FAIRBANKS — Canada geese and duck numbers seemed to have declined at Creamer’s Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge this past week. Many of these species have moved to their breeding grounds and have begun nesting. Sandhill cranes still can be seen regularly on the front fields. Besides a few Canada geese, waterfowl such as northern pintail, mallard, American wigeon and a few green-winged teal are present in the front ponds.

Other highlights on the refuge this week include the constant call of the lesser yellowlegs and the occasional winnow of the Wilson’s snipe. The sight of a few violet-green and tree swallows wheeling about, and singing white-crowned and Savannah sparrows might greet you if you take a walk on one of the field trails.

If you walk near seasonal wetlands, you might hear groups of rusty blackbirds or the bubbly drawn-out song of the Lincoln’s sparrow. A walk along the Boreal Forest Trail might produce a ruby-crowned kinglet or boreal chickadee. American golden plovers were reported at the refuge Friday, as well.

Believe it or not, the first common redpoll young of the year are out and about. Several were caught at the Alaska Bird Observatory’s banding station at Creamer’s Field this week.

Songbird migration seems to have stalled a bit this week. Many of the “short-distance” migrants, such as American robin, dark-eyed junco and yellow-rumped warbler, have arrived (most ahead of schedule). We’re now awaiting the arrival of the “long-distance” migrants — birds returning from their wintering grounds in Central and South America. The next few weeks should produce long-traveling species such as gray-cheeked thrush and blackpoll warbler.

The locally uncommon golden-crowned sparrows are making a showing here in town — four were reported during the past week. This striking sparrow is unmistakable, and if you’re lucky enough to hear it sing, you won’t forget its song. Some folks think it says “I’m so tired” or “Oh dear me.” According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the golden-crowned sparrow remains one of our more poorly known native passerines.

The first belted kingfisher of the year was reported at Cripple Creek (near intersection of Chena Pump and Old Chena Ridge Road) last week.

A flock of more than 40 Lapland longspurs was seen last week at the South Cushman Street Ponds, the only report of such a large flock here in town.

Red-winged blackbirds have made their way to the Peat Ponds (located at the intersection of Goldstream and Murphy Dome roads. This is a great spot to see this uncommon interior blackbird species. The ponds are mostly frozen, but birds are using them. Species seen during the past week include: horned grebe, Bonaparte’s gull, lesser yellowlegs, bufflehead, American wigeon, northern pintail, northern shoveler, ring-neck duck, green-winged teal and mallard.

The Arctic Audubon Society’s Waterfowl Field Trip on Saturday produced the first of the season red-necked phalarope on the front ponds at Fairbanks International Airport. The airport produced four first sightings of the season — Arctic tern; long-billed dowitchers; American pipit; and Gadwall, an uncommon duck in the Interior. Other species of note from this area include: red-necked grebe, canvasback, American wigeon, northern pintail, northern shoveler, mallard, bufflehead and lesser scaup.

The float plane pond also had a lot of activity this week, species of note include: horned and red-necked grebe, Bonaparte’s gulls, lesser yellowlegs, many canvasback with several pairs of redhead, both common and Barrow’s goldeneye, bufflehead, scaup species, green-winged teal and the first semi-palmated plover of the season. There was a group of seven or so Baird’s sandpipers (another first of the season) utilizing the shoreline.

Smith Lake off Sheep Creek Road is fully free of ice and is low. Trumpeter swan, red-necked and horned grebe, bufflehead, northern shoveler, American wigeon, northern pintail, green-winged teal, ring-necked duck, greater scaup and mallard have all been reported from the lake this week. Mew and Bonaparte’s gulls also were seen, as were lesser yellowlegs. Other shorebirds here include: a first of the year sighting of pectoral sandpiper and spotted sandpiper. A Wilson’s snipe was seen foraging along the shoreline. Songbirds include American robin, rusty blackbird, yellow-rumped warbler and Bohemian waxwings and ruby-crowned kinglets galore. The skeeters are getting bad here, so be warned.

Contribute to these reports by calling or writing in your bird sightings to the Alaska Bird Observatory (451-7159 or www.alaskabird.org) or the Arctic Audubon Society Birding hotline

(451-9213).

Sue Guers is a research biologist at the Alaska Bird Observatory in Fairbanks who graciously compiles the birding report each week for the News-Miner outdoors section during spring migration. Contact her at 451-7159 or sguers@alaskabird.org.