspecies crecca (nimia)

Mallard – common

Northern Pintail – uncommon

Garganey – one male in eclipse plumage at Shotgun Lake and Clam Lagoon, 20-21 Sep 2007

Northern Shoveler – one female-type at Shotgun Lake, 27 Sep 2007

Tufted Duck – one female-type at Clam Lagoon, 13-16 Sep 2004; one female-type at Shotgun Lake, 19 Sep 2004

Greater Scaup – common

Common Eider – common but sometimes difficult to see from shore

Harlequin Duck – common

Black Scoter – one fall report, 19 Sep 2004 on Kuluk Bay

White-winged Scoter – two fall reports; 13 Sep 2004 and four birds 27 Aug-14 Sep 2007, both on Kuluk Bay

Bufflehead – one male 14-16 Sep 2004

Red-breasted Merganser – common to abundant

Rock Ptarmigan – common; subspecies atkhensis (chamberlaini) endemic to Andreanof islands

Arctic Loon – one on 13 Sep 2004 on Sitkin Sound

Common Loon – 15-16 Sep 2004 on Lake Andrew

Yellow-billed Loon – one on 20 Sep 2007 on Sitkin Sound; several sightings in Sep 2004 by D. Farbotnik

Red-necked Grebe – sightings range from 15 to 24 Sep; all on Sitkin Sound

Horned Grebe – sightings range from 30 Aug to 15 Sep; most on Sitkin Sound

Laysan Albatross – seen during most seawatches from Loran Station; over 50 seen in less than half an hour on 25 Sep 2007

Black-footed Albatross – seen during most seawatches from Loran Station; in 2004 it was more common than Laysan but not in 2007

Northern Fulmar – commonly seen during seawatches from Loran Station; mostly dark morph birds

Short-tailed Shearwater – seen during most (probably all) seawatches from Loran Station, 1000s or more regularly seen; occasionally seen on Kuluk Bay

Pelagic Cormorant – widespread but not numerous in all coastal areas; regularly at Clam Lagoon, Sweeper Cove, Finger Bay

Red-faced Cormorant – most reliable on Sitkin Sound, as many as 50+ roosting on rocks; also on Kuluk Bay but in lower numbers, occasionally elsewhere

Bald Eagle – common resident

Rough-legged Hawk – three reports, all from 2007; light morph near Palisades Overlook on 15 Sep, light morph near Clam Lagoon 19 Sep, and a dark morph seen and photographed by Frank Haas on 25 Sep

Gyrfalcon – rare to uncommon; all have been gray morph except one dark morph on 22 Sep 2004

Peregrine Falcon – uncommon; most are immature birds of the race pealei, but at least one immature tundrius (13 Sep 2007 in town)

Pacific Golden-Plover – five fall reports from 12 to 23 Sep

Lesser Sand-Plover – two fall records; 16-23 Sep 2004 and 20 Sep 2007, both at Clam Lagoon

Black Oystercatcher – uncommon

Gray-tailed Tattler – rare to uncommon migrant

Wandering Tattler – one fall record 15 Sep 2007 on the Finger Bay stream

Common Greenshank – one fall record 7-19 Sep 2007 at Lake Shirley and Clam Lagoon

Marsh Sandpiper – three records of four birds; one 13-16 Sep 2004, one 31 Aug-2 Sep 2007, two 7-27 Sep 2007; all immatures at Clam Lagoon

Wood Sandpiper – one fall record 21-27 Sep 2007 at Clam Lagoon with Marsh Sandpipers

Whimbrel – a probable hudsonicus 16 Sep 2007 near Clam Lagoon and a variegatus 24 Sep 2007 at Contractors Camp

Ruddy Turnstone – uncommon migrant

Black Turnstone – two fall reports, 12 Sep 2004 at Sweeper Cove and 19 Sep 2004 at Sitkin Sound

Sanderling – uncommon to fairly common migrant

Western Sandpiper – rare to uncommon migrant at Clam Lagoon

Little Stint – one at Clam Lagoon 12 Sep 2007 with Western Sandpipers

Temminck’s Stint – one at Clam Lagoon 13-16 Sep 2004

Baird’s Sandpiper – rare migrant

Pectoral Sandpiper – absent in 2004 but uncommon in 2007

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper – two records in 2004 (19 and 21 Sep), multiple birds in 2007 (13-27 Sep); most at Clam Lagoon, but some at Contractors Camp

Rock Sandpiper – uncommon; subspecies couesi

Dunlin – two in 2004 (16 and 21 Sep) and two in 2007 (22 and 25 Sep), all at Clam Lagoon

Buff-breasted Sandpiper – one at Clam Lagoon 31 Aug 2007

Ruff – one on Clam Lagoon 31 Aug-7 Sep 2007, two on Lake Shirley 7 Sep 2007 (with Common Greenshank); all males

Long-billed Dowitcher – two fall records, 4 on 13 Sep 2004 and 1 1-27 Sep 2007, both at Clam Lagoon

Common Snipe – small numbers regularly found at Contractors Camp in the fall; all sightings are of birds flushed and in flight, so identification versus Wilson’s Snipe is tentative (both species occur in the spring)

Red Phalarope – eight on Sitkin Sound 13 Sep 2007

Glaucous-winged Gull – abundant

Herring Gull – adult vegae at Finger Bay 22 Sep 2007

Slaty-backed Gull – three-four during fall 2007, all were first and second-cycle immatures

Black-legged Kittiwake – uncommon

Common Tern – one longipennis at Clam Lagoon 12 Sep 2004

Arctic Tern – one at Sitkin Sound 18 Sep 2004

Aleutian Tern – probable sighting of a flock of about 30 at Clam Lagoon 28 Aug 2007

Parasitic Jaeger – a few on Clam Lagoon as late as 19 Sep

Common Murre – fairly common

Pigeon Guillemot – common; subspecies kaiurka

Marbled Murrelet – fairly common

Kittlitz’s Murrelet – apparently rare in fall, but may be overlooked. Much easier to see (and identify?) in spring

Ancient Murrelet – rare in fall. Much easier to see in spring

Crested Auklet – one report of a flock of approximately 10 from Loran Station 28 Aug 2007 but probably overlooked

Least Auklet – at least 10 seen on Kuluk Bay 21 Sep 2007; regular seawatching on Kuluk Bay would almost certainly produce more reports

Horned Puffin – uncommon

Tufted Puffin – uncommon

Oriental Cuckoo – one immature near the old high school 16-21 Sep 2004; another Cuculus at Clam Lagoon 13 Sep 2004, based on historical patterns of occurrence in western Alaska during fall, was probably this species

Short-eared Owl – three fall reports, all from 2004: 12, 14, and 22 Sep

Fork-tailed Swift – a flock seen between Clam Lagoon and Lake Andrew 14-15 Sep 2004, a very conservative count of 23; two seen flying over the USMC Memorial Monument on 19 Sep 2004

Gray Wagtail – one at Clam Lagoon 22 Sep 2004

Olive-backed Pipit – two reports, Clam Lagoon 13 Sep 2004 and near Loran Station 26 Sep 2004

American Pipit – uncommon in 2004, rare in 2004; most or all appear to be of North American origin

Winter Wren – uncommon; subspecies kiskensis

Eyebrowed Thrush – one at Clam Lagoon 24 Sep 2007

Siberian Rubythroat – one at Clam Lagoon 26 Sep 2007

Common Raven – common; subspecies kamtschaticus

Brambling – one at the quarry 25 Sep 2007

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch – uncommon; subspecies griseonucha

Oriental Greenfinch – two seen near Adak National Forest on 6 Sep 2007, one seen at same location 8 Sep , then it or another seen at the “elfin forest” 14 Sep 2007; these were immatures with hints of fluffy down, so some suggestion that they were the result of nesting on Adak?

Yellow Warbler – one 15 Sep 2004

Savannah Sparrow – one 27 Aug 2007

Song Sparrow – common; subspecies maxima

Lapland Longspur – abundant, though numbers decrease through Sep

Snow Bunting – uncommon to rare; subspecies townsendi