High Lonesome BirdTours

Trip Report

Adak Island, Alaska – Cancelled due to weather

Denali Highway and Denali - substitution

May 14 – May 19, 2005

by Phil Davis
Davidsonville, Maryland

All images by Phil Davis 2005

1. Introduction. This year marked my ninth to western Alaska and would have been my
second trip to Adak. On May 15, Forrest Davis and I were scheduled to take a group of
six birders to Adak. We left Anchorage on schedule and the Alaska Airlines plane
refueled as planned at King Salmon, AK. From there, we headed to Adak, however,
winds from the northeast stacked up the ceiling over Adak’s runway 5, which has a
lower ceiling minimum than the main runway. After the pilot shot two approaches, he
announced that we were returning to King Salmon and then back to Anchorage. We
shortened our Adak tour this year to just four days, so there were no alternatives since
Alaska Airlines flies to Adak only twice a week, on Sunday and Thursday.

The next day, half of the group decided to take Forrest up on his offer to head up to the
Denali Highway for a birding foray.

4. The Birding.

Itinerary.

5/15: Anchorage to Paxson. We left Anchorage around noon and headed west on the
Glenn Highway toward Palmer and then continued to Glennallen. From there we then
headed north on the Richardson Highway towards Paxson. We stayed two nights at the
Meier’s Lake Roadhouse, just south of Paxson. After checking in, we drove up to the
Denali Highway and birded the first 30 miles of the road (paved).

5/16: Paxson. We again birded the Denali Highway, heading toward Triangle Lakes.

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5/17: Paxson to Healy. Today, we drove the length of the Denali Highway and stayed
north of Denali National Park in Healy at the Grizzly Bear Cabins. After dinner, we drove
the first 15 miles of the Denali park road to the Savage River.

5/18: Healy to Anchorage. We left Healy

and drove the Parks Highway. Near the
entrance to the park, an awesome rainbow
presented itself. We stopped at Talkeetna for
breakfast at the Talkeetna Roadhouse. From
there, we returned to Anchorage.

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Trip List. A daily trip list of species seen is provided as a separate document. Note: the
accompanying trip list was constructed mostly after the fact; we did not do a daily trip
list, so the accuracy of the list may be off.

5. Notable Bird Species.

Trumpeter Swan. A number of swans were observed on the lakes along the Denali
Highway on 5/16-18.

Harlequin Duck. Several pair were observed in breeding habitat on fast moving
streams along the Denali Highway on 5/17 and 18.

White-winged Scoter. A pair was observed on a lake along the Denali Highway on
5/18.

Black Scoter. A pair was also observed on a lake along the Denali Highway on 5/18.

Spruce Grouse. A single bird was seen standing along the road near the west end of
the Denali Highway 5/18. The bird cooperated for photography.

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Willow Ptarmigan.
This species was seen
along the roads on
5/16-19. One sat in a
willow right next to the
vehicle and posed for
photographs.

Horned Grebe. Pairs

were seen in breeding
plumage on several
days.

Bald Eagle. This

species was seen on
several days. One
adult bird posed cooperatively on a snowdrift just above our vehicle.

Northern Harrier. A
number of birds were
seen quartering over
the tundra along the
Denali Highway.

Rough-Legged Hawk.
One juvenile was seen
perching on a snag
through the snow along
the Denali Highway on
5/17.

Golden Eagle. Several

birds were seen
soaring over cliffs on
5/16 and 5/19.

Gyrfalcon. Two birds

were seen near a nest
site on the cliffs, near
the glacier, northeast
of Paxson.

American Golden
Plover. Birds were seen on the tundra in several places from 5/16-18.

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Lesser Yellowlegs. Birds were displaying and calling on the edge of several lakes at
several places, include at our cabins at Meier’s Lake.

Northern Hawk Owl. Two birds were seen on our trip. One was along the Richardson
Highway south of Paxson on 5/15. Another was seen north of Meier’s Lake on 5/17.

Gray Jay. These birds were seen at several places on 5/15-17.

Horned Lark. One bird was seen on the road at the spot where we had the Northern
Wheatear on 5/17.

Boreal Chickadee. One was seen at the Glacier overlook on the Glenn Highway on
5/15. Another was seen in the park on 5/18.

Northern Wheatear. Several birds were found along the roadside, in a snow storm on
the Denali Highway on 5/17. These birds were probably still moving onto territory.

Gray-cheeked Thrush. One was heard at the Mt. McKinley scenic overlook on 5/19.

Hermit Thrush. One was heard at the Grizzly Bear Cabins on 5/18.

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American Pipit. Several were one the grounds of our cabins at Meier’s Lake
Roadhouse.

White-winged Crossbill. Birds were seen and heard along the Denali Highway. Others
were heard at a roadside rest stop along the Parks Highway on 5/19.

Pine Siskin. Several birds were seen and heard along the Denali Highway. Others
were heard at a roadside rest stop along the Parks Highway on 5/19.

6. Mammals. No bears were seen. Mammals seen were:

Moose. Various locations.

Caribou. Various locations.

Pika. At the entrance to the restricted Denali park road.

Dall’s Sheep. At the mountain side along the Glenn Highway.

Mountain Goat. Also at the mountain side along the Glenn Highway.

Porcupine. Various locations along the Richardson and Denali Highways.

Arctic Hare. Various locations.

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