ST. PAUL, THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS

DATES

1: MAY 22 - 26, 2008

2: MAY 29 - JUNE 2, 2008

3: JUNE 10 - 13, 2008

 

COST (PER PERSON)

DOUBLE: Pribilofs 1 & 2: $3000 per person, double; $3250 single.

Pribilofs 3: $2700 per person, double; $2900 single

DEPOSIT: $500

INCLUDES

Pribilofs 1&2: From Anchorage, 4 nights lodging, all meals from 1st night dinner through final day's lunch, transport, guides, taxes, tips.

Pribilofs 3: From Anchorage, 3 nights lodging, all meals from 1st night dinner through final day's lunch, transport, guides, taxes, tips.

REGISTRATION

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OVERVIEW

The Pribilof Islands lie in the middle of the Bering Sea about 600 miles from landfall.  St. Paul Island, where we stay, hosts many of the largest colonies of alcids (auklets & other seabirds) in the world as well as the largest Northern Fur Seal colony in the world.  St. Paul is an isolated and charming island with a small Aleut population.  Asian vagrants regularly visit St. Paul in late May, and we expect to see a number of them along with the resident species. We spend the first night in Anchorage. The Pribilofs record many Asiatic vagrants and accidentals every year during late May including regular occurrences of Bean Goose, Smew, Tufted Duck, Common Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Common Greenshank, Black-tailed Godwit, Siberian Rubythroat, Eye-browed Thrush, and Brambling.  Other rarities, e.g., Far Eastern Curlew, McKay's Bunting, Dusky Thrush, Olive-backed Pipit, Hawfinch and many others are recorded less frequently.  We will also see large colonies of seabirds, such as the Parakeet, Least and Crested Auklets;  Horned & Tufted Puffins; Common & Thick-billed  Murres; Red-legged  & Black-legged Kittiwakes; Northern Fulmar and many others.

ITINERARY    

PRIBILOFS (4 day; subtract one day for Pribilofs 3):

DAY ONE:  We'll meet in Anchorage at the Coast International Hotel at 6:30 PM for dinner downtown at Orso, one of the finest restaurants in Alaska. After dinner, we'll do a hour or so of birding. We can usually find a pair of nesting Pacific Loons close-by and, if we're lucky, nesting Northern Goshawk.

DAY TWO: Breakfast at the Coast. Check-out and depart by 8:00 AM. We'll bird Westchester Lagoon, a good location for Bonaparte;s Gull, Arctic Tern, Red-necked Grebe, and other waterfowl. We'll check the shoreline of Cook Inlet for shorebirds: Semipalmated Plover, Hudsonian Godwit, Surfbird, Long-billed Dowitcher. Proceed to airport at 10:00 AM for our flight to St. Paul, departing about 11:30 AM. Arrive St. Paul about 3:30 PM. We'll be staying this year at the airport in newly renovated quarters. WeÕll go birding before dinner, probably getting our first good looks at Red-legged Kittiwake. Dinner at the airport restaurant. Birding afterwards.

DAYS THREE - FOUR: Breakfast at 7:00. Birding until lunch at 12:00. Birding from 1:30 until dinner at 5:30. Birding from 7:30 until 10 or later, depending upon what we might find. This will be our schedule for the entire stay on the island. We will spend at least one morning at the sea cliffs observing the vast array of nesting birds: Red-faced & Pelagic Cormorant; Northern Fulmar; Black-legged & Red-legged Kittiwake; Tufted & Horned Puffin; Common & Thick-billed Murre; Crested, Parakeet, & Least Auklet all breed along these cliffs. Close-up photo ops will abound!  We will also make a moderate hike to see if we can find the male McKay's Bunting that frequents a lava flow on the island.  We'll walk some of the ponds and marshes around the island looking for vagrant shorebirds. The rock quarry is always a good place to walk in search of vagrant passerines. The vast tundra will often yield Snowy and Short-eared Owls. Fortunately, we'll be traveling in comfortable, heated buses with bathroom. Those who don't want to walk as much can stay at or on the bus.

DAY FIVE:  Bags can be packed in the morning, and we will spend the rest of the day birding until about 2:00 PM when we prepare to depart the island. The plane typically leaves between 3 and 4, and we get back to Anchorage by about 6:30 or so. Trip ends upon return to Anchorage.

CLOTHING & EQUIPMENT

NOTE:   Temperatures and, more important, wind chill factors vary widely and can get down in the low teens or less. So, bring warm clothes that will allow you to layer.  We will send a more extensive list prior to departures.

 

á      Layered Clothing

á      Full suit (jacket and pants) of waterproof rain/wind gear. (Note: Ponchos and rain chaps are inadequate.)  Rain jacket makes good outer layer - hooded is preferable.

á      Synchilla Fleece or Wool garments (Keep you warm and retains insulating quality when wet)

á      Wool, capilene or polypropylene long underwear, tops & bottoms.(light-weight)

á      Medium-weight, wool socks (Bring extras) (Goretex liners provide good protection & warmth)

á      Warm hat & gloves

á      Sturdy and Waterproof  Over-the-Ankle Hiking Boots (we suggest NEOS or Wellies)

á      Rain Hat (if parka not hooded)

á      Hat with visor for sun

á      Extra pair of prescription glasses, contact lenses, sunglasses

á      Tennis, running or  sturdy comfortable walking shoes

á      Insect repellent (DEET 20% or more/ Itch Relief Cream)  Note:  Citronella is ineffective

á      Sunscreen (sun is very bright when snowy and can produce significant sunburn)

á      Jeans, Khakis for general wear

á      Binoculars (Scope if you prefer to use your own)

á      Day Pack/Fanny Pack

á      Water Bottles

RECOMMENDED GUIDES

á      Field Guide to the Birds of North America. Third or Fourth Edition, National Geographic Society.

á      The Sibley Guide to Birds, 2000, David A. Sibley; Alfred A. Knopf

á      Guide to the Birds of Alaska, Fourth Edition, 1995, Robert H. Armstrong; Alaska Northwest Books

á      Shorebirds of North America, 2005, Dennis Paulson, University of Washington Press

á      Mammals of Alaska 1996 Alaska Geographic Society.

á      Field Guide to Alaskan Wildflowers, 1996, Verna E. Pratt, Alaskakrafts, Inc.

á      Guide to Marine Mammals of Alaska, 1997. Kate Wynee, University of Alaska, Fairbanks.

READINGS: THE ALASKA EXPERIENCE

á      Living on the Edge.Spike Walker. Wonderfully descriptive book about Dutch Harbor and crabbing in the Bering Sea. .

á      Arctic Dreams. Barry Lopez. Pulitzer Prize-winning non-fiction about the High Arctic. Beautifully written!

á      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 OR 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