NOMnNOME AND THE SEWARD PENINSULA
Bluethroat, Nome, Alaska
Photo: Carl Sheely
NOMnNOME AND THE SEWARD PENINSULA
Bluethroat, Nome, Alaska
Photo: Carl Sheely
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DATES
2008 DATES Nome 1: May 29 - June 2, 2008
Nome 2: JUNE 3 - 7, 2008
Nome 3: JUNE 9 - 13, 2008 (sold out)
COST (PER PERSON)
DOUBLE: $2525
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT: $300
DEPOSIT: $500
SPECIAL DISCOUNT PRICE FOR COMBINING GAMBELL & NOME (includes all discounts): $5250 double occupancy INCLUDES
From Anchorage, 4 nights lodging, all meals from lunch on the first day through breakfast on the final day; air to Nome, transport, guides, taxes; tips to guides optional.
REGISTRATION CLICK HERE TO RESERVE PLACE(S) ONLINE To download and use forms from this site, you will need the
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OVERVIEW
Nome lies on the Seward
Peninsula, jutting into the Bering Sea. It's a frontier town in a world where
few such curiosities remain. Accessible only by boat and airplane, bordered on
the West and South by the Bering Sea, and the North and East by miles of
trackless wilderness, Nome is a fascinating and challenging destination. During
June the Midnight Sun is at its brightest, the tundra is in full bloom, and the
birds and mammals are breeding.
Our tours will cover the prime birding areas along the seacoast, the tundra and only boreal forest on the Seward Peninsula. Most of the birds are in their resplendent breeding plumages--rarely if ever seen in the lower 48. We'll make an extra effort to locate some of the Asian species that regularly occur at Nome. The road system of Nome provides the best access to the Alaska bush without an airplane, and we will drive it extensively.
Expected species in Nome: 90+species, including Arctic & Yellow-billed Loon; Bristle-thighed Curlew; Slaty-backed Gull; Gyrfalcon; Yellow & White Wagtail; Hoary Redpoll and Bluethroat. Species we usually see annually or almost annually, especially in early June: Emperor Goose, Steller's Eider, Spectacled Eider, Mongolian Plover, Red-necked Stint, Temminck's Stint, & Terek Sandpiper. We're always on the lookout for other casual and accidental Asian species as well. Mammals: Grizzly Bear, Moose, Reindeer, Arctic Wolf, Arctic Fox, Muskox, Wolverine and others.
Our lodging is in the Aurora Inn overlooking the Bering Sea. The Inn is is relatively new and is the most comfortable lodging in Nome. All rooms have private baths and are very spacious. . The weather will be mild for Nome--ranging from 20 to 50 degrees--but will require layering of clothing for maximum comfort.
ITINERARY
DAY 1: Arrive about 11:30 AM in Nome. We'll get settled in at the Inn and have lunch. Birding after lunch along Safety Lagoon. We'll spend the rest of the day carefully searching the shorelines, lagoons and ponds along the Bering Sea for rarities such as Arctic Loon, Yellow-billed Loon, Red-necked Stint, RossÕ Gull, Spectacled Eider, as well as the many resident shorebirds, waterfowl and seabirds.
DAY 2: Kougarok/Taylor Road: We drive the 85 mile length of Kougarak Road into the high tundra and mountains of Seward Peninsula in search of nesting Bristle-thighed Curlew, Bluethroat and Gyrfalcon, among others. We'll watch (carefully) for Grizzly Bear and Moose. Other mammals we may see here and in other locations on our trip include: Reindeer, Arctic Wolf, Arctic Fox, Muskox, Wolverine, Short-tailed Weasel, Gray and Humpback Whales, Spotted Seal, Harbor Porpoise, Walrus (immature) and others.
DAY 3: Teller Road: We slowly drive out Teller Road, stopping at Wooley Lagoon to see a native whale-hunting outpost on the Bering Sea, while observing nesting Black-bellied, Pacific and American Golden-Plovers as well as Semipalmated Sandpipers and Whimbrels. We should get good looks at Northern Wheatears andSnow Buntings as well. We have had Red-throated Pipit in the mountains adjacent to Wooley Lagoon, and we'll check the area carefully for this bird. At the end of the road, we find Teller itself, an Inupiat village that sits out on a spit in the bay. White Wagtail and many alcids, including Horned & Tufted Puffins, Pigeon & Black Guillemots and Common Murres are regular here. We should see Spotted Seals close to the shore.
DAY 4: Council Road: We drive
along Safety Lagoon again, looking for shorebirds, waterfowl, geese, swans,
loons. The road to Council can be difficult to traverse at time, but we hope to
make it out to the small fishing village in the interior on Fish Creek. This
area represents the only Boreal forest on the Seward Peninsula and should yield
Varied Thrush, Boreal Chickadee, Rough-legged Hawk and other alpine species. We
have heard Boreal Owl as well in the area.
DAY 5: Breakfast and prepare
to depart at 8:30 AM for the airport and return to Anchorage where the trip
ends.
Note: Road conditions can affect the access to certain species such as the Bristle-thighed Curlew. If the road is impassable, we won't be able to see this bird unless we get lucky and one shows up along the coast or on another road, as happens occasionally. We've only been prevented, however, from getting out the Curlew once in the past 11 years.
RECOMMENDED
FIELD GUIDES
Field Guide to the Birds of North America. Third or Fourth Edition, National Geographic Society.
The Sibley Guide to Birds, 2000, David A. Sibley; Alfred A. Knopf
Guide to the Birds of Alaska, Fourth Edition, 1995, Robert H. Armstrong, Alaska Northwest Books
Shorebirds of the North America, 2005, Dennis Paulson, University of Washington Press
Birds of Europe. 1999, Kevin Mullarney, et. al., Princeton University
Mammals of Alaska. 1996 Alaska Geographic Society
Field Guide to Alaskan Wildflowers, 1996, Verna E. Pratt, Alaskakrafts, Inc.
Guide to Marine Mammals of Alaska, 1997
READINGS: THE
ALASKA EXPERIENCE
Living
on the Edge. Spike Walker. Wonderfully descriptive book about Dutch Harbor
and crabbing in the Bering Sea. .
Arctic
Dreams. Barry Lopez. Pulitzer Prize-winning non-fiction about the High
Arctic. Beautifully written!
Any
book by Dana Stabenow, an Alaska mystery writer whose books are enjoyable a
very informative about Alaska native life.
If you have some free time in Anchorage, don't miss going to Cook Inlet Book Store on 5th Avenue.. They have a great selection of Alaska fiction and non-fiction!
Above birding books can be obtained from Madison Audubon
Shoppe, (888) 505-9056, with a 10% discount by mentioning High Lonesome BirdTours.
ABA Sales and the various web book dealers are also sources.
For Reservation
and further information:
HIGH LONESOME
BIRDTOURS
570 S.
Little Bear Trail, Sierra Vista, AZ 85635
Phone
(520) 458-9446 or 1-800-743-2668
Email: hilone@hilonesome.com
Website: www.hilonesome.com