Chowiet Island, AK

Summer 2002; June & August 2003, 2004
Chowiet Island is the largest out of 9 islands in the Semidi Islands group in the Western Gulf of Alaska (56 05' N, 156 45' W). I spent 4 1/2 months out on Chowiet in 2002, monitoring seabirds for the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. I also collected the majority of my data for my Master's thesis out here... very special place

view of camp on Chowiet

view of camp from North Cove
camp

May 2003 field crew (doink!)
Ellen Naughter, Scott Hatch, Shiway
Scott came out with me to all my field sites

Common Raven chicks

Ellen & fulmar adult

going down the cliff

Ellen looking for Rhinos


Scott & RHAU

Rhinoceros Auklet

my study species - the Northern Fulmar

fulmar colony, they lay one egg during the breeding season

fulmar chick

fledgling still has some down left on his head-"Mr.T"

typical work envirionment

Common Murre colony

it's a little crowded in a murre colony
Thick-billed Murres

Allyson spent 1/2 the summer 2002 with me

Allyson working one of her plots

sunset with the murres

Suklik Island - lots of puffins, storm-petrels

Scott & the modified dipnet used to capture fulmars

fulmars nest in really steep areas, it's always an adventure to get to their colonies

some food items of seabirds

juvenile Peregrine Falcons - like to prey on small fulmar chicks

Parasitic Jaeger

Mette helped out in August 2003
(putting on a satellite transmitter)

Naomi came out with me in May 2004

Scott & 'peanut'

Me & Scott in flightsuits

Bubbleheads!
USCG helicopter landing for a pickup