I saw a pair of Eurasian Wigeons on a lake along the Kougarok Rd. (Taylor
Hwy.) about fifty miles north of Nome, AK, into the second week of June in
the early 1990s. When I looked for them again in early July I could not
find them easily. I suspect they bred there, but have no evidence of a nest
or young birds.

Bob Sundstrom

----- Original Message -----
From: Tangren family <tangren at mail.crcwnet.com>
To: <Tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Sent: Monday, February 14, 2000 8:17 PM
Subject: Re: Eurasian Wigeon breeding record for NA


> Can't compete with the Yukon, but there are at least two
> late spring (mid-May and later) records for Douglas Co.,
> WA (I'd be more specific but we moved last summer and I
> still don't know where the kids put all my library). One
> reference is in Yocum et al, the other by an Audubon
> Birdathon team. They also seem to show in early
> fall along the Columbia River. It wouldn't surprise me if someone
> eventually found them breeding in north central Washington.
>
> --Jerry <tangren at crcwnet.com>
> E. Wenatchee WA
>
> >I have a breeding season sight record of a male Eurasian Wigeon from a
> >partially ice-free lake besides the Dempster Highway in the Blackstone
> >Uplands of the southern Ogilvie Mountains north of Dawson City, Yukon.
The
> >date was 27 May 1993. This bird could not be relocated at this site a
week
> >later 2 June, so I suspect it moved north, as it was with other migrant
> >ducks (Green-winged Teal, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Blue-winged Teal,
(1),
> >Northern Shoveler, American Wigeon, Canvasback, Redhead (1, scarce this
far
> >north), Ring-necked Duck, both Greater and Lesser Scaup, Harlequin Duck,
> >Oldsquaw, Surf and White-winged Scoter, Barrow's Goldeneye, and
> >Red-breasted Merganser. It certainly seems plausible Eurasian Wigeons
breed
> >in North America, but this is all the evidence I have for this on this
> >continent.
> >
> >By the way, driving the 700 km Dempster "Highway," actually a one-lane
> >gravel road from the Klondike gold fields to the MacKenzie River delta
> >almost on the Arctic Ocean at Inuvik is a marvelous experience (several
> >birdwatching tour companies now "Do" this trip). Best time is before
> >mid-June. If you do it yourself, be certain you have at least two extra
> >spare tires (sharp shale comprises the road bed, as there is only one
> >repair station on the highway (in the middle at Eagle Plains, but not a
> >horrible place to be stranded as there are Gray-cheeked Thrushes in the
> >area and marvelous views north to the Richardson Mountains).
> >
> >Andy Stepniewski
> >Wapato WA
> >steppie at wolfenet.com
> >
> >----------
>
>
>
>