First Nest Discovered for Alaska Subspecies of Marbled Godwit (1996)

Marbled godwits (Limosa fedoa) were first recorded in Alaska in 1881 at Ugashik, on the Alaska Peninsula, but were not positively observed in the state again until 1967 (Gibson and Kessel 1989). On 3 June 1982, marbled godwits were rediscovered at Ugashik Bay during aerial waterfowl surveys and were confirmed 12 June 1982 by M. E. Isleib, who counted 700 to 1000 birds (Gibson and Kessel 1989). Gibson and Kessel (1989, p 437) observed marbled godwits each day 10 to 17 June 1983 as the godwits between a still-undiscovered nesting area somewhere above the lower reaches of the King Salmon and Dog Salmon rivers and the vast tide flats of the bay. Although breeding in Alaska near Ugashik is accepted as conclusive based on circumstantial evidence (Gibson and Kessel 1989), no nests, eggs, or flightless young had been found in Alaska. Gabrielson and Lincoln (1959) speculated that the young collected near Ugashik in 1881 wandered there from the northern prairie breeding grounds. That view was accepted by ornithologists for nearly 2 decades (Kessel and Gibson [1978] were the first to suspect breeding near Bristol Bay), although the young were barely fledged and could not have migrated far (Dan Gibson, University of Alaska Museum, Fairbanks, AK, pers. comm.). Gibson and Kessel (1989) recently described Alaska's marbled godwits as a new subspecies, L. f beringiae, with shorter tarsi, shorter wings, shorter culmens, and more massive bodies than other populations. Marbled godwits breed primarily in the northern prairies (Johnsgard 1981; Gibson and Kessel 1989); another discrete population breeds near James Bay (Morrison and others 1976). In the northern prairie population, marbled godwits nest singly or in loose colonies (Nowicki 1973; Johnsgard 1981). In Alaska, only 1 territorial pair of marbled godwits had been reported; near Ugashik Bay in habitat described as shrub (Gibson and Kessel 1989, p 438). In June 1992 we discovered an apparent colony of breeding pairs on territories, and egg shells from a successful nest. This note describes the numbers of godwits observed on the breeding grounds, their habitat, and a nest site. Another isolated pair has since been found on Alaska Peninsula National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), near Mother Goose Lake in 1994 by 1 of us (DD). North and Tucker searched for nests 30 May to 2 June 1992 in an area above the lower reaches of the Dog Salmon River, which appeared to have potential for godwit nesting. The search area was located inland from Ugashik, Alaska, on Alaska Peninsula NWR, at 57°20'N,157°20'W. A loose colony of at least 4 pairs of marbled godwits was discovered in a lowland dominated by moist-bluejoint (Calamagrostis canadensis) habitat on 2 June. The lowland also contained moist-sedge-meadow, scattered willows (Salix spp.) 1 to 2-m tall, and a few ponds. Most godwits were observed using the more moist habitats interspersed within the moist-bluejoint meadow habitat type. We first observed 5 godwits (2 pairs and a single) land and forage in a pond of emergent buckbean (Menyanthes trifoliata) and horsetails (Equisetum sp.). One pair soon departed to the southeast, and shortly thereafter the remaining godwits took flight and circled to the southwest. A single bird veered off from the other 2 and returned to the pond. We watched the bird forage until it disappeared about 30 min later. A casual search of the wetland flushed the bird, which flew around us and called but did not act defensive of a nest. The calling attracted 2 godwits (1 from the north and another from the south), both of which called as they flew into the vicinity. Meanwhile, we relocated 1 of the original pairs on the ground west of the buckbean pond. The pair remained on the ground and called at us as we walked in their vicinity. They appeared to be on their territory, but not yet nesting, in a moist area of sedges, mosses and dwarf shrubs. Twenty minutes later we observed a marbled godwit just north of the previous site chase a short-billed dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus) around in several figure-8 patterns until the dowitcher left. The godwit landed in an area of moist-sedge/dwarf-shrub habitat adjacent to a small lake. The godwit called while chasing the dowitcher, prompting 1 godwit to the north and another to the south to perform an aerial display (which we heard but did not see). A 2nd godwit soon joined the first one on the ground, and we assumed they were a territorial pair. Few marbled godwits were found in other habitat types. Moist-bluejoint habitat also occurred in glades in medium shrub habitat on hillsides. We searched 110 ha of glade habitat but observed only 1 marbled godwit flying over it. We also searched over 120 ha of saturated wet-sedge habitat, and observed only 3 marbled godwits, all in flight. On 30 May we observed a marbled godwit flying north along the shore of a large lake at about 10 m altitude, and later another flew towards us over a small lake, gave the gowit call a few times, then flew back over the lake. We interpreted this latter behavior to be territorial. On 31 May we observed a marbled godwit calling and circling over a male northern harrier (Circus cyaneus) at the southwest end of a large lake. After the harrier left the area the godwit flew west