NOME – (pronounced Noum) – June 9th – 12th 2016 – Well there’s no place like Nome, as the saying goes! Located on the edge of the Bering Sea, on the South West side of the Seward Peninsula, the only way to enter is by air or sea. With a population of around 3,500, Nome has a Sub-Arctic climate, with very cold winters and short cold summers. The population is a mixture of Inupiat (Alaskan Native People) and Non-natives. Nome is famous for the Gold Rush and remnants of a by-gone age are scattered all around the area. Gold dredging still takes place to-day but is strictly controlled. Many of the creeks and river valleys are named after the Gold Rush era. Having posted a photo on Social Media of Nome town, a friend likened the town to something off the horror movie, 30 Days of Night! I didn’t think it was that bad. We had excellent accommodation at “The Dredge 7 Inn” and the food at a nearby diner was second to none.
There are three main local roads that lead out of Nome. The Council Road, heads off to Council, the Kougarok Road, leads to the Kougarok River and the Teller Road takes one to the isolated, God-foresaken town of Teller, easy really. All these roads cover the best areas for birding and are mostly unpaved gravel tracks, the Kougarok Road in particular, is especially a difficult drive and it’s over 60 miles to the Bristle-thighed Curlew site.
Birding in Nome area is excellent, especially during the summer months from May through to mid-June and again during the fall. There is plenty of scope for finding a rare migrant and we saw a drake Spectacled Eider at the Nome River mouth, which was rather special for here. The spectacular Tundra landscape is covered in wild flowers and holds some very special breeding waders. Our target species in the area, during our four day stay, were – Bristle-thighed Curlew, Pacific Golden Plover, Aleutian Tern, Red-throated Loon, Western Sandpiper, Semi-palmated Sandpiper, Red-necked Phalarope, Long-tailed Skua, Bluethroat and Golden-crowned Sparrow. We also had several Musk Ox and a pair of Gyr Falcon at their eyrie.
Bristle-thighed Curlew – Above three images – Nome, Alaska – My bird of the trip. Only breeds in Alaska and is endangered – Tony Davison©
Aleutian Tern – Above four images – Nome Alaska – Breeds in Alaska and easternmost Siberia – Tony Davison©
Bluethroat – Above two images – Nome, Alaska – Tony Davison©
Arctic Tundra Habitat – Nome, Alaska – Tony Davison© This habitat is home to American and Pacific Golden Plovers –
American Golden Plover – Above two images – Nome, Alaska – Tony Davison©
Pacific Golden Plover – Nome, Alaska – Tony Davison©
Western Sandpiper – Above six images – Nome, Alaska – Tony Davison©
Semi-palmated Sandpiper – Above three images – Nome, Alaska – Tony Davison©
Semi-palmated Plover – Nome, Alaska – Tony Davison©
Red-necked Phalarope – Above 4 images – Nome, Alaska – Tony Davison©
Long-tailed Skua – Above 3 images – Nome, Alaska – Tony Davison©
Safety Sound, Nome, Alaska – A brilliant place for birding – Tony Davison©
Red-throated Loon – Above 5 images – Nome, Alaska – Tony Davison©
Lapland Bunting – Above 2 images – Nome, Alaska – Tony Davison©
Snow Bunting – Nome, Alaska – Tony Davison©
Northern Waterthrush – Nome, Alaska – Tony Davison©
Yellow Warbler – Nome Alaska – Tony Davison©
Savannah Sparrow – Nome, Alaska – Tony Davison©
White-crowned Sparrow – Above 2 images – Nome, Alaska – Tony Davison©
Grey-cheeked Thrush – Above 2 images – Nome, Alaska – Tony Davison©
Hoary Redpoll – Nome, Alaska – Tony Davison©
Cliff Swallow – Nome, Alaska – Many colonies breeding under the numerous road bridges crossing creeks. Tony Davison©
Golden-crowned Sparrow – Nome, Alaska – Only saw this species at Nome in remote Tundra areas – Tony Davison©
Willow Ptarmigan – Above 2 images – Nome, Alaska – Tony Davison©
Red Fox – Above 2 images – Nome, Alaska – Tony Davison©
Teller, Nome, Alaska – The most isolated and desolate settlement I’ve ever visited. Seventythree miles north of Nome, on the edge of the Bering Sea – Tony Davison©
Nome River Mouth Area – A vast area of estuary – Nome, Alaska – Another excellent birding area – Tony Davison©
The Kougarok Road, Nome, Alaska – 75miles of nothing but dirt track – This road leads to the Bristle-thighed Curlew site. Tony Davison©
Arctic Tundra Landscape – These river valleys hold a wealth of birds – Tony Davison©
