Birding

Clare K’s 2012 Nunavut Year List

January 1, 2012 by Clare K 2 Comments

This is my list of all bird species seen in Nunavut in 2012. I am not really a lister, it isn’t what drives me. Somewhere I have a life list, woefully in need of an update, with perhaps 800-900 species on it. I have no clue how many of those are in the ABA area.

I do, however, strongly believe in the data that individual day or event lists or surveys can bring, especially up here in the Arctic where we have a huge, mostly unpopulated area, with very few people collecting data. So I’ve long contributed lists or surveys to programs such as the Nunavut/NWT checklist program, Christmas Bird Counts and now eBird. I can’t stress enough that if you observe birds in Nunavut to enter that data, including breeding info, on eBird. The Nunavut/NWT checklist program people are now gathering much of their data from eBird. It’s easy to use eBird and the data means so much. Everyone should gather it.

This list follows no taxonomic order, but is arranged chronologically. I should see in the order of 40 species up here in a year, if I’m lucky and work at it. Taking the list in taxonomically won’t be a problem with a list that short. My goal this year is to see iconic Arctic species that will make Corey and Jochen mad with envy. That’s it.

1. Raven, Corvus corax; January 1
2. Rock Ptarmigan, Lagopus muta; January 2
3. Hoary Redpoll, Acanthis hornemanni; January 2
4. Gyrfalcon, Falco rusticolus; April 6
5. Snow Bunting, Plectrophenix nivalis; April 28
6. Glaucous Gull, Larus hyperboreus; May 1
7. Snowy Owl, Bubo scandiacus; May 6
8. Sandhill Crane, Grus canadensis; May 23
9. Thayer’s Gull, Larus thayerii; May 23
10. Iceland Gull, Larus glaucoides; May 26
11. Snow Goose, Chen caerluscens; May 27
12. Canada Goose, Branta canadensis, May 30
13. Long-tailed Duck, Clangula hyemalis, June 4
14. White-rumped Sandpiper, Calidris fuscicollis, June 5
15. Baird’s Sandpiper, Calidris bairdii, June 5
16. Red Phalarope, Phalaropus fulicarius, June 5
17. Lapland Longspur, Calcarius lapponicus, June 5
18. American Pipit, Anthus rubescens, June 6
19. King Eider, Somateria spectabilis, June 7
20. Common Ringed Plover, Charadrius hiaticula, June 7
21. Semipalmated Plover, Charadrius semipalamtus, June 7
22. Horned Lark, Eremophila alpestris, June 8
23. Red-throated Loon, Gavia stellata, June 9
24. Northern Pintail, Anas acuta, June 12
25. Pacific Loon, Gavia pacifica, June 15
26. Purple Sandpiper, Calidris maritima, June 15
27. Pectoral Sandpiper, Calidris melanotos, June 15
28. Common Eider, Somateria mollissima, June 15
29. Red-breasted Merganser, Mergus serrator, June 15
30. Sanderling, Calidris alba, June 15
31. Peregrine Falcon, Falco peregrinus, June 16
32. Northern Wheatear, Oenanthe Oenanthe, June 16
33. Cackling Goose, Branta hutchinsii, June 16
34. Greater White-fronted Goose, Anser albifrons, June 19
35. Ivory Gull, Pagophila eburnea, June 23
36. Tundra Swan, Cygnus columbianus, June 24
37. Red Knot, Calidris canutus, June 24
38. Northern Fulmar, Fulmarus glacialis, July 22
39. Rough-legged Hawk, Buteo lagopus, July 22
40. Black-legged Kittiwake, Rissa tridactyla, October 6

2012 Year List listing

Written by Clare K

Clare Kines is a retired Mountie and a failed businessman, which apparently qualifies him to be the Economic Development Officer for Arctic Bay Nunavut. Raised in Manitoba, Clare has lived in three provinces and two territories, managing to get kicked out of all them except this last one. So far. He has had a lifelong love of nature, never growing out a child’s curiosity. Given a Peterson’s guide by his grandfather, he made birds a big part of that love. He’s led tours to the high Arctic and Cuba, and writes probably the most northerly blog in the world, The House and other Arctic musings. He considers himself the luckiest man alive, having found great love twice in his life. His first wife, Janice, passed away in 1996. After moving north he met and fell for Leah. They have two fantastic children. He lives in an incredibly beautiful, magical part of the world - a place few people get to know.

2 Comments

Jochen March 6, 2012 at 6:23 am
You’ve seen Rock Ptarmigan and Hoary Redpoll. Your mission of making me envious is accomplished. What now, Clare? 🙂
Clare March 6, 2012 at 8:10 am
Well, there is still Corey… and I still have Ivory Gulls and Gyrfalcons and, I don’t know what else, to pump up the envy. Then I don’t know what other goal I should reach for.