Short-tailed Shearwater (Ardenna tenuirostris) on the Kuskokwim

Observation by Cecilia Franco:

From what I have been told from birders, it is very unusual for this bird to be this far into the Kuskokwim River, it typically stays in the sea. The birds were floating in the Kuskokwim right in front of Bethel and seemed disoriented.

Kathy Kuletz, Seabird Coordinator with the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), writes:

How many birds, and how much of the river did she cover (or see from shore)? Does she know about how far and in which direction the birds were with respect to Bethel?

Cecilia Franko writes:

There were 9 of them, directly in front of Bethel near the Joe Lomack Building. We were standing on shore and could see them on the Kuskokwim River. We were standing on the river front near Bentleys B&B as a reference point on Google Maps.

Jennifer Hooper, Natural Resources Director for the Association of Village Council Presidents, writes:

Thanks for sharing that report. The refuge out here forwarded information last week about the reports of short-tailed shearwaters showing up here in Bethel near our boat harbor – sounds like 3 on shore were picked up and taken to the refuge. They reported they were still alive, but severely emaciated and not expected to survive. Other birds seen in the water would fly a short distance, but then would stop exhausted. I remember seeing posts on Facebook too about reports of them in our area – people surprised to see them. One person posted that they probably blew inland from the crazy storms we were having at that time. I haven't heard of anything else so far. 

Comments from LEO Editors:

The USFWS is collaborating with state, federal, and tribal partners, as well as local community observers, to document observations of dead seabirds along the coast. Seabird deaths have become more common in Alaska since 2015. This year, murres and puffins were found along the coast of the northern Bering and Chukchi sea beginning in May. In June, shearwaters were documented along the coast of Bristol Bay, near Togiak, Naknek, Egegik, Pilot Point, and Port Heiden.

The LEO Network will pass on all observations of dead seabirds to the USFWS and Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team. Observers can also report observations of sick or dead birds to regional partners:

• North Slope: Taqulik Hepa (907) 852-0350
• Northwest Arctic: Cyrus Harris (907) 442-7914
• Bering Strait Region: Brandon Ahmasuk (907) 443-4265 or Gay Sheffield (907) 434-1149
• Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta: Jennifer Hooper (907) 543-7470
• Bristol Bay: Gayla Hoseth (907) 842-6252
• Pribilof Islands: Lauren Divine (907) 257-891-3031
• Unalaska: Melissa Good (907) 581-1876
• Aleutians: Karen Pletnikoff (907) 222-4286

Or report by phone or email to the USFWS:
1-866-527-3358 or AK_MBM@FWS.GOV

*Erica Lujan*