Buldir bird notes 1990-2007
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
The aim of this web page is to summarize the occurrence of unusual birds on Buldir Island Alaska as encountered by members of our research group.
Checklist of birds of Buldir Island (.pdf format) by Ian L. Jones, 2006
1990 Arrived May 26 (Tiglax), departed early August (Tiglax).
A good year for birds. Highlights: Siberian Flycatcher (second record for North America, May 31), Pechora Pipit, Olive-backed Pipit, Siberian Rubythroats, Yellow-breasted Bunting (second record for North America, male; June 13), Common House Martin (Delichon urbica,June 13), Common Cuckoo (June 16), and a singing Middendorf's Grasshopper Warbler (July 27).
Common Cuckoo, June 16, 1990 (ILJ)
Common (Delichon urbica, left) and Asian (D. dasypus, right) House Martin specimens from the British Museum at Tring (ILJ) - the bird at flying around outside the Buldir cabin on June 13 was snowy-breasted like the birds on the left.
Brambling May 27, 1990 (ILJ)
Middendorf's Grasshopper Warbler, a singing male mist-netted July 27, 1990 (Scott Richardson)
Arrived June 2 (Tiglax), departed August 12 (Tiglax).
Few migrants this year (easterly winds through most of June). Highlights: Siberian Flycatcher (June 17, found freshly dead), Black-tailed Gull (June 12, 5 miles N of Buldir, from Tiglax), Common Cuckoo (June 23-early July), Hawfinch, Little Stint (juv., August).
Common Cuckoo (hepatic phase female), June 23, 1991 (ILJ)
Siberian Flycatcher (Muscicapa sibirica) found dead near the beach after a storm (first specimen for North America), June 17, 1991 (ILJ).
Bar-tailed Godwits on the beach, stalled by northeast winds, early June 1991 (ILJ)
Arrived May 14 (American Empire), departed August 9 (Tiglax).
Excellent year for birds! Eurasian Kestrel (May 21-25), Oriental Greenfinch (2), Eye-browed Thrush (female, May 31), Red-breasted Flycatcher (2 males, June 2-4), Pallas' Reed Bunting (female, June 2-5), Black-tailed Gull (adult on beach, June 12), Common Rosefinch (female, June 17), Ruff (2 males May 27), Gray Wagtail (male, June 17-21), Arctic Warbler (June 22), Short-tailed Albatross (immature, August 9, at sea 3 miles west of Buldir from Tiglax).
Pallas' Reed Bunting (= Pallas' Bunting) female, June 2, 1992. (ILJ)
Red-breasted Flycatcher, one of two males present June 2, 1992 (ILJ)
Common Rosefinch, June 17, 1992 (ILJ)
Arrived May (Tiglax), departed August (Alpha Helix). A rather lack-luster year with little westerly wind. Highlights: Say's Phoebe (May 31-June 1), Oriental Greenfinch (2, early June), Short-tailed Albatross (3 immatures, including two at once, all from Alpha Helix within 15 miles of Buldir, early August).
One of two male Oriental Greenfinches present June 2, 1993 (FMH)
Slaty-backed Gull on Tiglax's forward crane, North Bight, Buldir Island June 1994 (ILJ)
Short-tailed Albatross in the rain, 3 miles west of Outer Rock, Buldir Island, August 5, 1993 (ILJ)
Arrived May (Tiglax), departed June (Tiglax). Not much around this year. Best bird: Northern Hobby (Falco subbuteo) near the camp July 10-11.
Laysan Albatross near Buldir, June 1994 (ILJ)
Arrived May 12 (Resolute), departed June 2 (Tiglax).
Highlights: Whooper Swan (adult, May 16), Tree Swallow (May 16), Terek Sandpiper (May 28), Common Greenshank (June 1), Franklins's Gull (adult!, May 25 - June 14), Black-crowned Night Heron (May 20-27), lots of shorebirds, several Siberian Rubythroats.
Wood Sandpiper, May 25, 1995 (ILJ)
Gray-tailed Tattler, about May 25, 1995 (ILJ)
Franklin's Gull, May 1995 (ILJ)
Arrived May 30 (Jarvis), departed June 3 (Tiglax). Highlights: Eurasian Bullfinch (male), Eye-browed Thrush (female), Black-tailed Godwit, lots of Rustic Buntings and Bramblings. An egret, likely Great Egret(Ardea alba), was present August 17.
Arrived May 21 (Tiglax), departed August 7 (Tiglax).
Hawfinches, May 26, 1997 (ILJ)
A fairly good year, dimmed by two weeks of strong NE winds in early June. Highlights: Pechora Pipit, Eye-browed Thrush (male), Red-breasted Flycatcher (female, June 14), Common Rosefinch (3 females), Hawfinch (4+ birds), lots of shorebirds.
Arrived May 23 (Tiglax), departed June 2 (Tiglax). An amazing year for numbers of Asian migrants, with consistent strong west winds. Highlights: Black-tailed Godwit (4), Pechora Pipit (4!), lots of Wood Sandpipers, Long-toed Stints, Eye-browed Thrushes, rubythroats, Olive Tree and Red-throated Pipits, Rustic Buntings, and Bramblings.
Eye-browed Thrush
Disaster - didn't get to the island this year due to the grounding of Tiglax in Igitkin Pass :-(
Arrived May 27 (Tiglax), departed July 23 (Dominator).
A few birds around. Highlights: Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) found dead May 27 (first record for Alaska!), Common Cuckoo (mid June), Olive-backed Pipit (3), Gray Wagtail (June 1), Siberian Rubythroat (3, June 7-9), Eye-browed Thrushes (2), Hawfinch, Rustic Bunting (2), Common Rosefinch (4), Greenshank (1,June 12), Bean Goose (6, July 9), Whooper Swan.
A wet, bedraggled Little Egret being held by a wet bedraggled Martin Renner (ILJ)
Common Cuckoo caught at night while roosting, mid June (Martin Renner)
Arrived May 23 (Tiglax), departed June 11 (Tiglax). A few birds around. Highlights: Pechora Pipit (photographed, below), White Wagtail, and late-season Long-billed Dowitcher and Baikal Teal (August 27-28).
Pechora Pipit mistnetted May 2001 (ILJ)
Pechora Pipit mistnetted May 2001 (Martin Renner)
Pechora Pipit mistnetted May 2001 (Martin Renner)
Brambling early June (Martin Renner)
Two Short-tailed Albatrosses (and one Short-tailed Shearwater) between Buldir and Shemya, August 5, 2001 (ILJ).
Baikal Teal at Buldir September 2001 (Martin Renner)
A pretty good year. Highlights: Ruff (3), Arctic Warblers (up to 3) June 5-10, Olive-backed Pipit (3), several Siberian Rubythroats, lots of shorebirds.
Arctic Warbler mistnetted (one of three birds present), June 12, 2002 (Martin Renner)
Terek Sandpiper May 28, 2002, North Bight beach, Buldir (Martin Renner)
Red-necked Stint (Martin Renner)
Arrived June 1(Tiglax), departed June 11 (Tiglax). An outstanding year for passerine vagrants. Highlights: Bean Goose (2), Common Ringed Plover, Common Cuckoo, Siberian Flyatcher (2!) and Gray-spotted Flycatcher (2!) June 1-10, Black-backed and Gray Wagtails, Middendorf's Grasshopper Warbler (!), lots of Siberian Rubythroats, Eye-browed Thrushes, Hawfinches and Bramblings.
Siberian Flyatcher at Buldir June 10, 2003 (Ian Jones)
Gray-spotted Flyatcher (wet) at Buldir June 10, 2003 (Ian Jones)
Arrived May 26(Tiglax), departed June 7 (Tiglax). Another outstanding year for passerine vagrants. Highlights: Red-flanked Bluetail (1 or 2 females), Red-breasted Flycatcher (1 male), Common Cuckoo (up to 4 at one time!), Tree Swallow (1), Gray-spotted Flyatcher (4), Gray Wagtail (2 males), Common Rosefinch (1 female), Hawfinch (1), Rustic Bunting (1), Bewick's Swan (!), Common Pochard (first 1 in years), lots of Siberian Rubythroats, Eye-browed Thrushes and Bramblings...
Arrived May 29(Tiglax), departed June 6 (Tiglax). Another outstanding year for passerine vagrants. Highlights: Asian Brown Flycatcher, Red-flanked Bluetail (1 female), Red-breasted Flycatcher (2 female), Olive-backed, Buff-bellied, Red-throated and Petchora Pipits, Reed Bunting (4+), Hawfinch (3+), Oriental Greenfinch (5!), lots of Siberian Rubythroats, Eye-browed Thrushes, Rustic Buntings and Bramblings (incl. flock of 22).
Arrived May 24(Tiglax), departed June 7 (Tiglax). A relatively poor year for vagrants during our stay on the island, due to E and NE winds predominating during late May - early June. However, a wreck of vagrant ardeids that preceded our visit included an Intermediate Egret (first record for North America). Highlights: Intermediate Egret (1, found dead May 31), Great Egret (2 found dead), Black-crowned Night Heron (4 found dead). The best passerine vagrant was a Red-flanked Bluetail (female); otherwise only a trickle of migrants and vagrants was present: Bean Goose, Greater White-fronted Goose, Gray Wagtail (1), Eye-browed Thrush (max. 2) and Brambling (less than 6 birds). Shorebirds were scarce with only a few Long-toed Stints and Wood Sandpipers present.
Intermediate Egret (found freshly dead by Stephan Lorenz) at Buldir May 31, 2006 (Ian L. Jones)
photos by Stephan Lorenz:
A decent year for Asian migrants. Winds were mostly east and northeast but one excellent weather front on June 5-6 produced a few amazing birds. Rarities included Black-tailed Gull (adult), Far Eastern Curlew, Terek Sandpiper, four Lanceolated Warblers (fourth record for North America - later found breeding, first breeding record for NA), Arctic Warbler, Dusky-sided (Siberian) Flycatcher (1), Taiga (Red-breasted) Flycatcher (5!), Oriental Greenfinch (3). Otherwise only a trickle of migrants and vagrants was present: Bean Goose (2), Smew, Bank Swallow (2), Barn Swallow (1, Eurasian), Petchora (1), Olive-backed (1) and Red-throated (1) Pipits, Hawfinch (1), Common Rosefinch (2), Rustic Bunting (1)and Brambling (2 birds, low). Shorebirds were present in low to moderate number with good diversity (Red-necked, Temminck's, and Long-toed Stints, Pectoral Sandpiper and Wood Sandpiper).
photos by Stephan Lorenz:
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This page is maintained by Ian L.
Jones (iljones 'atsign'
mun.ca)