Alaska: Fall Migration at Gambell, Nome & the Pribilofs
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Aug 29 to Sep 6 2027
Jake Mohlmann and Debbie Brooks
Pribilofs extension to Sep 12
2027
Gambell/Nome Single Room Supplement $730
Pribilofs Extension $5,090
Pribilofs Single Supplement $680
*ANC-SNP flight (round trip) - estimated approx $980
2027
Gambell/Nome Single Room Supplement $730
Pribilofs Extension $5,090
Pribilofs Single Supplement $680
*ANC-SNP flight (round trip) - estimated approx $980
Birding on the Bering Sea outposts during the early autumn offers a variety of western Alaska specialties, an incredible seabird spectacle, southbound shorebirds that include small numbers of Old World species, and a good chance of finding Asian landbird strays. In contrast to the spring migration period, fall migration is protracted and full of glorious uncertainty, but some of the plumages, to say nothing of the species, are rarely seen on North American birding tours. Although rare passerines can be expected to occur between late August and early October, the number, composition, and timing of their occurrence vary from year to year, depending on such factors as the weather, that year’s nesting success, and of course good luck!
We’ve timed the Gambell portion of the tour to coincide with the movement of trans-Beringian migrants heading back to their Old World wintering grounds. Usually we detect numbers of Arctic Warblers, Eastern Yellow Wagtails, Northern Wheatears, Bluethroats, and Red-throated Pipits heading west. Here too a multitude of alcids will be present in sometimes mind-numbing numbers, and the seawatching from the point is perhaps unsurpassed in North America.
After we return to mainland Alaska, a morning of birding in the Nome area will give us a chance to catch up with some of the regular Alaskan birds, and with luck, perhaps some specialties such as Arctic Loon, Willow Ptarmigan, Gyrfalcon, and Bar-tailed Godwit.
On the companion tour to Saint Paul Island we’ll find more comfortable surroundings, with many ponds and wetlands that attract shorebirds such as Ruff, Little and Red-necked Stints, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Common Snipe, and Gray-tailed Tattler. The cliff birds will likely be mostly finished nesting, although numbers of Tufted and Horned Puffins and Common and Thick-billed Murres should still be feeding young, and Red-faced Cormorants and Red-legged Kittiwakes will be on display. Over the past decade increased interest in birding the Bering Islands in fall has resulted in the recording of an impressive array of strays.
*Note - The Pribilofs portion of this tour may be taken separately.
Day 1: The tour begins in Nome around lunchtime with the midday arrival of the Alaskan Airlines flight from Anchorage. We’ll gather and make ready for an afternoon flight to the Yupik village of Gambell at the northwest tip of Saint Lawrence Island. Our quarters will be in the simple but comfortable Sivuqaq Inn, which offers private rooms, shared toilets and showers, and a large kitchen. We’ll use ATVs for transport. Weather is always a factor in this part of the world. Early fall temperatures at Gambell are normally milder than in the spring with highs in the high 30s to low 50s F. It is common, though, for wind, fog, and drizzle to occur in rapidly changing combinations, so a certain amount of flexibility has been programmed into our schedule to compensate for any delays. Night at Gambell.
Days 2–7: At the end of August and in early September there are still thousands of alcids of eight species flying by the point: Thick-billed and Common Murres, Pigeon Guillemot, Parakeet, Least, and Crested Auklets, and Horned and Tufted Puffins. These birds are joined by equally large numbers of Short-tailed Shearwaters and many loons, eiders, phalaropes, jaegers (including Long-tailed), and other migrants. We’ll hope to see Yellow-billed Loon, Emperor Goose, and Ancient Murrelet, as well as Spectacled and Steller’s eiders. Migrant shorebirds include good numbers of Pacific Golden-Plovers, Red Phalarope, a few Rock Sandpipers, and usually one or more Gray-tailed Tattlers and small numbers of Sharp-tailed Sandpipers. Lesser Sand-Plover and other Old World species are also possible. A variety of “trans-Beringian” passerine migrants, including Arctic Warbler, Bluethroat, Northern Wheatear, Eastern Yellow and White wagtails, and Red-throated Pipit, are moving back in numbers west into Asia through the first week of September. Other landbirds include many Snow Buntings and at least a few of each redpoll species.
The list of landbird strays recorded at Gambell in late August and the first half of September is a heady one, although any one visit may produce only one or two… or many more, depending on the year. The list compiled between 1996 and 2021 includes multiples of Oriental Cuckoo, Fork-tailed Swift, Eurasian Wryneck, Brown Shrike, Middendorff’s Grasshopper-Warbler, Dusky Warbler, Willow and Yellow-browed Warblers, “Siberian” Common Chiffchaff, Lesser Whitethroat, Spotted Flycatcher, “Siberian” Stonechat, Siberian Accentor, Pechora and Olive-backed Pipit, Little, Yellow-breasted, Reed, and Pallas’s Buntings, Brambling, and Common Rosefinch. Asian strays recorded during visits later in the season include Sky Lark, Sedge Warbler, Yellow-browed Warbler, Taiga Flycatcher, Siberian Rubythroat, Red-flanked Bluetail, Siberian Accentor, Eye-browed Thrushes, Pechora Pipit, and Yellow-browed Bunting, with the list growing every year. We’ll hope for winds from the west or southwest, and at least some rain, to increase our chances for Asian vagrants. A variety of far-flung North American strays have turned up during this entire period as well. Nights in Gambell.
Day 8: We’ll depart Gambell today for Nome, hopefully arriving in time for lunch before we head out for some afternoon birding around the city. Migration is already in full swing at this time of year, and many specialties have already departed, but we’ll keep an eye out for Arctic Loon, Black Brant, Gyrfalcon, Willow and possibly Rock Ptarmigan, Bar-tailed Godwit, Slaty-backed Gull, Northern Shrike, American Tree Sparrow, and Hoary Redpoll. No matter what birds we see, the landscape around Nome this time of year will provide a spectacular colorful backdrop as the tundra vegetation prepares for winter. Mammal possibilities include Grizzly Bear, Muskox, Moose, and Porcupine. Night in Nome.
Day 9: We’ll have time for some morning birding before we return to the Nome airport, where the tour concludes before a flight back to Anchorage.**
THE PRIBILOFS
Day 9: The Pribilofs tour begins this evening with an introductory meeting and dinner at our hotel in Anchorage. Night in Anchorage.
Day 10: For those continuing on for our week on the Pribilofs we’ll bird a bit around our hotel in Anchorage where we will pick up a few species that are unlikely to reach the islands (such as Black-capped and Boreal Chickadees, Black-billed Magpies and Golden-crowned Kinglets). We’ll then take a late morning flight to Saint Paul Island in the Pribilofs. Night on Saint Paul.
Days 11–14: We’ll spend our days on the “Pribs” alternately scanning and walking around the islands many small lakes and wetlands, scouring the secluded and sheltered sides of hills and patches of taller vegetation for passerines, and, if conditions are advantageous looking out to see for passing seabirds. The seabird cliffs will be less crowded than in the summer, but we’ll be treated to very close eye-level views of Horned and Tufted Puffins and Common and Thick-billed Murres, and we’ll certainly see Red-legged Kittiwake and Red-faced Cormorant, the former at its only accessible site in North America. The cacophonous Northern Fur Seal rookeries will be bustling with masses of pups, and spending time with these remarkable pinnipeds gives credence to Saint Paul’s title of the “Galapagos of the North.”
In mid-September the Pribilofs are still mostly green, and often a good diversity of shorebirds can be found on their southbound passage. We’ll sift through the throngs of Rock Sandpipers and Ruddy Turnstones for rarer shorebirds; Gray-tailed Tattler, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Red-necked Stint, and Common Snipe are all regular migrants in early September, and species such as Lesser Sand-Plover, Wood Sandpiper, Little Stint, and Ruff are possible. Waterbird mega-rarities at this season have included Black-tailed Gull, Marsh Sandpiper, Jack Snipe, and North America’s first Solitary Snipe.
Asian landbird vagrants are unpredictable, but early to mid-September has produced Sky Lark, Willow, Dusky and Yellow-browed Warblers, Gray-streaked and Taiga Flycatchers, Red-flanked Bluetail, Olive-backed and Pechora Pipit, Siberian Accentor, and Brambling. Nights in St. Paul.
Day 15: We’ll take an early afternoon flight back to Anchorage where the Pribilofs extension concludes.
Note: The information presented here is an abbreviated version of our formal General Information for this tour. Its purpose is solely to give readers a sense of what might be involved if they take this tour. Although we do our best to make sure that what follows here is completely accurate, it should not be used as a replacement for the formal document which will be sent to all tour registrants, and whose contents supersedes any information contained here.
ENTERING THE UNITED STATES: Non-US citizens need a passport, valid for at least six months after the date the tour ends, and may need a tourist visa or visa waiver. Consult your nearest US Embassy or consulate for details. Canadian citizens should carry proof of citizenship in the form of a passport. If required by the embassy or visa-granting entity, WINGS can provide a letter for you to use regarding your participation in the tour.
COUNTRY INFORMATION:There is no U.S. Department of State Country Specific Travel Information for the USA. You can access the UK Government Foreign Travel advice for the USA at https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/usa.
PACE OF THE TOUR: Birding in the Bering Sea Islands in fall is generally more strenuous than in spring. While in the spring most of the islands are covered in snow, or very little vegetation making the area that we can cover relatively small, the fall is warmer, with taller vegetation (even lush in the Pribilofs). To dig out vagrant passerines it is necessary to walk through patches of vegetation and along the leeward side of hills. It is possible for those who wish to walk less to remain by the road and come out only if we find something, but the more people that walk the more we find. Walking through the patches of vegetation is fairly difficult, with uneven footing, hidden holes, and loose dirt. Shorebirds may also require some legwork, although many of the ponds will have nice muddy rings that can be scoped comfortably from a distance. At Gambell we use ATVs to go between sites, so walks are generally short (often less than a mile) in duration. The days will be broken up by meals, with an outing after breakfast, after lunch, and after dinner. Since we use only one lodge per island, a person can easily opt out of any of the excursions if desired.
HEALTH: Alaska presents no major health hazards
Altitude: We reach no appreciable heights on the tour, as we remain below 1200 ft (in Nome) and under 300 ft above sea level at Gambell and on the Pribilofs.
Isolation: Participants on trips to remote parts of Alaska should understand that they will be isolated from all but rudimentary medical care and that air transport to a hospital can easily be prevented by bad weather. Reasonably good health should be considered a prerequisite for trips here. On Saint Paul there is a modern clinic staffed by a Physician’s Assistant.; most basic care is easily provided at the clinic but more sophisticated care requires air evacuation to Anchorage. If you have any chronic condition such as diabetes, asthma, angina, etc. not thoroughly described in your booking form, please notify the WINGS office and consider purchasing trip insurance with evacuation coverage.
Adequate Clothing: The most serious predictable problems stem from the use of inadequate gear. Warm and waterproof clothing and boots, and sturdy walking boots are absolutely essential. Knee high rubber boots should be considered essential gear for this tour, as we often find ourselves walking in muddy conditions, sometimes with water over ankle height. Boots are sometimes available for sale in Nome but prices are high and you are not likely to have time for shopping unless you arrive ahead of Day 1 of the tour. Please study the clothing recommendations below. Periods of rain are inevitable. Comfort in Alaska is first and foremost a matter of keeping warm and dry. Note that our fall tours can encounter remarkably nice weather with sun and temperatures in the 50s (which feels surprisingly hot). Temperatures at Gambell especially can also be in the low 40’s with high winds. Please remember to pack gear for this eventuality.
Walking: Although we have full-time use of ATVs at Gambell , participants should still expect to do a fair amount of walking (perhaps as much as 5 miles a day) over uneven terrain, gravel, the craters and mounds of the “boneyards”, and spongy tundra. Tour participants must be in sufficient shape to withstand this. See the “Pace of the Tour” section for further elaboration.
Insects: Biting insects such as mosquitoes do not occur at Gambell or Saint Paul. During late August or early September, they are also unlikely in any numbers that would be considered bothersome even around Nome or Anchorage.
Mammals: Although large mammals are potentially dangerous, they pose little threat if a few commonsense rules are followed; your leader will discuss these rules briefly during the introductory meeting. Although grizzly bears and others are seen around Nome, we’ve never had anything like a dangerous encounter with a wild mammal. No such animals occur around Gambell or Saint Paul.
Smoking: Smoking is prohibited in the vehicles or when the group is gathered for meals, checklists, etc. If you are sharing a room with a nonsmoker, please do not smoke in the room. If you smoke in the field, do so well away and downwind from the group. If any location where the group is gathered has a stricter policy than the WINGS policy, that stricter policy will prevail.
CLIMATE: Coastal weather is normally cool to cold. Gambell and Nome experience freezing temperatures into late June (and beginning again in late September). Maximums at Nome are usually in the high 40s and low 50s F. At Gambell in late August and early September, expect temperatures in the 40s. Wind and drizzle or rain can occur frequently, often in rapidly changing combinations. In the Pribilofs, temperatures tend to be a few degrees warmer and occasionally in September folks are walking around in t-shirts and even shorts!
ACCOMMODATION:
Sivuqaq Inn, Gambell: The Sivuqaq Inn consists of nine bedrooms (double occupancy), four of which are in the main lodge and the remainder in the annex. Single accommodation may not be available at Gambell. There are six bathrooms with flush toilets; four of the bathrooms have showers (bring your own soap and shampoo. Most years there are plenty of towels, however we recommend bringing your own towel just to be sure). Internet is not available at the lodge and individuals should plan ahead to either buy a local SIM card with internet access for their cell phones, bring a mobile hotspot, and/or let loved ones know they will be without internet access while at Gambell. Cell phones willnot work at Gambell (unless you have a GCI Alaska-based phone or sim card which are available in Nome). We will arrange for the services of a cook while we are on the island.
Nome: In Nome we will stay at a comfortable, modern hotel on the seafront. There is typically no issue with single room requests in the fall in Nome.
King Eider Hotel, St Paul, Pribilofs: We will stay in the hotel wing at the airport, a basic but comfortable hallway with 20 rooms and a lounge. Remodels were recently completed and most rooms now have private bathrooms. Please note single rooms may not be available in St Paul. WIFI is either excellent or absent, depending upon the week.
FOOD: Our dinners in Nome are in standard restaurants. At Gambell the meals we offer are very different from anything else offered on any other WINGS tour, as one of our staff acts as our own cook – planning the menu in advance, shipping non-perishables several weeks early, shopping in Anchorage for perishables two days prior to the tour, and preparing all of our meals in the Sivuqaq Inn kitchen. A hot breakfast, lunch with soups and sandwiches, and hearty dinners. As mentioned elsewhere, there is no alcohol at Gambell, so drinks are limited to water, coffee, tea, and juices prepared from concentrate.
On St Paul the local guides prepare hot, filling meals at the hotel kitchen. All meals are taken here.
Snacks are always available, including fresh fruit, mixed nuts, energy or other granola bars, popcorn, and occasional baked goods. Meal times are flexible, depending on other groups sharing the kitchen and dining facilities; any participant who needs to eat earlier or later than the times scheduled for the group should merely let the cook know; leftovers are usually available and can be reheated at any time.
Please contact the WINGS office if you have any questions.
Food Allergies/Requirements: We cannot guarantee that all food allergies can be accommodated at every destination. Participants with significant food allergies or special dietary requirements should bring appropriate foods with them for those times when their needs cannot be met. Announced meal times are always approximate depending on how the day unfolds and what birds are being seen. Participants who need to eat according to a fixed schedule should bring supplemental food. Please contact the WINGS office if you have any questions.
Alcohol: Please be aware that St Lawrence Island (including Gambell) is “dry” and it is illegal to bring alcoholic beverages of any kind onto the island.
TRANSPORTATION: At Gambell we’ll provide one ATV for each two participants. We’ll provide a brief course in ATV operation at the start of our stay but each participant will be asked to sign a specific liability waiver in which they will acknowledge that the operation of an ATV involves some personal risk, and that (as in any rental contract) any damage (including the loss of the keys) incurred to the ATV’s will be the responsibility of the driver. Please note as well that there may be situations where the leaders, for birding reasons, will ask the group to walk. One should be in reasonable shape and expected to walk up to a mile at a time. At Saint Paul and Utqiagvik we will be traveling by 15 passenger vans or small 21 seat buses.
The internal flights are on commercial airlines (Alaskan Airlines, Bering Air, and Aleutian Air).
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2024 Narrative
Other enjoyable moments around Nome were watching the Sabine’s Gulls playing in the surf at the mouth of the Nome River, tracking down a large herd of Muskox, following an Arctic Loon (still in breeding plumage) as it hunted the distant reaches of Safety Sound, and of course, gulling at the dump!
Out on St Lawrence Island the residents reported that it was a cold, wet summer, and very little direct sunshine. Ironically we arrived with nearly no clouds and a gorgeous view of Sivoqaq Mountain to the east (below). The locals jokingly thanked us for bringing the sun along with us.
The previous couple of days on the island were reportedly very rainy and many trans-Beringian migrants were present in large numbers, likely unable to leave in such heavy rain and fog. Flocks of White and Eastern Yellow wagtails swirled around overhead while Northern Wheatears, Bluethroats, and Arctic Warblers slinked around the stands of wormwood in the boneyard. After practicing our flush-line a few times, and laying eyes on a handful of nice birds, we continued north out of the boneyard along the rocky mountainside towards a small pool that formed from the abundance of summer rain. As we approached the vegetated pond a Tringa sandpiper popped from the grass calling: a Wood Sandpiper! Wood Sandpipers are one of the more regular Alaska vagrants from Asia, though rarely reported around Gambell in the fall, they probably breed in the Aleutians annually. The group enjoyed a nice flight view as it passed by us, flying low, heading toward the Far Boneyard. We returned to the boneyard to find it feeding in one of the ponds along the north edge. We were able to approach closely for wonderful photos (below) and a fabulous view.
Noteworthy songbird sightings during our time in Gambell were Yellow and Wilson’s Warblers, many Savannah Sparrows, a new single-day high-count for White-crowned Sparrows (10), and two Lincoln’s Sparrows. Sadly the wind and weather did not cooperate for Asian vagrancy, but such is the case with searching for birds where they shouldn’t be.
eBird Trip Report Link: https://ebird.org/tripreport/271944
Additional Photos
2021 Field Report
You hit the jack-pot with Jake as [a leader]. He is a professional through and through with an incredible sense of group dynamics as well as demonstrating a sense for one's individual needs. He holds his composure in stressful situations, knows when to act quickly, if necessary, and is kind, respectful and patient. His birding skills are exceptional and his ability to share his knowledge comes with a natural ease. I appreciate his low-key, low-stress attitude along with his obvious commitment to offering all his clients a full and worthy day of birding each day of the trip.
- Marsha S. on Alaska: Fall Migration at Gambell, Nome & the Pribilofs
Jake is even-keeled and flexible, and has a quiet demeanor that puts everyone at ease. At the same time, he is highly knowledgeable about the birds, regular and rare, that can be encountered on every part of the tour. He is generous with his expertise, and ensures that every participant sees the birds that have been spotted. He's quite simply one of the best guides working today.
- Cornelius D. on Alaska: Fall Migration at Gambell, Nome & the Pribilofs
Debbie is an excellent cook, and we all leave well fed and a little heavier!
- Gary R. on Alaska: Fall Migration at Gambell, Nome & the Pribilofs
Debbie [was] wonderful, always cheerful and patient. She put in long hours and went to great lengths to try to accommodate everyone, worked 14 hour days. Heavens!
- John P. on Alaska: Fall Migration at Gambell, Nome & the Pribilofs
Our wonderful cook, Debbie, was [great]. Always a smile and put out amazing and tasty meals every day. I ate way too much and enjoyed it all.
- Ron C. on Alaska: Fall Migration at Gambell, Nome & the Pribilofs
Debbie spoils us with wonderful meals & snacks. Debbie is a real treasure and a major asset to WINGS tour offerings.
- Susan C. on Alaska: Fall Migration at Gambell, Nome & the Pribilofs
** The Gambell/Nome portion begins and ends in Nome. The Anchorage to Nome flight is not included in the tour cost and is most economically purchased as part of your flights to Alaska. The Nome to Gambell flight is included.
** the Pribilofs portion of the tour begins and ends in Anchorage. The return flight from Nome to Anchorage should be booked as part of your flights to Alaska.
** Single rooms are not always available in Gambell and St Paul.
This tour is limited to 8 participants with one leader; 14 participants with two leaders.
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