At James Robert Lake (3600 feet elev., August 8, 1952), which is the most southern body of water in the canyon south of Lake Peters, several pectoral sandpipers were feeding along the edge of the lake and on the alluvium outwash below James Robert Glacier.
At Gavia Lake there was a decided trend in movement of groups of pectoral sandpipers. On August 22, 1952, groups of 2, 4, 6, 8, 8, 8, 16, 17, 18 flew by to the east. The day before there were only a few sandpipers and these were not especially on the move. Comparison between dates of active movements of sandpipers in 1951 and 1952 indicate that migration was considerably earlier in 1951 than in 1952.
+Erolia bairdii+ (Coues): Baird's sandpiper.--Specimens, 5: Topagaruk, 155°48', 70°34', 10 ft., 4, Nos. 30657-30660 including 2 ad. males and 2 ad. females, July 7, 9, 10, 1951; Kaolak River, 159°47'40", 70°11'15", 30 ft., 1, No. 30656, ad. male, July 12, 1951.
On June 14, 1952, at Birnirk mounds, when snow still covered most of the ground, Baird's sandpipers were already established on territories. A nest of four eggs was examined ¼ mile southeast of the Arctic Research Laboratory on July 4. The female left the nest when the observer approached to within 20 feet and flew directly toward him and then dropped to the ground and pretended to have a broken wing. We pursued this bird for 50 feet before she took flight. The male, which flew at a much greater speed than the female, was nearby and soon joined her in flight. The female repelled her mate by chasing him, but the male persisted in accompanying her. If one or more males of this species (on one occasion as many as five) approached the territory of these nesting birds, the male would leave the female and chase the trespassers. On one occasion, after we left the nesting area, the female returned to the nest after approximately four minutes. Her approach to it was direct and without hesitation. After ½ hour we returned to the nest and the male was standing one foot away from the brooding female with his head resting on his wing. The male, followed by the female, left the nest and feigned injury. Shore-birds and water birds were more numerous on this date on the tundra and lakes nearer the Arctic Ocean (in the Point Barrow area) than in the direction of the Brooks Range.
