SPRING MIGRATION OF SHOREBIRDS ON THE YAKUTAT FORELANDS, ALASKA

During spring 1996 and 1997, we conducted ground surveys at high tide to determine species composition, numbers, and timing of spring shoreb ird migration on the Yakutat Forelands, Alaska. Western Sandpipers (Ca lidris mauri) and Dunlins (C. alpina) were the most abundant shorebird s we observed in the Seal Creek-Ahrnklin River estuary; we also observ ed large aggregations of Marbled Godwits (Limosa fedoa beringiae). Usi ng information on turnover rates of radio-tagged Western Sandpipers, w e estimated that about 101,000 small calidridine sandpipers used the S eal Creek-Ahrnklin River estuary as a spring migration stopover annual ly in 1996 and 1997. From previous aerial survey data on shorebird dis tribution, we estimated that the entire Yakutat Forelands supports a s pring population of more than 350,000 migrant shorebirds. Therefore, t he forelands is an important stopover site to migratory shorebirds and should be included in the network of international stopover sites nee ded to conserve shorebirds migrating along the Pacific coast.