The Naknek River is usually frozen until early or mid March. Once the ice on Naknek River breaks, waterfowl numbers begin to increase and usually peak in late April and early May. The Alaska Peninsula is an important staging area for migratory birds. In early spring, waterfowl descend on Naknek River for several weeks as they wait for ice to thaw on the area's ponds and lakes. You have the chance to watch dozens of species of ducks, geese, and swans on the Naknek River cam. Tundra swans, white-fronted geese, and ducks like pintails, mallards, common goldeneyes, and common mergansers are especially conspicuous and abundant. Waterfowl are most abundant from April to early May. During low tide, watch for dabbling waterfowl / migratory birds to be feeding in the shallow areas adjacent to the riverbanks and on the exposed mudflats. .[]
Waterfowl commonly seen in King Salmon include:[]
American Widgeon: more information here
Bald Eagle: more information here
Black-billed Magpie: more information here
Bonaparte's Gull: Bonapartes gulls are seen in King Salmon, but the cameras aren't usually focused enough on the gulls to differentiate between species. Glaucous-winged gulls are by far the most common gulls seen in King Salmon, followed by mew gulls and then Bonaparte's gulls. more information here
Canada Goose: A few Canada geese use the King Salmon area, but not many. more information here
Common Goldeneye: These ducks can often be observed diving on the cam and use the deeper stretches of the river. They feed on the aquatic invertebrates on the river bottom. Ranger Mike has poked around on the mudflats and has seen an abundance of snails which he suspects the common goldeneye ducks feed on. They are probably the most abundant species of duck to use the Naknek River in early to mid March. more information here
Common Merganser: This duck is probably the second most abundant species of duck to use the Naknek River in early to mid March. more information here
Common Raven: more information here
Common Redpoll: A resident songbird. more information here
Fox Sparrow: Waterfowl will begin to disperse to more lakes and ponds in the region thaw as it opens more habitat for them. As the waterforwl disperse other migrants begin to arrive in King Salmon, like the songbird the fox sparrow. more information here
Glaucous-winged Gull: more information here
Greater Scaup: These diving ducks use the deeper stretches of the river. more information here
Greater White-fronted Goose: The most common species of goose observed on the Naknek River in King Salmon. These geese often feed near swans in the Naknek River. The swan's necks are much longer than the geese's so they can reach deeper into the water. The swans also stir up the muck with their feet and are not able to eat all that they kick up. The geese stay nearby and look to pick up food that the swans stir up into the water. more information here
Greater Yellowlegs: one of the more vocal birds in the area. more information here
Green-winged Teal: more information here
Mallard: more information here
Mew Gull: Mew gulls are seen in King Salmon, but the cameras aren't usually focused enough on the gulls to differentiate between species. Glaucous-winged gulls are by far the most common gulls, followed by mew gulls, and then Bonaparte's gulls. more information here
Northern Pintail: more information here
Sandhill Crane: can sometimes be seen on the riverbank. more information here
Short-billed Dowitcher: more information here
Swans: When you do start to see swans on the Naknek River, the vast majority (99%) will probably be tundra swans, but Bewick's Swans and Whooper Swans have also been observed in King Salmon. When the tide starts rising fast the swans typically fly upriver to rest and feed in places outside of the tide's influence, or at least where the tide's influence is less.
- Bewick's Swan: an Asian species of the Tundra Swan
- Trumpeter Swan: Ranger Mike says to him trumpeter swans sound like a horn when they call. more information here
- Tundra Swan: Their diet is mostly plant matter, but they will also consume invertebrates that they catch while foraging. These swans will use their feet and bills to dig in the mud on the river bottom to uncover the roots and rhizomes of aquatic vegetation. The tundra swans along the Naknek River will begin to disperse as the ponds and lakes in the area begin to thaw. Ranger Mike describes the call of the tundra swan to be much more oboe-like . more information here
- Whooper Swan: a different species of swan from Europe and Asia. They are basically the Eurasian equivalent of trumpeter swans.
Varied Thrush: A songbird that migrates to King Salmon after waterfowl have started to disperse to other lakes and ponds during the region thaw. more information here
You can also download a complete list of birds documented on the northern Alaska Peninsula
Explore.org Cam Viewer Captures of the Birds & Waterfowl in King Salmon:[]
