Alaska - August 2006
Bird/Species Trip List

Canada Goose – Anchorage and Fairbanks
Trumpeter Swan – two pair seen en route to Seward, at the end of Turnagain Arm
Gadwall - Anchorage
American Wigeon – Anchorage and Denali
Northern Shoveler – Denali, kettle ponds
Greater Scaup – group seen at Anchorage at Potter’s Marsh
Lesser Scaup – Denali, kettle ponds
Harlequin Duck – road to Lowell Point, Seward
White-winged Scoter - Denali
Long-tailed Duck - Denali
Common Goldeneye – Anchorage, float plane lake
Barrow’s Goldeneye - Denali
Common Merganser - Seward
Willow Ptarmigan – several family groups seen very well in Denali
Pacific Loon – ponds near airport, Anchorage
Common Loon – Anchorage and Denali. Birds calling on Wonder Lake most memorable
Red-necked Grebe - Anchorage
Northern Fulmar – seen near tidewater glaciers, Kenai Fjords
Double-crested Cormorant – Seward, most abundant near boat harbor
Red-faced Cormorant – Chiswell Islands and Resurrection Bay, Seward
Pelagic Cormorant – Chiswell Islands and Resurrection Bay
Bald Eagle – seen almost daily, wonderful!
Northern Harrier – fairly common, Denali
Sharp-shinned Hawk – small wave of migrants in Denali seemed apparent, six one day, 3-4 the next,
Golden Eagle – seen each day of our Denali days, one close enough to photograph
American Kestrel – seen from the train leaving Fairbanks
Merlin – Denali, one pair dramatically chasing Black-billed Magpie, others working flocks of songbirds gathering on the tundra willows
Gyrfalcon – two birds seen on the traditional eyrie near Polychrome pass, another hunting from Mt. Galen
Peregrine Falcon – quick look at one hunting the abundant seabirds, Chiswell Islands boat trip
Sandhill Crane – starting to gather near Fairbanks, we heard a pair near the University of Fairbanks botanical garden. Pete Martin also reported hearing them in Denali, the first return fall migrant birds
Killdeer – small pond near Seward
Black Oystercatcher – one bird seen on Prince William Sound boat trip
Greater Yellowlegs – several seen roosting on a log at Potter Marsh near Anchorage
Wandering Tattler – two birds seen on Kenai Fjords boat trip
Spotted Sandpiper – several seen on the tour, one quite close on Wonder Lake
Sanderling – seen near the Harlequin Ducks in rocky tidal habitat near Seward
Red-necked Phalarope – quite common on our Kenai Fjords boat trip
Pomarine Jaeger – Kenai Fjords
Mew Gull – abundant in Anchorage and Seward
Glacous-winged Gull – very common coastal areas
Black-legged Kittiwake – huge colonies near Seward and in Prince William Sound
Common Murre – colonies on the Chiswell Islands
Thick-billed Murre – seen at two locations on nest cliffs in the Chiswells
Pigeon Guillemot – one of the first seabirds seen, quite common along the coast
Marbled Murrelet – seen in Seward en route to Lowell Point
Kittlitz Murrelet – seen below scree slopes at two locations in Northwestern Fjord
Rhinocerous Auklet – Kenai Fjords
Horned Puffin – abundant in Kenai Fjords, Beth’s favorite for sure!
Tufted Puffin – quite common in Kenai Fjords, great views
Belted Kingfisher – Potter’s Marsh
Alder Flycatcher – Denali, at banded at Moose Creek Banding Station
Hammond’s Flycatcher – banded at Moose Creek Banding Station
Gray Jay – a lively family group came to the window of the North Face dining room one meal, also seen along the road in Denali
Steller’s Jay – about a dozen birds seen together in lush old growth forest near Prince William Sound out of Whittier
Black-billed Magpie – seen at all locations
Northwestern Crow – very common at Seward especially, also Prince William Sound
Common Raven – seen at all locations
Violet-green Swallow – seen over kettle pond in Denali
Black-capped Chickadee – flock at Mary Shield’s home quite active as we learned about sled dogs; also seen in Denali
Boreal Chickadee – one loud individual mixed in with flock of other chickadees
Red-breasted Nuthatch – Aleyska Ski Resort near Girdwood
Golden-crowned Kinglet – Aleyska Ski Resort near Girdwood
Ruby-crowned Kinglet – Denali, banding station and near the lake
Arctic Warbler – banded at Moose Creek Banding station
Northern Wheatear – one seen by the moderate hiking group approaching the view of Mt. Galen on the Denali road
Gray-cheeked Thrush – seen near Wonder Lake
Swainson’s Thrush – seen well along the riverbottom near the East Fork Cabin where we had our first picnic dinner
American Pipit – seen on our strenuous hike near the Pika Hut
Orange-crowned Warbler – first seen on our rainy trail at Whittier, then at our picnic dinner on East Fork, then very common in Denali
Yellow-rumped Warbler – Wonder Lake area Denali
Blackpoll Warbler – banded at Moose Creek banding station, Denali
Ovenbird – a rare sighting in Alaska, seen well on the trail above Whittier, feeding on the trail near a group of American Robin
Northern Waterthrush – banded at Moose Creek banding station
Wilson’s Warbler – very common, 39 banded one day at the Moose Creek station alone!
They seemed to be just pouring through, heading south in migration
Savannah Sparrow – several birds seen well in Denali, flocks gathering up
Fox Sparrow – Whittier and Denali
Song Sparrow – Denali
White-crowned Sparrow – Denali, very common, a few still singing
Dark-eyed Junco – seen at all locations
Red-winged Blackbird – Anchorage at Potter’s Marsh

Mammals
Dusky Shrew – Girdwood
Collared Pika – great views near Polychrome Pass, also at the Pika Hut off Camp Ridge
Snowshoe Hare - Denali
Hoary Marmot – Denali, higher elevations
Arctic Ground Squirrel - Denali
Red Squirrel – Seward, Prince William Sound and Denali
Beaver - Denali
Muskrat - Denali
Red Fox – a beautiful Cross Fox, very dark, a great spot by Jenny
Black Bear – crossing the road near Turnagain Arm
Grizzly Bear – several groups and lone bears seen in Denali, on our final day at very close range. Also Peg, Peter and Mari had three quite close at Wonder Lake, a day of high adventure!
Moose – several cow moose, young bulls and a magnificent bull seen on our way out.
Barren Ground Caribou – the rut season impending, we saw some gorgeous bulls, some shedding velvet
Dall Sheep – a large group of 70 were visible from our dinner picnic, earlier in the trip we saw a group of females and young close to the road at Beluga Point, Turnagain Arm
Mountain Goat - seen high on a bluff of a quiet cove, Kenai Fjords

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