A Few Notes and Photos

Things have been very busy since my last observation. So aside from going by the nests and getting some points for proximity to the nest when the pairs begin to defend, I don't really have anything to report. I would have liked to get out there more, but of course, work comes first here when the season goes by so quickly. Below are just some tables I threw together with the distances I recorded for when each pair began their defensive behaviors as I approached their nests.

PAJA Pair 1

Date	Distance Observer from nest when pair began defense (in meters)
6/16/14	100
6/21/14	90
6/21/14	83*
6/29/14	105**
6/29/14	200**
6/29/14	110**
7/3/14	210
7/3/14	147

* = I was observing them from 83m when the Dark morph saw me and chased me off, to where I then observed them from 109m

** = day the Arctic Fox was in the area, the three points are varying times the PAJA pair defended against us when we were working on the other surveys in the area

PAJA Pair 2

Date	Distance Observer from nest when pair began defense (in meters)
6/16/14	40
6/19/14	66
6/19/14	30*
6/23/14	78
6/27/14	95**
6/27/14	106**

* = distance I was able to stand from the nest when the bird went back to incubating

** = only observed the proximity to the nest when they began to defend, as I was busy doing the other surveys in the area for that day

There are already baby birds (goslings and shorebirds) around. I have even seen some gull chicks, so likely the Jaeger chicks will be emerging soon. Even though I don't have more observations for this post I wanted to share some photos.

I observed a dead Red Phalarope near the nest of PAJA Pair 2. It is not uncommon for Jaegers to prey on shorebirds and passerines during the breeding season. I am not sure if it was a Jaeger kill, but I think it may have been because of the proximity of it to the nest.

Red Phalarope carcass

A mess of feathers where the phalarope must have been attacked.

I could have observed PAJA Pair 1 the other day, but there was an Arctic Fox in the area, and I did not want to unnecessarily draw attention to their nest with it around. 

Arctic Fox

I can officially confirm that one egg of PAJA Pair 2 hatched today. The other crew was doing work by it and was able to witness a chick emerging from the egg. The Parasitic Jaeger will incubate for a period ranging from 23-26 days. Incubation begins after the first egg is laid, and it can take 2.5 days for the second egg in a clutch to hatch after the first. I will be able to go over to that pair tomorrow and check it out for myself.

Jaeger hatching. Photo courtesy of Kayla Scheimreif