This was WildWings’ sixth visit to the ‘Ring of Fire’, a name often given to this remote part of the North Pacific. With a backdrop of many snow-capped volcanoes, several of them active, remote and uninhabited islands, fast-flowing rivers and vast birch and conifer forests plus one of the most abundant bird populations on earth and many great mammals to be seen as well, it is hardly surprising that it is one of our most popular trips. Travelling again on the spacious and luxurious MV World Discoverer, this year’s WildWings group again encountered some of the most dramatic scenery and a great variety of the special birds, mammals and cetaceans of this little-explored region where east meets west, Palearctic meets Nearctic. We had nearly calm weather conditions throughout and as well as the “expected” bird and mammal highlights, of which there were many, we had some exciting “falls” of asian passerines.

We started with some excellent birding in Japan before boarding the ship at Kushiro on the northernmost island of Hokkaido. With the ship moving on each night, we awoke every morning to find spectacular new scenery and wildlife. Each Zodiac trip ashore was a new adventure. Almost every day’s travel gave us great sea watching opportunities. Right to the last day, which was spent on the tundra north of Nome, Alaska, we stayed lucky with the weather and great sightings. With such infinite variety, and in such spectacular surroundings, it was without question a trip of a lifetime.

Chronology

May 30th

Departure day - Group members flew from their local UK airports to Amsterdam Airport (Schipol) where we all met up, including Max, for whom the trip to Schipol was just a local journey! After a bite to eat, and some last minute shopping, we boarded the overnight KLM flight to Japan.


May 31st Arrival in Japan

Japan: Osaka Airport, where we changed planes, was the scene for some bonus en-route birding, with literally thousands of Little Terns apparently nesting on newly reclaimed land adjacent to the airport. Two Oriental Pratincoles were an unexpected bonus, and several Skylarks were also there. Then, after a short domestic flight we arrived at Kushiro Airport, Hokkaido, and headed off for our two-night stay near Nemuro. We hadn’t gone far before we had to stop by a roadside marsh - for a pair of Red-crowned (Japanese) Cranes that, as we got out of the vans to look at them, started dancing. What a welcome to Hokkaido! A couple of hours drive and we arrived at our lodgings, and soon tucked into a beautifully presented dinner before retiring for the night ready, with most of us having opted for the extra early start.

June 1st

The extra early starters (2.20am) headed out at 2.30am to look for Blakiston’s Fish Owls and were duly rewarded with excellent views of a duetting pair of one of the most desired of the world’s owls. Combined with Red-crowned Cranes calling and Latham’s Snipe displaying overhead it was the most amazing start to the trip and set a standard that was going to be hard to maintain. Japanese Bush Warblers sang from the depths of the nearby scrub, a Black-browed Reed Warbler posed atop the reeds across the river and Black-faced Buntings sang along the roadside. An immature White-tailed Eagle flew and landed on top of a fir tree, Woodcock performed in roding display overhead and a Bull-headed Shrike was in a nearby bush.

We moved on to a nearby forest track where we had an excellent pre-breakfast walk. The sound of a calling Japanese Green Pigeon greeted us as we got out of the van but we did not see it. Eastern Crowned Warblers were in abundance, along with several other exciting species including several White-throated Needletails low over the trees, Narcissus Flycatchers, Olive-backed Pipits, a couple of Sakhalin Warblers, Asian Brown Flycatcher, Brown Thrush, and elusive Japanese Bush Warblers but the latter would not show themselves apart from a brief glimpse. Perhaps best of all, were the amazing views of a singing Japanese Robin, just before breakfast.

After our hearty breakfast, and an extremely obliging and much photographed Siberian Rubythroat singing in the bushes outside the lodge, we set off again, first stopping by Lake Furen. Highlights of this stop included Japanese Cranes, Falcated Ducks, White-tailed Eagle, and a very showy Black-browed Reed Warbler. The day was spent making several roadside stops, as we toured eastern Hokkaido, initially along the coast, then up into the mountains and finally above the tree line. The weather and scenery were excellent and it was certainly a day to remember. Special birds included: a pair of Mandarin Ducks, our first Harlequin Duck, Black and Velvet Scoters, several Black Kites and five or more White-tailed Eagles, a superb Northern Goshawk soaring over the road, Grey-tailed Tattler, five Long-billed Plovers, Black-tailed and Slaty-backed Gulls, Brown Dipper, Oriental Turtle Dove, Pacific Swift, Asian House Martin, Japanese Wagtail, a Red-flanked Bluetail that sang from the tops of the pines whilst we walked across deep compacted snowfields. As we headed back to the lodge, we were in time to look for the Blakiston’s Fish Owls again, and this time we were all there to appreciate the show – for some it was the second time in a day.

June 2nd

After a good night’s sleep the early risers arose a little later (but still well before breakfast) and walked along the shore to the forest close to the lodge. We had a fantastic early morning, with highlights including a couple of very close Red-necked Stints, a couple of singing Lanceolated Warblers. James persevered and deservedly got some good views of one of the Lanceolated Warblers, and then we all saw a White-backed Woodpecker nest and a Wrynecks nest too, a pair of Japanese Cranes walking across a misty marshland landscape, and a pair of Red-cheeked Starlings. Back to the lodge for breakfast, then we headed off with Take-san for some more excellent birding en route to the dock. Of particular note was a stop at a marsh where we had amazing views of both Lanceolated and Middendorf’s Grasshopper Warblers, and some of us waded through the swamp to get views of Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler. A three-in-one visit! Some of the party also saw an Oriental Reed Warbler. Afterwards we searched along the coast for Spectacled Guillemots but unfortunately we could find none of this declining species, we had to wait until we were at sea.

It had been another excellent day’s birding but all too soon it was time to head into Kushiro. Mid afternoon we arrived at the quay to join the MV World Discoverer, looking sleek and elegant. Being the first to arrive onboard the ship, were soon ensconced in our luxurious cabins, before exploring the onboard facilities and enjoying a welcome cocktail or two. We met the captain, John Moulds, from Cheshire, a super keen Manchester United fan. Soon, around 6.30pm, we were underway, slipping serenely away from the harbour at the start of our 3,000 miles voyage. After some early evening sea birding that included our first Laysan Albatross, a small flock of phalaropes and some Brunnich’s Guillemots, we enjoyed a sumptuous buffet dinner, after which we retired to our cabins to catch up on sleep.


June 3rd Kunashir and Iturup

The early morning found us at the Russian island of Kunashir, on a calm and sunny morning. Rusty fishing boats, a Russian gunboat, and a boatload of Japanese tourists were our companions in the bay at this border outpost. Whilst waiting for the clearance process to complete its course, we were treated to quite a show. Temminck’s Cormorants flew by, and there were several Black-tailed Gulls, but the drama was from a White-tailed Eagle that initially sat on a rock near the shore, before chasing an immature Slaty-backed Gull halfway across the bay. It made repeated unsuccessful several lunges at it, before it finally managed to tip it into the water. The eagle circled around to pick up the hapless gull, but the gull carefully timed a last second leap a few inches into the air and dived under the water. Again and again this was the repeated, and just when it seemed that the eagle should surely give up, it managed to grab the gull by the base of each wing, lifted it clear and started to haul it towards the shore. However it hadn’t got more than a few hundred yards, when, as it was losing height it realised that it wasn’t going to make it. The eagle not up to the task, dropped the gull, and flew back to its rock. The gull, now with at least one damaged wing, slowly drifted out to sea to what was surely a watery fate. What a drama! Meanwhile we identified a very distant Spectacled Guillemot or two, as well as several Harlequin Ducks. Eventually, after what seemed quite a lengthy visit from the local customs and immigration officials from the township of Yuzhno Kiril’sk, we were cleared to enter into Russia. Now we were really on our way. We sailed north in high spirits.

We were fortunate in a way that the immigration process had taken so long that the afternoon planned visit to a local village was abandoned due to lack of time and we spent the afternoon cruising on the west side of Iturup Island, through the Lion’s Mouth Caldera and the Bay of Good Beginnings. Very successful it was too, with some excellent views of Spectacled Guillemots being the major highlight. We also saw a whale that we considered to be a Sei Whale but their identification is never easy. Other cetaceans included two Minke Whales and a Humpback. There were many Fulmars, Rhinoceros Auklets, Red-necked Phalaropes, a Peregrine, Red, Black-throated and Pacific Divers, a groups of 40 or so Orcas that gave us great views, a White-tailed Eagle, Pacific Swifts, some Dall’s Porpoise, and late afternoon, a White-billed Diver that overtook the ship.

We steamed north on a bright evening and past a towering cone of a 5,000 foot volcano. We enjoyed the complimentary wine with our excellent dinner, and afterwards did the checklist for the day, agreeing the totals for each species, with the main aim of the bird count at the ‘daily log’ to provide a record and a comparative estimate of numbers from day to day, to show whether a species was seen in large numbers or just a few individuals. It will not attempt to be a scientifically accurate record. And so to bed…



June 4th Chirpoy and Ostrova Broutona

We were out on deck first thing on the promise from me that we had a good chance of seeing some Sperm Whales. On the birding side Northern Fulmars and Short-tailed Shearwaters were very much the order of the day before breakfast, as well both Leach’s and Fork-tailed Storm-Petrels. Tufted Puffins were numerous, as were Crested Auklets, along with our first Whiskered Auklets (30+). As promised, marine mammal of the morning was Sperm Whale. We saw several, observing their frequent blows before deep-diving and showing their tail flukes as they departed. The ocean here is 2,500 metres deep! We also saw at least 20 Orcas in the morning, and a further 10 or more later on!

Patchy fog and poor visibility shrouded our approach through the Cheryne Bratya Island group to Chirpoy, one of the larger isles. However streams of puffins, auks and auklets kept us busy, and soon we were on our first Zodiac cruise of the trip, along the island’s rugged shore and volcano shore. Several Harlequin Ducks and a Red-necked Grebe were inshore, and further out were parties of Black and White-winged Scoters as well as a Greater Scaup. Later in the morning Eurasian Wigeon, Northern Pintail and Common Teal were seen.

On the rocks there was a Black-backed Wagtail, and Pelagic Cormorants flew overhead with nesting material. On the cliffs were Black-legged Kittiwakes and Brünnich’s Guillemots. Tufted Puffins and Northern Fulmars were also in evidence, and there was a haul-out of some 35 Steller’s Sea Lions.

Back on board in time for a great lunch, and off towards Ostrova Broutona, which made a timely emergence from the mist and fog. Here we enjoyed Kuril race of Pigeon Guillemot, snowii, which almost totally lacks the white wingpatches of the nominate form. Also another Red-necked Grebe and several Harlequin Ducks, many Brünnich’s Guillemots, and huge numbers of Northern Fulmars that were the most numerous breeding species with over one million birds here according to a Russian survey carried out last year. We could see many in the air and on more conspicuous ledges, but as they were all of the dark North Pacific form, it was hard to truly appreciate the numbers on the ledges. The slopes of the volcano still had deep snow in the gullies.

This evening was the Captain’s welcome cocktail party and dinner, interrupted by yet more Orcas.

Meanwhile, the galley excelled and as we quaffed the complimentary wine we reflected on how comfortable life was in this remote and wild part of the world.

June 5th Yankicha

We arrived very early at Yankicha Island, a flooded caldera that is home to a sizeable population of Whiskered Auklets and many Crested Auklets. After breakfast we got into the Zodiacs and headed for shore through the swirling mist, all the while overflown by great lines of Crested Auklets, intermixed with some Whiskered Auklets. Overhead too were thousands of Northern Fulmars. On shore we rapidly realised that the tussocky grass near the landing site was filled with migrant birds. Moving slowly and carefully we soon realised the scale of this “fall” and counted 30+Siberian Rubythroats and 20+Middendorf’s Grasshopper Warblers – many giving excellent views. Also we saw several Oriental Greenfinches and some Buff-bellied Pipits of the form japonicus. The scenery was incredible too, with smoking sulphur vents, boiling water and bubbling mud. On the calm water inside the caldera we glimpsed a swimming Whiskered and some Crested Auklets, but soon it was time to leave. The tide had dropped and we had to cross the shoal at the mouth of the entrance. Skipping over it in the Zodiacs we were soon amongst the multitudes of alcids, streaming over the zodiacs in great lines – Crested and Whiskered Auklets. Back on board we sailed around north side of the island and saw many thousands more of Crested and hundreds of Whiskered Auklets on the water and skimming the waves. It was an amazing sight, and with winds now gusting to gale force 10, it was truly a dramatic culmination to our visit. Despite the winds we were still getting great views of Whiskered Auklet, this, one of the rarest, most difficult to see, and highly desired alcids in the world.

All in all a very successful morning

We headed to Matya Island for an afternoon landing. Thick fog meant we rode in convoy – with our Zodiac gets amazing views of a small group of Ancient Murrelets. Onshore, the dense alder scrub just behind the beach showed further signs of today’s fall of passerines with many Siberian Rubythroats, and they were easy to see with the leaves only just bursting. We headed inland through the scrub to an abandoned base. En-route we saw Brown Thrushes, Siberian Rubythroats, Middendorf’s Grasshopper Warblers, and at the base itself a few Olive-backed Pipits. This military base was abandoned about seven years ago. Most recently it was a Russian Base, but during the Second World War it was Japanese.

Heading back to the beach we encountered several more species, most notably two or three Mugimaki Flycatchers (decidedly east of their normal range and a first for these tours) as well as several Middendorf’s Grasshopper Warblers showing ludicrously well on the boulders, along with many Siberian Rubythroats. A group of Oriental Greenfinch flew over. On the strand line a small group of waders comprised of Red-necked Stints, Long-toed Stints and Dunlin, whilst offshore there were several Harlequin Ducks. Others reported seeing one or two Red-flanked Bluetails.

June 6th Onekatan and Atlasova islands

We landed at Nima Bay on Onekatan Island at the mouth of a small stream, where there were several Black-backed Wagtails and Asian Buff-bellied Pipits here, as well as a single Teal and three drake Eurasian Wigeon. By taking the track up the hill were able to reach the pine forest. It was easy to look in the canopy of the tiny dwarf pines as we walked through the “forest” as they were only one to two feet high! A Rough-legged Buzzard flew over and landed on the opposite side of the valley, but more exciting was the discovery of a splendid male Tristram’s Bunting which showed well in the alders in first gully with some Japanese Grey Buntings. There were also Brown Thrushes, several Siberian Rubythroats, more Middendorf’s Grasshopper Warblers, a pipit that was probably a Red-throated, as well as a couple of Reed Buntings, and the adjacent tundra had several singing Skylarks.

We set sail northwards to continue our final day of exploration in the Kuriles.

Mid afternoon we arrived at Atlasova Island. Local folklore has it that the Alaid Volcano used to be on Kamchatka but was banished to the Kurils. On Kamchatka it would have been a baby brother to the other much larger volcanoes, but here it is the tallest on the Kurils. However we could not see its full splendour, only the lower slopes as they disappear into the clouds. We were soon ashore and exploring the lagoon and bushes by the abandoned gulag. The lagoon itself held many ducks, including several drake Falcated Ducks, plus Greater Scaup, Tufted Duck, Eurasian Wigeon, whilst overhead six Barn Swallows hawked insects, and Asian Buff-bellied Pipits sang from the margins, as did a Grey Wagtail and many Black-backed Wagtails. From the nearby bushes Siberian Rubythroats were often singing from exposed perches, and Brown Thrushes flitted furtively. Most notable amongst the passerines were the numerous Arctic Warblers – many of which were singing, especially along the back of the lagoon where there was also a single Grey-streaked Flycatcher. A search of the meadows above produced no Pechora Pipits, but from the adjacent trees came the sound of many singing Brown Thrushes and Siberian Rubythroats.

Scoping offshore we spotted a pair of White-billed Divers so we walked down to the beach to get good views, followed by our best views of the Falcated Ducks.

We sailed just before dinner. Stage two of our adventure is complete, the wild and rugged Kurile Islands have yielded pretty much all of their treasures in a most atmospheric opening to our sea voyage. Tomorrow – Kamchatka!


June 7th Kamchatka

We awake in Vestnik Bay, Kamchatka, off the Utashud Islands.

Despite the calm and near idyllic conditions, a big swell sends large rollers onto the long beach where landing is not possible. The ever resourceful chief mate scouts another beach that is more sheltered and soon we are heading for shore where we will walk through the overgrown remains of a small Russian camp. We are the first off the ship and from our two Zodiacs on the way in we spot two Long-billed Murrelets on the water and we get tremendous views before they take flight. What a start! Once ashore we head up the track and turn left. Walking out the other side we are soon into some excellent Stone Birch forest, with much evidence of recent Brown Bear activity but with due diligence we keep up a constant chatter to alert any nearby bears to our presence and thus do not surprise any. In the woods there are Willow Tits, Common Rosefinch singing, Arctic Warbler singing, Mealy Redpolls, Siberian Rubythroats, and several Rufous-tailed Robins – one of which we were very pleased to get views of, as this species does not usually show itself readily. Heading back to the beach a splendid male Rustic Bunting sang from the top branches of a birch. Waiting for the Zodiac to pick us up we got immensely distant views of our first Stellers Sea Eagles, and had several White-billed Divers fly past.

We cruised north along the coast, in very light winds and good visibility. The scopes revealed an extraordinary 20 Brown Bears along the shore and slopes just above – some with cubs. A lucky few saw a small group of Pacific White-sided Dolphins.


June 8th Bering Island - Nikholskoye

Heading north-east towards Bering Island, Laysan Albatrosses and the first Mottled Petrel of the trip, as well as several Humpbacks and three Fin Whales. Later, two more Humpbacks treated us to a splendid show with much flipper slapping and yet more Laysan Albatrosses.

There was also some visible passerine migration from the ship, with a Grey-streaked Flycatcher, a male Bluethroat and four pipits, probably Red-throated.

At sea approaching we pass by Puffin Island – an incredible sight, carpeted with Tufted Puffins with reputedly up to 20,000 there. Glaucous-winged Gulls are everywhere. Nearby we land at the town of Nikholskoye after lunch for a full afternoon’s birding – disembarking near the town we head inland along the banks of the river.

Passing along the edge of town we see Eurasian Tree Sparrows, Rock Sandpipers, and briefly the museum – where a Steller’s Sea Cow skeleton of a calf is. Along the beach there are Glaucous-winged Gulls, whilst on the tundra there are songflighting Lapland Buntings, a Mongolian Plover that walked off its the nest, but was soon back on it and photographed. Lots of Dunlin and several more Rock Sandpipers before we found Pechora Pipit sitting up and giving occasional bursts of song from the ground and some good scope views. Continuing over to the river where two Aleutian Terns sat on a nearby log – again, many photos. We found a nest in the grass, presumably of Lapland Bunting - with two eggs so far. We headed back past the Pechora Pipit – great scope views!

Made the last Zodiac with at least a couple of minutes to spare, and once back the World Discoverer we sailed off to the opposite side of bay to scout out the Northwest Cape. We looked at the south side but there were virtually no fur seals onshore, so landing would not be worth attempting. We have a swell running from the south so any landing would be extremely difficult even with the relatively calm weather, so we head to nearby Hary Carmen rock where we do a Zodiac tour, before dinner. It was excellent with at least two harems of Stellers Sealions – one male may have only one female but that has a young cub – making this is a new breeding site of this rare and generally declining species. Many guillemots – mostly common, many shags- mostly Red-faced but quite a few Pelagics too, and many Black-legged Kittiwakes nesting – higher up the cliffs, with the Red-legged in smaller numbers and nesting closer to the water – more vulnerable? And being dominated by the Black- legs? Also, lots of Sea Otters – indeed we recorded over 100 today.





June 9th Little Chazma River, Kamchatka

We awake to driving rain and a strong northerly wind so a bit pessimistic about even being able to make a landing, but this was to be proved completely wrong as the chief and expedition leader managed to get us all ashore immediately after breakfast and the wind eased off and the rain stopped soon after and we had a most fantastic visit. Yellow Wagtails, many Red-throated and a few Black-throated Divers – all in wonderful summer plumage. Common Rosefinch, the song of which is slightly different to those in eastern Europe, and then a Yellow-breasted Bunting singing on a bush. As we start towards the latter an adult Stellers Sea Eagle flies towards us and across to the other bank and perches on a pole in full view…WOW! We divert to walk as close as possible and flush several Olive-backed and Red-throated Pipits. Scope views of the perched eagle thrill everyone, and it eventually flies off down the coast, allowing us to continue birding. Ruddy Turnstones and Aleutian Terns flying over, Reindeer, adult Greater White-fronted Goose, tremendous snow and ice covered landscape, many ducks and then Red-necked Phalaropes at our feet, plus Long-toed Stints, Wood Sandpiper songflighting, a calling Dusky Warbler, and another Yellow-breasted Bunting. Also, Slaty-backed Gulls, Kamchatka Gull, Black-headed Gull, Eurasian Oystercatcher, a few Black Scoter and two Willow Ptarmigan. A truly fantastic morning which I will remember for a long time.

Time passed quickly as all too soon we were heading back to the World Discoverer for lunch and an afternoon landing about 10 miles further south at Kamiskir Bay, where, by the time we arrived the sun shone from a largely clear blue sky. Again Steller’s Sea-Eagles were seen in the landing beach area and an Asian Brown Bear, that had been feeding on the beach was now looking down on us from the hillside above. Walking to the far end of the beach we watched a magnificent pair of Steller’s Sea Eagles, and on return to the landing enjoyed a pair of Asian Rosy-Finches at their nest site.

Today’s mammal totals are not to be sniffed at: ten Brown Bears, one Sea Otter, one Harbour Seal, 2+Orcas, five Dall’s Porpoise and three Reindeer.

After dinner, as we cruised along the Kamchtaka coast, the Kronotsky Volcano (c2600 metres) towered over the bay, and with the setting sun just to its right and capped with a slope-hugging cloud it was a tremendous sight, lit pink in ever changing hues and patterns. Then, when this great day may have been finished, at last light we spot the symmetrical cone of the Maly Semliachik volcano as it suddenly emits a huge cloud of billowing smoke and ash. A splendid end to an amazing day in Kamchatka – we retire to bed filled with incredible memories.







June 10th

Zhupanova River

Dawn: A cloudy sky is but a minor disappointment, the winds are light and there is good visibility. Most of our group opts for the full day ashore and without doubt the best choice. Sergei drives our Zodiac as we head to shore immediately after breakfast, we drop his assistant, Pasha at the fishing village, and head upriver to land on the far shore. Two sub-adult Stellers Sea Eagles and a single White-tailed Eagle were on the bank just in front of us. We get dropped off with lunch in our backpacks. Two adult Steller’s Sea Eagles glide over the opposite bank. Sergei disappears round the corner to head back to the rivermouth to lead the Zodiac tour for the other passengers and we revel and luxuriate in the tranquillity. Nearly all the snow had gone from this spot and the summer vegetation was just beginning to burst forth. Common Rosefinch, Eastern Reed Buntings and Siberian Rubythroat sing – a Yellow-breasted Bunting pops up, Aleutian and Common Terns (of the dark-billed eastern form longipennis) fly over, a gorgeous pair of Black Scoter eye us from a mirror calm pool as we revel in fantastic ‘scope views. A singing Pechora Pipit perches atop a nearby bush and scopes are retrained on it. All this while the cloud has been dispersing and we realise that the volcanoes of Kamchatka are being revealed one by one. Maly Semliachik emits a huge billowing cloud of smoke thousands of feet into the sky, and the snow-capped peak of the Zhupanova volcano peeks over a line of clouds. The reflections in the mirror calm pools of the marsh are fantastic. We spot a singing Lanceolated Warbler and all get scope views. This is paradise.

Kaj spots a bear – quite close but a safe distance away and we get great scope views, it’s joined by a second, they are sub-adults, and they soon see us, turn and walk quietly away along the back edge of the plain. We linger, in order to give them plenty of time to go, and we eat our lunch. Sergei shows up in the Zodiac and offers us a lift upriver, but before we board we must watch the two bears which have decided to play fight.

We head upriver and see four more Brown Bears and a pair of Steller’s Sea Eagles at their nest. Returning to the marsh we are dropped off back on the riverbank and continue with our exploration on foot. We head up the hill, through the Stone Birches towards a singing Rufous-tailed Robin. With a little patience we get crippling views of this elusive and enigmatic denizen of the undergrowth – everyone gets great scope views of it singing. Afterwards it gives even better views as we look down on it from above. We head on to see Arctic Warblers, Rustic Buntings, Olive-backed Pipits, Japanese Grey Buntings, a very pale pair of Nuthatches, Willow Tits and a brief Taiga Flycatcher before we wind up back at the landing spot in time to relax and soak up the wilderness on this sunny afternoon. A Siberian Rubythroat sings in full view from a nearby bush and, as a final parting gift, an adult Steller’s Sea Eagle circles above our Zodiac. Well, not quite the final parting gift… that was still to come. We pick up fresh salmon and some large frozen halibut at the fishing village – Sergei nearly loses both himself and the salmon into the river. I grab him by his life jacket straps as he’s laughing uncontrollably. I help him haul the sack of salmon back onboard as we head to the ship. There are five Long-billed Murrelets on the water just in front of the Zodiac giving truly excellent views. They are the last treat of this landing! Meanwhile Frank and Gay have enjoyed a Zodiac cruise upriver in the morning with close views of Steller’s Sea Eagles at the nest, and a beach landing in the afternoon – distant bears and a nice safe walk.

Back at sea, and as an “extra” the captain decides to take us slowly into Carmenustaya Bay – where we spot several Brown Bears, giving good ‘scope views at the base of scenic snow covered slopes. On the water several Harlequin Ducks, but the best is yet to come. Heather spots a Lynx crossing a patch of snow just above the beach. It stops on a grassy patch and watches us as we train telescopes on it as we slowly cruise by…incredible! The captain turns the ship “on a sixpence” but it has now slipped out of sight. We can scarcely believe our luck. My second Lynx in as many trips this year, the previous one just a couple of weeks earlier, one a track just in front of us in Bialowieza Forest during the WildWings Polish Bird Festival.



June 11th

Petropavlosk Kamchatsky (PK) – the capital of the region – indeed virtually the only town of the region. This was to be our only visit to a Russian city, and whilst offered a choice of mixing birding with city sightseeing, many of the passengers, and most of our group, elected to spend the whole day birding out of town. We at least passed through the outskirts and had a flavour of the architecture and city life. The city tour visited a museum, a church, and a market and saw several of the statues that are dotted around town. Once again the weather was excellent and we headed out of the city, past the drab buildings along potholed roads. Our destination was the husky kennels of Sergei, the ships agent, which are set on the edge of the birch forest. Here we spent the day walking the trails, interspersed with a splendid salmon and pork barbecue for lunch.

The woods were alive with Olive-backed Pipits and splendid, singing Rustic Buntings and we followed up on a singing Eye-browed Thrush until we could see it – it gave us excellent scope views in the almost leafless trees. Bramblings calling, Willow Tits, male Great Spotted Woodpecker, Siberian Rubythroat, a showy Taiga Flycatcher that gave excellent scope views, several Arctic Warblers and others reported hearing a Swinhoe’s Robin. A great day!

Back on board whilst the Russian authorities cleared the ship we had entertainment in the form of some native Koryak dancers.

Thus concluded our Kamchatka section, a fantastic time in excellent, even idyllic weather – it was in high spirits that we sailed from Petropavlosk that evening bound for the Aleutians.


June 12th (first one - in Russia)

A relaxing day, with some great sea watching. Many Mottled Petrels, Laysan Albatrosses, Leach’s and Fork-tailed Storm Petrels, as well as Arctic and Long-tailed Skuas as well as Tufted Puffins and Brunnich’s Guillemots. A day to recharge the batteries, ready for the Aleutians and the islands of the Bering Sea

Late evening, after dinner, several more Long-tailed Skuas overtook us, heading east, and into ‘yesterday’!


June 12h (for second time – now in USA, having crossed the dateline)

At dawn we still had a few miles to go before we got to Attu, the legendary island for American birders especially, situated at the extreme western end of the Aleutian Islands. We were all on deck early as we approached the edge of the continental shelf. Ancient Murrelets were frequent, a couple of Minke Whales surfaced, and in Massacre Bay at Attu, we encountered many Common Eiders of the orange-billed north pacific form v-negra, several Kittlitz’s and Marbled Murrelets a few of which gave pretty decent views as they took off just in front of the bows. Shortly after 10.45am the US officials landed on the airstrip in their Lear jet and were soon on board, checking passports and giving us clearance to enter the USA. We had a landing and enjoyed a walk on shore, with Aleutian Terns, fly-over Aleutian Canada Geese and some Song Sparrows. The best was to come after we left - we were to have a brilliant evening at sea as we headed east. As we left a skein of Aleutian Canada Geese flew over, and Laysan Albatrosses become commonplace as did Short-tailed Shearwaters. We normally find Sperm Whales fairly common in these waters and today was no exception, we saw about 25 between 8pm and 10:30pm, and some gave excellent views close to the bows. The big highlight was when James spotted two Short-tailed Albatrosses, sitting on the sea just in front of the ship. Max and he, and several others had excellent views and they then alerted the rest of the group, most of whom saw the birds. The captain asked if he should turn the ship around and James agreed with great enthusiasm. I announced the sighting on the ships’ tannoy, incredibly as we headed back west, James and Max again spotted a Short-tailed Albatross – (a third bird) on the water with a group of Laysans. Short-tailed are one of the rarest birds in the world, slowly recovering but still only around 1000+ individuals. We had just seen three! Celebration followed.



June 13th

KISKA ISLAND

We awake close to Pillar Rock, just west of Kiska Island. A volcanic plug that sits atop a submarine volcano, it rises some 100 feet above the sea and is covered in sea birds, many guillemots, cormorants, but not easy to identify.

We proceed to Sirius Point, Kiska Island where a huge lava flow from the Kiska Volcano juts out in to the sea and is the home to one of the largest seabird colonies of seabirds that one will ever see. Here vast clouds of Crested and Least Auklets, rise from the sea like mist and swirl this way and that as they head either towards the boulders where they nest in their many hundreds of thousands, or as they head off out to sea to feed. Up on the lava waits a Bald Eagle, awaiting the easy pickings presented to it, and another flying out over the sea. We cruise slowly by to savour this dramatic scene. It is incredible.

Heading off east we still have Laysan Albatrosses with us, and we turn into the bay there’s three Aleutian Canada Geese, with a Peregrine hunting them. A single murrelet flies off, probably a Marbled but too distant to tell. Harlequin Ducks are in by the shore and an adult Bald Eagle flies over the ship. The stark landscape of Kiska presents itself and we prepare once more to get into the Zodiacs and go ashore

We land where the Japanese set up camp in the summer of 1942 and resided on American soil until they abandoned the place the following summer. The US amphibious assault forces that arrived to dislodge them suffered many casualties in a firefight – a firefight that transpired to be American shooting American (“blonde on blonde”) – in fact all the Japanese had secretly left the island already. The futility!

Another adult Bald Eagle sits on the cliff at the far left end of the beach, with a sub-adult beyond it on the sand. We walk up the hill – flowers galore – Willow Ptarmigan giving good views - soon we find two pairs of Grey-crowned Rosy Finch of the Aleutian form, then into a gulley where James finds a singing male Siberian Rubythroat - a great ABA (American Birding Association) bird! Aleutian Common Teal, many Lapland Buntings and more Willow Ptarmigan before we hear a Winter Wren singing - very loudly yet it is a quarter of a mile away. It is larger and longer billed than other forms. Max light-heartedly decides it should be called Aleutian Wren and “ticks” it!

After leaving we see a single Sperm Whale blowing continually as we pass it on our port side until it is a dot in the distance - how much air was it taking in? The water depth at that spot was several hundred fathoms, so typical for those deep divers.


June 14th

Bering Sea

A leisurely day at sea as we head north, before several exciting days to come. Many Fork-tailed Storm Petrels dot the ocean, some giving excellent views as they cross our path, many of them right under the bows. Amongst then there are the occasional Leach’s Storm Petrels too. We also see two Fin Whales at breakfast time thanks to the officer on watch who announces them. Typically they do not really show well as they pass down the port side. We start to pick up on Red-legged Kittiwakes too, a sure sign that we are heading for one of their breeding colonies. This rare relative of the much commoner and more widespread Black-legged Kittiwake is actually rather easy to distinguish in flight and at times there are a dozen or more around the ship, giving great photo opportunities. Many Dall’s Porpoises too, often feeding gently with a slow rolling motion, but more often charging around at high speed, giving the characteristic “rooster-tail” of spray as they surface to breathe.. Best views from the breakfast table as they hold station alongside the windows at the stern. Thousands of Short-tailed Shearwaters feeding, often in large flocks on the sea

June 15th

The Pribilof Island of St George

We arrive at St.George on The Pribilofs. Thousands and thousands of Brunnich’s Guillemots stream west. We are eager to get ashore despite some mist and drizzle, and immediately after breakfast we get into the zodiacs and head ashore. Most of us start with a walk along the cliffs, where we get great views of so many of the seabirds that we have enjoyed at sea. We admire the Red-legged Kittiwakes with Black-legged Kittiwakes for comparison, and rows of Brunnich’s and Common Guillemots, as well as Tufted and Horned Puffins and Least, Parakeet and Crested Auklets and Red-faced Cormorants. Cameras are all the rage today and the photographers take shot after shot. The tundra flowers are beautiful. Lapland Buntings in gaudy breeding plumage make parachute song flights, other passerines we see are Winter Wrens, Snow Bunting Raven and the splendid Grey-crowned Rosy Finches. Passing through “town” we head west towards the Northern Fur Seal rookery but are suitably distracted en-route by the advance party finding a splendid Snowy Owl and three Sandhill Cranes – well done! Max had disappeared but I managed to relocate him in time to see the owl before it was time for us to leave and head ever northwards.


June 16th

We awake as we near Hall Island and find that our old friends the Glaucous-winged Gulls that have been accompanying us for the past few days are now replaced by Glaucous Gulls. Thousands of Brunnich’s Guillemots and many Common Guillemots too are on the water. Soon we are in position and get into the Zodiacs to explore. Scores of Pigeon Guillemots hug the rocks and we hear their high pitch whistles above the sound of the waves. We pass by rock ledges covered in thousands of guillemots of both species, and above them Tufted Puffins crowd the grassy slopes whilst several McKay’s Buntings enliven the proceedings.

Back on board for lunch we move a short distance with the World Discoverer to St. Matthew Island where we spend the afternoon ashore. McKay’s Buntings are the most desired passerine and we get great views of several. Moving inland over the gently undulating terrain we find some Red-necked Phalaropes (in breeding plumage) and a pair of breeding plumage Long-tailed Skuas. Some of us head over to a lagoon on the far shore – an energetic walk, en-route many Rock Sandpipers, Red-throated Divers on a small pool and wonderful tundra vegetation. On reaching the lagoon there’s a pair of Long-tailed Ducks, several more Rock Sandpipers and three Western Sandpipers in breeding plumage. James spends much time photographing the plants and Katherine hikes up on high for a splendid view. Everyone has had a great afternoon, and all too soon we leave this magnificent tundra and sail off on a calm sea as we continue our voyage north.

June 17th

We awake off the west end of St.Lawrence Island where there are vast numbers of auks flying by the ship at Tatik Point. During the morning we saw thousands of Brunnich’s and Common Guillemots, Least Auklets, and tens of thousands of Crested Auklets, as well as hundreds of Parakeet Auklets, Horned and Tufted Puffins. Also here were several Vega Gulls.

Sailing north we are soon we are off the Yupik settlement of Gambell at the extreme northwest tip of St.Lawrence Island. The Chukchi peninsula of Siberia lies some 40 miles to the northwest. A moderate swell and moderate winds combined with a steep shingle beach mean that the conditions for going ashore are deemed too risky but James perseveres in watching the bay and comes up with the goods – three Steller’s Eiders – two adult drakes. We all get fairly good scope views before the announcement comes that we are leaving. We are all saddened to learn that this will be the last voyage of the World Discoverer.

The day’s tally from the decks also includes two Pacific Divers, a few Short-tailed Shearwaters, several Harlequin and a single Long-tailed Duck, four White-winged Scoters, 7+ Pomarine and six Arctic Skuas, a single adult Slaty-backed Gull, of special note at least eight Little Auk sightings. We saw at least six Grey Whales and four Minke Whales today.

The Captain’s Farewell Cocktail and Dinner are sociable, informal, and a great way to round off our time aboard the ship.

June 18th

We arrive in Nome early morning and after breakfast we disembark to have a full days birding. It is an emotional farewell to the ship that has been our home all the way from Japan. We enjoy an excellent days birding in great weather, with highlights including Gyr Falcon at the nest, Bar-tailed Godwits, American Golden Plovers and Long-tailed Skuas on the tundra, Tundra Swans on a roadside pool, Moose, a Musk Ox very close to the van, and a couple of Brown Bears. Sparrows included Savannah, Fox, American Tree, White-crowned and Golden-crowned. All too soon our day is done and we head for the airport where those not staying on bid the others Bon Voyage for the flight back to Anchorage.

June 19th

Nome

Max and Dick stayed on, and with sleep not on the agenda we had plenty of splendid birding, with highlights headed by great views of at least two Bristle-thighed Curlews. Max was especially pleased – his final new bird of the trip – indeed he had surpassed his target list by two species. Other great birds included two drake Spectacled Eiders, a King Eider, and Great Northern Diver.

I stayed two extra nights in Nome and found another Gyr Falcon nest (also with two chicks), two Golden Eagle eyries, two drake Surf Scoters, several Bluethroats and some Northern Wheatears, and even got some sleep.