Northwest Territories News

North of Circle Report.
Inuvik, NT
April 5, 1999

Easter weekend has brought with it warmer weather, was up to -5C to day. My first sighting of Snow Buntings today, a small flock of only five. I have been told they have been around for a couple days. Also saw my first bald eagle of the year on the main channel of the MacKnezie River between Inuvik and Aklavik. No sightings of snow buntings in Aklavik yet. Ptarmigans can been seen in the willows from the ice road. Boreal Chickadees are more active and can be spotted around the bypass of Inuvik as can Whiskey Jacks. Last month I could not count the number of Ravens perched on Trees in the evening at a section of bush and trees in Town, there were hundreds of them. They seem to hang out at that one spot in the darkness of the night. Most move out of town in the summer.

Hi Gord

I wanted to report a sighting of a pair of American Avocets (Recurviostra americana) 25 km south of Fort Smith, NWT. Jul. 03, 1998 at around 12 noon. Location is Grosbeak Lake in Wood Buffalo National Park. From what I have read this wood be a great extention to the northern range of this bird.

The pair of birds seem to be a breading pair, as they displayed nest or young protection by flying right at me and calling loudly. I did not see a nest or any young. Grosbeak Lake is a salt lake that is open with lots of mud flats.

Thank you

Western Arctic
June 9-12, 1998 Paulatuk Trip

This report is based on my trip to the arctic coast community of Paulatuk in the north western arctic. Upon my arrival I was greeted by a warm south east wind, clear blue skies and moderate temperatures. Spring was early, the bay ice had just left with the north east wind. The land was clear of snow. My first notice of birds my first evening was of the beautiful singing sound of many Lapland Longspurs. The were nesting on the tundra close to town. There were many of them. Also shore birds seen by the shore side and near by sandy lake shores.

I spoke to Andrew Paul, a local residence born and raised in this area. I asked him about the appearance of birds so far this spring. He was excellent source of knowledge. He related the following to me:

Generally a strange spring, 2-3 weeks early. Geese have gone further north to Banks Island and other places, left in the middle of May. Lots of feeding this year, the ground was bare of snow in the first week of May. Char fishing is good this year, as is white fish. Blue hearing was in last week. Caribou are close by.

Year around birds he saw this winter:

- Snow owls, Andrew said they move a little south to the tree line in the winter
- Ptarmigan
- Ravens

March

- Spruce hens in the Horton river
- Snow buntings

April

- more snow buntings, the continue to move north May
- Greater White fronted Geese are the first major sign of the coming migration of larger birds. They were here the first week of May, closely followed by the Canada Geese. Many of them left by the 20 of May to points north. The Canada Geese that stayed have nested along the flats and sand dunes. Eggs have long been laid and should be in hatching state around this time.
-After the Canada geese come the swans, Snow geese, and seagulls during the middle of May.
- Green winged teal
- Robins in late May. They have been coming this far north for about the last five years
- brants, late May
- Peregrine falcons in river canyon area in late May

June

- first of June, Golden Plovers, common and king eider ducks, black duck, some owls spotted
- Mallard and pintails just arrived
- oldsquaws still to come
- as the lakes lose their ice the loons follow the open lakes. Still some ice on the lakes.

Late birds
- mud swallow, red necked grebes

Of some interest:
Andrew remembers when he saw Whooping Cranes in the Delta area of MacKenzie River in 1963.

NORTH OF THE CIRCLE - WESTERN ARCTIC

Spring is coming early here in Inuvik this year. The ice roads on the MacKenzie River closed a couple of days ago. On Friday April 3, 1998 I spotted my first snow buntings of the year. In Aklavik across the delta they were reported to have been seen two days before that. They have since gone further north. A bald Eagle was reported by Charles Wilson Martin between Ft. McPherson and Inuvik on April 10, 1998. There have been reports of the odd Canada Goose but these have not been confirmed. The ravens are building their nest and have build one attached to the side of the elementary school.

Spruce hens and ptarmigans are plentiful this year as are the rabbits.

I will be away south for two weeks so by the time I get back there will have been many more visitors here.

We started out with one of the warmest winters we have had this year. Temperatures before Christmas were 10 to 15 degrees warmer than usual. This created a delay in our winter ice roads of about three weeks. Around Christmas were had about three weeks of -40C weather.

In the later part of Janauary the weather warmed to around a average of -15 to -25C. Perfect weather for cross country skiing. On Saturday January 31 I went crosscounrty skiing just back of the old town arena and then joined up to the ski trails that heads through the birch trees and stunted black spruce to the hills that sourrond the town. As soon as I put on my skis I was surprised by a flock of 20 to 30 Spruce Grouse, they had all been fedding on the willows back of the old arena. Later on the higher ridge where all trees are stunted and sparse I came to section of small willows and some stunted birch trees. To my supprise the braches of the bushes were full of boreal chickadees. It was impossible to count them except to say ther were hundreds of them. The bushes looked liked they had leaves on them. They were all fevorishely feeding on the seeds left from last years growth. It was a beautiful site with them fluttering back and forth as I skiied past them.

The regular Ravens of course greet us throughout the day in town what ever the tempeatue may be. On the road to Fort MacPherson there are signs that the Ptaarmigan are returning in numbers to the delta area again. Also signs of rabbits increasing each year now to levels of former years.

The sun has returned to us and soon it's warmth will be with us.

Near Campbell Lake, Inuvik, N.W.T.

On Friday night, August 15, I wanted to get away from things so I took off about 20 miles out of town and climbed a ridge of rocks that at one time formed the banks of an ancient river system which drained water to the north. They are not to steep until the last 60 to 80 feet where you have to find an easy way to the top. By the time you are up on top you are about a mile away from the road. The view is great, you can see a large lake which forms a drainage system between the two ridges of rock, over a couple of miles apart. Up top there are some flat treeless areas backed with some trees as you head inland. The cliffs pose an dramatic effect to the site and you feel like your Odin over looking the cliff where he discovered the Runes. I slept up there a few feet away from the 80+foot drop. Just a sleeping bag, no tent and with my dog.

As we still had 24 hour daylight it was difficult to figure out what time it was when I was waking and when I was sleeping. I got up once in while and walked around. I went and sat on a large rock outcropping. I kept still and just looked at the valley below me. A bird soared down from the sky and landed on tree near by. it was a young peregrine Falcon. I stayed still and soon afterwards a second immature Falcon came and landed close by. We respected each others space and only looked at each other, me perhaps staring more than the bird. We exchanged glances for a good ten minutes. They later flew away.

Later that day a pair of ravens came by and circled over head, very curious by my presence. I think it was interested in the sandwich I had in my hand. I offered the ravens some and one almost came to my hand except for my dog which barked and chased it way.

That evening I was awoken by my dog barking and I just had time to look out of my sleeping to see a bird diving straight at the cliff ridge level towards me. It was the parents of the falcons, I had seen earlier in the day. They were obviously upset by my presence and after several dives I moved away from the cliff edge closer to the trees. That seemed to satisfy them and they left. The following morning I packed my bags and headed back home. A wonderful experience.

Thats its for now,

Went to our bush camp  in the Mackenzie River Delta.  Camp is located about
in the centre of the delta, an area approximately 50 miles wide and 200
miles long.  Our camp is located on Raymond channel about 45 miles from
Inuvik as the river winds.  Still just south of the tree line with willows
but with suprising large black spruce in some areas.  Delta is a maze of
river channells, lakes and sand and mud banks.  Abundant fish, fur bearing
animals, and many birds.  Lots of berries, signs of moose and bear.

Spotted:
        - robins
        - lesser yellow legs
        - Tundra Swans
        - arctic terns
        - king fishers
        - eagles
        - whiskey jacks
        - arctic loons
        - bank swallows
        - solitary sandpipers
        - common snipes
        - marrards
        - lesser scaups
        - white winged scoters

Sightings of note:

arctic terns - passed three breeding gounds of terns, some eggs
just beginning to hach

bank swallows - many bank swallows nested along almost every
steap cut bank of the river

belted king fishers - found nesting in holes in the riverbank close
to camp on Raymond channel

bald eagles - checked old nest a few miles from our camp on
small creek joining river and group of island lakes. Have checked this site for the past ten years and they return every year.

- in addition spotted beaver and musrat. Beaver seem to be
moving back into more areas of the delta now

Summer has been a cool one so far, some rain, and lots of mosquitos at this time of the year. River remains high water.

May 31, 1997

Spotted near Inuvik

Pair of Northern Shovellers
pair of Red Neck Phalarope
Bonaparte”s Gulls
Lesser Yellowlegs
Canvasback
Stilt Sandpipers
Mew Gulls
Herring Gull
Thayers Gull
Ravens
Old Squaws
Greater Scaup


June 2, 1997

Spotted On or by Niven Lake, Yellowknife (North of 60)

Bonaparte’s Gulls
Northern Shovelers
Mallards
tree sparrow
Canvasback
american widgen
horned greb
oldsquaws
savannah sparrows
stilt sandpipers
red winged black birds
tree swallows
snipe
yellow warblers
eastern phoebe
white crowned sparrow
blue winged teal
green winged teal
chipping sparrow
robins

Thanks for fellow birders John MaKay and Kelly who I meet at Niven Lake and
who introduced me to many of the wonderfull birds we saw.

May 15, 1997

TUKTOYAKTUK -NT
While in Tuktoyaktuk spoke to local residents who had just returned from Husky Lakes. They reported that Sandhill Cranes had been in the area for the last two weeks. Yellow legs (White-Fronted Goose) have also been numerous for close to three weeks. White Wavies (Snow Geese are also numerous. Some Swans have been spotted. Mallards, Ptarmigans and Snowy Owls also seen. In Tuk snow buntings, seagulls, and ravens. A couple of brants were spotted by local residents yesterday. Some Canada Geese have been seen.

Tuk residents also reports that fewer snow buntings this year that usual. Also they believe the fly pass for Canada Geese has changed from the coast to more overland. As a result there are more Canada Geese seen in the past couple of years. Some believe this may have been cause by coastal oil exploration over the pervious years.

Inuvik Friday May 16

Seen around town:
- mallards
- Northern pintails (two pairs)
- many Glaucous Gulls
- some Herring Gulls

Cool weather still dominates the country up here. Skies have been clear and we have day light 24 hrs now although the sun still sets for a few hrs.

Roads are clear of snow. Ice roads and ice crossings closed last week. There was some melt that created ponds on still frozenover lakes and filled ditches by the road side. The return to cooler weather (bearly got above freeezing for the past week has frozen over these pools of water.

April 24

Eagles spotted again in Mackenzie Delta Area near Inuvik. I spotted over 30 Ptarmigan on road on way to Arctic Red River, they are changing to summer colors.

Also spotted a few snow buntings. They are gone now. Everone seems to agree that they hardly made an appearance this year unlike previous years when they were spotteed in flocks of 20 to 30 for about two weeks around Inuvik.

May 10,

Spotted Eagle this morning over Inuvik. They are now seen regularily over the MacKenzie Delta Aea.

Yellowlegs reported spotted in delta area last week. One lone Canada Goose spotted over bush camp near Inuvik.

Counted hundreds of Glaucous Guls at the Inuvik Dump this morning. A few Herring Gull were mixed in with this group.

Still clear cool days, hovering around the -20C.  Still little signs of
migration of birds to this area.

April 17- spotted a flock of about 20 snow bunbting on bypass road
         two red polls
         ravens
April 18 - another couple of red polls
          couple of ptarmigans
          ravens

Scanning the skies, the time is near,

Gary
gbeat@permafrost.com
Inuvik, NT

This weekend went out to our bush camp in the centre of the MacKenzie Delta, near Inuvik, NT. Dispite sunlight of close to 12 hrs a day temperatures remain a bit cooler than normal at the -20C in the day to -35C in the evening. The four days were all clear, cool and sunny. On the evening of March 29 witnessed a spectacular display of northern lights, Hale Bopp comet and falling stars, all within minutes of each other.

Vistied by four gray jays every day who seemed to have adopted our camp as a second home. Dispite the temperature and weather these birds always visit our camp year around. Also spotted some ravens who kept their distance from us flying over a high altitude apparently headed one way our the other . Boreal chickades were also spotted. In the evening heard a Great Gray Owl in the distance. On the way back near the main channel of the Mackenzie River spotted a cross fox.

Still waiting for the spring visitors to come north. A few snow bunting spotted around Inuvik on a daily basis but still in small numbers.

Weather remains cold but storms occur for a few days at a time, bringing snow, wind and warmer temperatures. No real signs of spring thaw yet except for brief days when the sun is able to bring some of it warmth. Snow is compressing and for the most part has left the trees. Days getting longer, sun up for close to 10 hrs now.

On Thursday March 13 while driving between Inuvik and Ft. MaPherson in snow fall conditions, I spotted two groups of Willow Ptarmigans of about 15 in each group. Also spotted a group of 10-20 Spruce Grouse. Some trappers say that Spruce Grouse seem to be replacing the territory of the Willow Ptarmigans. Seem to be more of them around here in the north than a few years ago.

Was startled by what I though was a hawk that shot out of the bush. Noted distinct bars of dark and light brown on the underneith if the tail. Can not be sure of this identifcation due to the brief spotting.

Also of note saw a martin chasing a rabbit across the road.

In the town of Inuvik, our year round neighbours, the Ravens are becomming very active and more visable than ever. They seem to be pairing up and enjoying the turbulence of the high warms winds we have been having. They preform acrobatics in the air while chasing each other. Interesting to watch.

Except for the snow bunting, still in small numbers, no other signs of migrating birds.

Spotted 10 snowbuntings on the outskirts of Inuvuk, Northwest Territories this evening at 6:00 pm. I had heard them in the mornings earlier in the week but this is my first sighting this year. These are our first visitors of spring and a welcome site to see. Except for eigth hour of sun no real signs of spring yet. Temperatures in the -20 to -30C this weekend. Clear cold day today. Excellant sighting if the Hale-Bopp Comet in the evenings.

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