June 30: Gavin Bieber on his and Jake Mohlmann's just-concluded tour, Alaska: The Majesty of the North
We found marvelous birds and sweeping landscapes at every turn, and happily for us above average temperatures and sunshine as well. Saint Paul produced exquisite photographic opportunities for cliff nesting seabirds like Tufted Puffin....
Tufted Puffin on the St Paul Cliffs
...but also produced a slew of rarities including Tundra Bean Goose, Common Greenshank, Common Black-headed Gull, Common Cuckoo and Brambling!
Our Common Cuckoo resting in St Paul's grassy hills
Quite remarkably, Mount Denali showed itself for all of our time in the heart of Alaska, and birds such as Northern Hawk Owl certainly preformed well.
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The vastess of Denali National Park
Yet again we were favored with wonderful Northern Hawks Owls
Nome was, as ever, amazing, with point blank views of birds like Arctic Warbler and Rock Ptarmigan, endless tundrascapes with snow-capped peaks, and quite a show on the water with thousands of murres and kittiwakes feasting upon schools of spawning Candlefish.
Arctic Warbler just recently arrived and singing everywhere
A male Rock Ptarmigan
The Seward Boat trip was spectacular with Fin and Humpback Whales really putting on a show and very good sightings of Kittlitz’s Murrelets.
A close Kittlitz's Murrelet off Seward
Our post tour extension to Barrow was superlative, with continuing good weather, all four species of Eider in excellent plumage, Snowy Owls and many striking Yellow-billed Loons.
Steller's Eider along a Barrow roadside
Mammals always add to the experience in Alaska, and we found 24 species this year including this Muskox, a lone Wolf in Denali, multiple Grizzly Bear and Moose, and some remarkably agile Mountain Goats south of Anchorage.
Muskox on the rocky Nome tundra
The variety and abundance of birdlife and wildlands on this tour is just staggering; there really is no place like it.
Thanks to Steve Howell for the Steller's Eider image (the ones we saw were just like this) and to Thomas Lambertson for the Common Cuckoo image. The remaining images were take by co-leader Jake Mohlmann and myself.
Posted: June 30, 2015