birding cruises alaska

Since our Antarctic, South Georgia and Falklands bird and wildlife cruise starts at the southern tip of South America, we also have an opportunity for some land-based birding. We may see Kittlitzs Murrelet during the pelagic, but quite often they can be seen well from the shore, especially late in the day. The history of Alaska is short but interesting. Spotting all of the alcids exceeded our expectations. Bring atowel and lets have an intertidal adventure. more. Look for spotted seals on calm days, their heads popping up inquisitively at the tip of the spit. Book Now Photo Journey: Kenai Fjords Day Cruise Home National Parks & Forests Kenai Fjords National Park Kenai Fjords National Park Cruise (Extended) Starting at: $245 / per person Duration: 7.5 hours Departure time: 9:30am Dates: May 26 - September 10, 2023 Child rate: $125 Child age: 2 to 11 years old Tour overview: and Rock Sandpiper. Book entire boat for your family or group, or opt to bunk with other guests. and the uncommon Black-backed Woodpecker. The air holidays on this website are ATOL Protected. MP 2.5 Nome-Taylor Hwy: Spring provides opportunities to see semi-domestic reindeer along this section ofroad. Once we arrive we will get settled in for the evening with potential for some birding, depending on time and conditions. Look for ahuge tower of sticks and splashes of whitewash and orange lichen in the vicinity of the nest and surrounding perching sites. Anchorage, Alaska 99501. This area hosts amyriad of animals, birds, fish, and unique plants. At this Fairbanks wildlife sanctuary, you might see up to 15 different kinds of mammals: beavers, flying squirrels, snowshoe. Spring provides some of the best opportunities to see semi-domestic reindeer along this section of road. Birdquests Alaska birding tours are a classic North American wilderness adventure. This is an unmarked, unmaintained trail and can be difficult to follow, but is agood example of the real outdoors in Denali NationalPark. In late summer, salmon migrate up to the estuary tospawn. As evening approaches, look for bats flying over the lake feeding on insects. Gold mining activities occurred in the upper tributaries, as evidenced by the road and horizontal ditch lines. The trail parallels Island Lake Creek, which tumbles steeply through the woods over falls and boulders. Bears often visit the meadow, but leave it to fish the stream. Fish are plentiful in this upwellingareal buffet for thebirds! During an earlier extension to Dutch Harbor in the Aleutian Islands our focus will be on the amazing Whiskered Auklet and Cassins Auklet as well as Laysan Albatross (and also chances for Black-footed and Short-tailed Albatrosses), Red-faced Cormorant, Marbled and Kittlizs Murrelets, Red-legged Kittiwake (high chance!) more, Up ahead the noise and odor of the Black legged Kittiwakes will soon become apparent. Continue . Some of the best Alaska bird watching is on St. Paul Island in the Pribilof Islands, home to 300 species. Overwhelmed by choices? Here, these birds of prey are as plentiful as pigeons are in other cities, giving visitors arare opportunity to observe our national symbol upclose. Common loons, bald eagles, and arctic terns share the area with avariety of songbirds and shorebirds like the northern water thrush, golden-crowned sparrow, and the greater yellowlegs. This avian rehabilitation clinic often puts on programs with the chance to see one of their recovered patients up close. The scenery was stunning, and the colonies of Kittiwakes, Puffins, Murres, and Killer Whales were sights we will never forget. Most of the time they are found at the southern end of the lakes near the shore but can be anywhere, so stop at the lodge and road pullouts to look at the lake surface. Bald Eagles are positively common on Unalaska. This is amellow, 1.1mile-long, family-friendly loop trail, easily accessible from the Glenn Highway. Many birds shift to coastal areas, while many inland locales seem dominated by ravens, with flocks of chickadees and redpolls flitting among the trees. The 2,300-foot Pyramid Peak is surrounded by Pyramid Valley, Captains Bay and miles of popular hiking trails, including acircuit around the peak. Browse tour Alaska's Glacier Country Cruise Adventurers can bushwhack or scramble short distances for better views of the surrounding area or get up close to WWII-era trenches and the remains of old bunkers. We will devote part of the day to finding this rare and sometimes difficult species which shares its habitat with the more common and very similar Hudsonian Whimbrel. We will devote much of our time to looking for these birds and for other specialities such as the uncommon Emperor Goose, Gyr Falcon, Red-necked Stint, Vega and Slaty-backed Gulls, Aleutian Tern, Sandhill Crane, Eastern Yellow Wagtail, Bluethroat, Northern Wheatear, Arctic Warbler and Golden-crowned Sparrow. Osborn,. more, Just before Echo Cove is Bridget Point State Park, where youll find this well-maintained trail. On one day we will leave early for a drive along the famous Kougarok Highway in search of one of the worlds least-known birds, the Bristle-thighed Curlew, which is currently under study by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Included is round trip air travel from Anchorage to Nome for three nights and three days car rental to explore this diverse region independently. 1/2 day Whale Watch & Wildlife Cruises, Seward small boat tours Whale Watch Adventure & Resurrection Bay Tour 3.5 Hour Excursion: departure times vary - Check Calendar for current availablity $199 + tax/fees per person $3,900+. Free personal GPSdriven travel guide to Alaska. Follow this ravine up until you reach aridge that overlooks the Sable Pass restricted area. Find how many days you need based on what you want to see and do in Alaska. During the optional extension prior to the main tour, we will visit the remote Pribilof Islands, far out in the Bering Sea. Discovery Voyages - Alaska's small-ship cruise specialists exclusively navigating the pristine waters of Prince William Sound, located near Alaska's largest city - Anchorage, since 1992. Adjacent to the Airport and accessible off Ratcliffe Road, this trail runs through the wetlands between the mainlandand. Working our way east, we will check some of the many ponds and small lakes for a number of species, including Horned (or Slavonian) Grebe, Bufflehead, Least Sandpiper and Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs. Amounts shown in other currencies are indicative. High, snow-capped mountains, magnificent glaciers that protrude into the pristine waters like icy fingers and abundant wildlife all make for an enthralling excursion. Look for bank swallows nesting in the sea cliffs and harbor seals lounging on therocks. This popular public aquarium and research center in Seward features a multistory habitat for diving seabirds, with both above-water and below-the-surface viewing. These birds take advantage of the slight depressions in the rocks to build their nests. This string of lakes along the highway serves as asummer home for agreat variety of waterfowl. Visitors can easily scan the panoramic views of tundra and mountain slopes to find nesting and feeding birds, with flocks staging for migratory moves. The plankton bloom of May-June may be the most exciting time to visit, but birds remain in large numbers throughout the summer. Moose are also quite plentiful along this stretch of road and many of them have young (mostly twins) at this time of year. These are the walks for Bristle-thighed Curlew and Smiths Longspur, both across hummocky tundra that is only quite difficult if you have poor balance or strength in your legs (the former also involves an uphill climb of around 100m/330ft gain in altitude, the latter is largely over flat ground). Bird Photography: Opportunities during our Alaska birding tour are good. Our programme will to a certain degree be determined by the extent of the sea ice, which is likely to be only just starting to break up in mid-June. The list describes the specific places that draw avid birding enthusiasts to Alaska from across the world. (June-August.) This short, paved trail is an hours drive north of Anchorage in southern Wasilla. (August-October.) Look for canada goose and white- fronted goose. The perimeter of meadow habitat with threads of water drainages are good places to find Pacific golden-plover. Choose a round-trip Inside passage or one-way Gulf of Alaska Cruise. Tattler Creek is named for the Wandering Tattler, alarge shorebird that you may be lucky enough to spot. Tundra swan with cygnets, Canada goose, sandhill crane, northern shoveler, black scoter, long-tailed duck, greater and lesser scaup, and canvasback frequent the ponds. We work with agents and advisors to provide the best Alaska experience for your clients. 7 Nights / 8 Days. Pink and chum salmon spawn in August, coho are usually present in August and September. Sometimes we get sightings of Brown Bear in this exciting area. This protected bay roughly 15miles south of Sitka is agreat destination by boat or floatplane to see birds and bears. With thousands of miles of coastline, the highest mountains on the continent and vast wildernesses, Alaska is a must for all adventurers in search of unforgettable birds and wildlife set within unrivalled beauty. More than 20,000 birds nest on the cliff faces of this craggy island in Kachemak Bay about three milessouth. Migrants have dispersed, so finding nest sites of exotic species (like sandhill cranes) can require patience. Length: 5 hours. The reason we need a day in Anchorage in between St Paul and the main tour is that fog or high winds are issues in the Bering Sea and a flight delay to the return leg is a possibility that must be catered for. From Anchorage International Airport, take W. International Airport Road 2 miles to Minnesota Dr. S., merge right onto Minnesota Dr., travel 4.7 miles, then turn right onto New Seward Highway. This Alaska national park boasts abundant wildlife, alpine and tidewater glaciers, and breathtaking scenery. Located on the Bering Sea relatively close to Asiaand surrounded by the tundra of the Seward Peninsulathe community of Nome offers unique birding opportunities for travelers. Arctic grayling are the most likely fish to be seen from the bridge. Breeding swans move on to upland ponds to nest and raise their young, while non-breeding birds may remain all summer. Finally, a spectacular flight will take us well north of the Arctic Circle to the small settlement of Utqiagvik (formerly Barrow) on the shores of the Arctic Ocean. MP 50 Western Arctic caribou herd in years when they winter on the central Seward Peninsula. Alaska (Pribilofs): Day 2 Today we will take a flight to St Paul Island, situated some 800 miles (1300 km) from Anchorage in the Pribilofs, where the largest remaining Aleut community in the world resides. Upland habitatforests, mountain slopes, meadowsfill with nesting birds singing for mates and claiming territory. Sockeye salmon migrate up Pilgrim River to Salmon Lake between late July and mid-August, and some continue up the Grand Central River as far as the bridge. MP 19.4 Nome-Teller Hwy: Look for evidence of gold mining activities, harlequin ducks paddling swift currents, and pink salmon. Awide variety of birds and marine wildlife can be seen in UnalaskaBay. This cliff face may be the most accessible seabird rookery in the state, with more than 8,000 black-legged kittiwakes crowding the crannies amid a dramatic waterfall. Birdquest Inclusions: Our tour prices include surface transportation, accommodations, meals and entrance fees. Today we can see that the 20th Century has brought many changes to all of the native people. In late July through September, you can fish from the beach for silver and pink salmon. Other highlights here will include Red-faced Cormorant and the extremely localized Red-legged Kittiwake (which only breeds here and on a few other islands in the Aleutian and Komandor islands). In the fall, people fish for tomcod from the bridge. The steep road grade on either side of Cripple River gives agood overview of the thin thread-like river that runs through the valley. We will also have the opportunity to visit a Northern Fur Seal colony where we will be able to admire some large bulls at close range from behind one of the specially erected hides (blinds), their incredible barking calls ringing through the air. Another of the speciality birds on St Paul is the Pribilof race of the restricted-range Rock Sandpiper, which nests on the dry tundra. Coho, sockeye and chum salmon converge on the creek as it winds through the brushy flats beginning in mid-August, with some late-arriving fish still present after first frost in thefall. Join our newsletter for exclusive discounts and great birding information! During our drive along the Kougarok Highway, we will pass through the scenic Kigluaik Mountains. Deep diving ducks feedin. Well also seek out giant trumpeter swans, red-necked grebes, and of course, fishers of another specieshumans. To see (or hide) the map legend, click on the icon with an arrow in the upper left of the map box. The Scurves of Airport Beach Road are well-known by locals as agreat place to watch for water birds and for whales. A six-mile round-trip hike that climbs to just over 2,000feet, this climb will get you great views of Womens Bay and the rolling mountains of the island. Watch for Stellar sea lions, harbor Browse tour, This unique itinerary takes you to the remote Seward Peninsula. If a birder had to choose just one town in Alaska to visit, it should be Nome. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game reports 500 bird species populate or pass through Alaska seeking breeding, overwintering, resting, and refueling sites. The U.S. Forest Service manages the area, andthe Arctic grayling, and sometimes pink salmon, are foundhere. At the marsh, or in the damp scrub and woodland nearby, we should also be able to find Ring-necked Duck, Redhead, the impressive Belted Kingfisher, Alder Flycatcher, Wilsons Warbler, Song Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird and the uncommon Rusty Blackbird. The 10 Night Alaska Wildlife Express Cruisetour 1A (Post Tour) visits Vancouver, British Columbia; Juneau, Alaska; Icy Strait Point, Alaska; Sitka, Alaska; Skagway, Alaska and Seward, Alaska. Our carefully crafted itineraries, friendly & knowledgeable guides, gourmet meals, and historic 12 guest capacity . Use our calculator to find out, Stay casual, dress in layers, and get proper footwear, View All Southcentral & Interior Towns on a Map, Cruises depart Juneau or Sitka. Sea days are sometimes boring to non-birders who are only afterOrcas,Blue Whales, and other cetaceans plus the landings by Zodiac, but for birders full sailing days can be the most exciting of all. Adjacent to the Airport and accessible off Ratcliffe Road, this trail runs through the wetlands between the mainland and Douglas Island. The beautiful McKays Bunting, a species (or perhaps just a race of Snow Bunting) restricted to a few islands in the Bering Sea, sometimes winters on St Paul and very occasionally lingers until late May. Strays (and Eurasian species that even breed here) that we have recorded include Eurasian Wigeon, Eurasian Teal, Tufted Duck, Eurasian Hobby, Lesser Sand Plover, Long-toed Stint, Common Snipe, Wood and Common Sandpipers, Common Greenshank, Grey-tailed Tattler, Slaty-backed Gull, Common and Oriental Cuckoos, Olive-backed Pipit, Siberian Rubythroat, Eyebrowed Thrush and Brambling. Migrating north for summer, red tail hawks, sharp-shinned hawks, gyre falcons and other birds of prey gather in large numbers here, playing on the uplifts along the windy cliffs. Blackburn, spilling into the Chitina River several miles downstream. The Falkland Islands are sometimes the main reason why people join our standard Antarctic and sub-Antarctic birding cruise. Often Short-tailed Shearwaters are present (and they can be numerous), as are a few Thick-billed Murres (or Brnnichs Guillemots), while rarities include Fork-tailed Storm Petrel and Mottled Petrel. MP 40.4 Nome-Council Hwy: Agood spot to see salmon in late July and August, as well asbirds. Youll start by following the Mendenhall River until you get past the runway. Follow Tattler Creek upstream for 14mile to asteep ravine that comes in from the left. The address of our registered office is Two Jays, Kemple End, Stonyhurst, Clitheroe, Lancashire BB7 9QY, Website Design & Development by Accent Design, ALASKA Nome, Kenai, Denali Highway, Barrow, Pribilofs & Aleutians, Stunning scenery and crisp air in one of the world's last great wildernesses, Superb, breeding-plumaged Pacific Loons and Barrows Goldeneyes floating on crystal-clear waters, Red-legged Kittiwakes and amazing Parakeet and Crested Auklets on their breeding grounds at St Paul Island in the Pribilofs, Teeming shorebirds and waterfowl at Safety Sound, Nome, including Emperor Goose, Aleutian Terns gathering at their breeding colonies, Bristle-thighed Curlews displaying over remote moorlands, Close encounters with Sea Otters, and Humpback and Killer Whales as we cruise from Seward, Rafts of Tufted Puffins and Rhinoceros Auklets and a throng of other seabirds in the Chiswell Islands, Basking Harbour Seals nonchalantly gaze, as chunks of blue ice fall from Kenai's Northwestern Glacier, Brown Bears, Moose and Caribou in the Denali region, A superb Northern Hawk-Owl watching for prey from a spruce-top, Beautiful Smiths Longspur amidst Hares-tail Cottongrass in a secluded blanket bog, Red and Red-necked Phalaropes at our feet and booming Pectoral Sandpipers fluttering by, The breathtaking polar landscape of Barrow with Spectacled and Stellers Eiders and breeding Snowy Owls. Accommodation & Road Transport: The hotels/motels are of a good or medium standard almost throughout. This is agreat, easy walk that can be linked to the Forest and Muskeg Trail and Mosquito Cove Trail. While being respectful of the grave markers, search for northern shrike, bohemian waxwing, or black-capped chickadee and enjoy the common tundra bird species as well. Youll be climbing 2,400feet in elevation in just two miles. During summer the meadows are full of wildflowers and the views of Chiniak Bay are spectacular. Overlooking the Eastern Channel, this park is designed for whale watching, with 3covered viewing shelters, public-use binoculars, and 11 interpretive signs. We took a 3 hr birding cruise with Captain Karl. McKinley) from the road. This flat traila must for birderstakes you past the Juneau International Airport runway and into the famed Mendenhall Wetlands. Visit September to April to see the Northern Lights. Ketchikan is located on Revillagigedo Island and surrounded by a numerous waterways, adjacent islands and the temperate coastal . We are going to see plenty of species that will feature on the main tour, but we will be concentrating on two that will not: the lovely White-tailed Ptarmigan (backcountry road conditions permitting!) The forest and wetland grows more silent as birds raise their young. Cruises and land tours are great ways to see Alaska. Learn more. Day 7: Birding around Anchorage, then drive to Seward. Our Alaska birding adventures to the famous and isolated Pribilof Islands will allow you to view both migratory and indigenous birds, many of whom cannot be seen outside Alaska. The only charter I have returned to at all is Mike Manns Charters. This region has most of what makes Alaska Alaska. Many birds stay in the area throughout the summer, making this an important local hot spot for birdlife. Most notable among these specialities are Yellow-billed Loon, Laysan Albatross (and there is even a chance for Short-tailed Albatross! It runs eight miles to traditional summer fishing camps at Woolley Lagoon. The single supplement will not apply if you indicate on booking that you prefer to share a room and there is a room-mate of the same sex available. This area, with coves and rolling green hills, is not only picturesque, but serves as an easily accessible place to watch for agood mix of birdsfrom seabirds and waterfowl to nesting eagles and breeding songbirds. During April and early May this is aprime location to view migrating gray whales. Watch for upland birds including Willow and Rock Ptarmigan, and American Pipits. Early to mid summer, these bears can be often observed from Thorofare Pass. Day 2: Birding at Anchorage. Their nest is simply some grass and mud glued to the rock wall with their own guano. This striking bunting arrives exceptionally late on its breeding grounds and is right at the edge of its range in this area. Alaska (Dutch Harbor): Day 4 After some final birding on Unalaska Island we will fly back to Anchorage where we will overnight. Good glass always enhances birding and may be necessary to see details and study behavior. The highlight is the built-up. Its resemblance to ablacksmiths anvil generated names for many nearby landscape features, including Anvil Mountain and Anvil Creek. Several primarily Eurasian passerines nest locally in Alaska, including Alaska Wagtail (the local form of the Eastern Yellow Wagtail complex), Bluethroat and Northern Wheatear. Literally overnight, the land dropped by 6to 20feet; hay fields and pastureland became salt flats and marshland. The famous Potters Marsh is always teeming with waterbirds and here we can expect to find a number of new species, including the impressive Trumpeter Swan. One of Alaskas top birding events, this festival during early May celebrates the arrival of more than 5million. Here youll find one of the most accessible wildlife viewing areas in Alaska. Seward Boat Tours Leave the Crowds Behind, at Northern Latitude Adventures, We limit our Seward boat tours to 6 or fewer guests. Look for birds nesting in the small lakes on either side of theroad. Thousands of birds show up, making it aloud, raucous place. Your skill, expertise and good company added significantly to our birding adventures in Alaska. The first nests of the Arctic Warbler and Surfbird were also foundhere. Thousands of tundra swan move through this area on their spring migration. 2-5 day small ship explorations. Look for spawning salmon, moose, and avariety ofbirds. There are hardly ever any people here, making this agreat place, close to downtown, to get amoment of solitude. There is plenty of great bird habitat along the trail so watch for pipits and ptarmigan up high and songbird and snipe in the lower elevations. MP 52.7 Nome-Teller Hwy: The road parallels anarrow creek valley, making it easy to see water and shorebirds. This creates ablend of water types and habitats and attracts many different birds to areas of open water or the mud-bar edges of islands. We offer this once-in-a-lifetime experience in such a way as to make it combinable with our mainland Ecuador birding tours. Highlights are great views of the mountains surrounding Palmer (Pioneer Peak, the Chugach and Talkeetna ranges) and excellent bird watching. These superb diurnal predators are typically spotted perched on the top of a spruce tree. Your must-have activity guide + map while in Alaska. MP 3Nome-Taylor Hwy: The landfill draws scavengers; ravens, gulls, andfox. We should also find the extraordinary Musk Ox, which is sometimes present in good numbers, as well as Caribou (or Reindeer) and American Beaver. Serious birders relish this season for the chance to see unexpected and exotic travelers.

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