Rojek et al. (2024)
Author Information
Brie Drummond, Arthur Kettle, Heather Renner, Nora Rojek, Matt Rustand, Ray Buchheit: USFWS Alaska Maritime NWR
2023 Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge Regional Reports
Aleutian Islands
Annual seabird monitoring at Aiktak (eastern Aleutians) and Buldir (western Aleutians) islands was led by Nora Rojek (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge) with summer-long field crews consisting of McKenzie Mudge, Kevin Pietzrak, and Nathan Dubrow on Buldir, and Erin Parsons, Jennifer Lewis, and Kelly Johnson on Aiktak. At Buldir Island, the crew collected productivity, diet, and population data on a variety of species including Common and Thick-billed Murres (Uria aalge and U. lomvia); Parakeet (Aethia psittacula); Least (A. pusilla), Whiskered (A. pygmaea) and Crested (A. cristatella) Auklets; Horned and Tufted Puffins (Fratercula corniculata and F. cirrhata); Black-legged and Red-legged Kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla and R. brevirostris); and Fork-tailed and Leach’s Storm-petrels (Hydrobates furcatus and H. leucorhous). At Aiktak Island, the crew monitored Black Oystercatchers (Haematopus bachmani); Common and Thick-billed Murres; Ancient Murrelets (Synthliboramphus antiquus); Horned and Tufted Puffins; Glaucous-winged Gull (Larus glaucescens); Fork-tailed and Leach’s Storm-petrels ; and Double-crested, Red-faced, and Pelagic Cormorants (Phalacrocorax pelagicus, P. urile, and P. auritus). Additionally, on Aiktak we retrieved geolocator tags from Tufted Puffins.
In June, refuge staff including Lauren Flynn and Ray Buchheit (USFWS AMNWR), along with USDA Wildlife Services partners Spencer Atkinson and Marc Pratt, conducted surveys for arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) in the central Aleutians, supported by the R/V Tila. Amlia, Seguam, Kanaga, and Tanaga islands were visited, where fox eradication efforts occurred approximately 10–20 years ago. No evidence of fox presence was observed.
In July, Nora Rojek, Ray Buchheit, Brad Benter, Dean Kildaw, Deborah Rudis, and Anthony DeGange (USWFS AMNWR and MMM) conducted skiff-based circumnavigation surveys supported by the R/V Tila in the Near Islands group in the western Aleutians. Islands visited included Agatu, Alaid, Attu, Nizki, and Shemya. The surveys focused on Red-faced and Pelagic cormorants but all other avian species and marine mammals onshore and nearshore were counted and seabird colony locations were documented.
Alaska Peninsula
Annual seabird monitoring at Chowiet Island (Semidi Islands group) was led by Brie Drummond (USFWS AMNWR), with a summer-long field crew of Shiho Koike and Ross Bullington. They collected productivity, diet, and population data on a variety of species including Common and Thick-billed Murres (Uria aalge and U. lomvia), Parakeet and Rhinoceros Auklets (Aethia psittacula and Cerorhinca monocerata), Horned and Tufted Puffins (Fratercula corniculata and F. cirrhata), Black-legged Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla), Glaucous-winged Gull (Larus glaucescens), and Northern Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis).
In July, Brie Drummond, Heather Renner, and Ray Buchheit (USFWS AMNWR) conducted skiff-based surveys supported by the R/V Tila at eleven sites along the peninsula, with the primary goal of counting murres. Islands visited included Ugaiushak, Aghik, Atkulik, Nakchamik, Spitz, Brothers, Karpa, Haystacks, Midun, Patton, and Buyan Islets. Big Koniuji Island, the location of a Crested Auklet (Aethia cristatella) colony that has experienced major declines, was also visited.
Gulf of Alaska
Annual seabird monitoring for the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge at St. Lazaria Island in southeast Alaska was led by Brie Drummond (USFWS AMNWR) with a summer-long crew of Erin Lefkowitz and Frank Mayer. They collected productivity, population, and diet data on Common and Thick-billed Murres (Uria aalge and U. lomvia), Rhinoceros Auklets (Cerorhinca monocerata), Tufted Puffins (Fratercula cirrhata), Black Oystercatchers (Haematopus bachmani), Glaucous-winged Gulls (Larus glaucescens), Fork-tailed and Leach’s Storm-petrels (Hydrobates furcatus and H. leucorhus), and Pelagic Cormorants (Urile pelagicus).
At East Amatuli Island, Arthur Kettle and crew (USFWS AMNWR) installed time-lapse cameras for season-long monitoring of Common Murres, Tufted Puffins, and Black-legged Kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla). In August Arthur, Ray Buchheit, and Hope Caliendo surveyed monitoring plots and sampled chick diets of Tufted Puffins and Fork-tailed Storm-Petrels.
Bering and Chukchi Seas
Annual seabird monitoring in the Pribilof Islands at St. Paul and St. George was led by Matt Rustand (USFWS AMNWR) with summer-long field crews consisting of Reina Galvan and Tucker Grigsby on St. Paul, and Ricky Robbins, Michael Rickershauser, and Jonah Benningfield on St. George. Lauren Flynn (USFWS AMNWR) also assisted with population counts on St. George in July. Both crews collected data on a variety of species including Common Murres (Uria aalge), Thick-billed Murres (Uria lomvia), Least Auklets (Aethia pusilla), Black-legged Kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla), Red-legged Kittiwakes (Rissa brevirostris), and Red-faced Cormorants (Phalacrocorax urile). The crews collected productivity, diet, adult survival and population data.
At Cape Lisburne, Arthur Kettle and Shane Watson (USFWS AMNWR) installed time-lapse cameras in June for monitoring breeding success of Common and Thick-Billed Murres (Uria aalge and U. lomvia) and Black-Kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla). The cameras were retrieved in October by Arthur and by Ricky Robbins.
