An Alaskan Odyssey

BARROW – (pronounced Baerou) – June 15th – June 18th – Barrow is located above the Arctic Circle, in the North Slope Borough of Alaska. The land of the Polar Bear, with a population of around 4,300. The town is home to the Inupiat Eskimo, an indigenous Inuit ethnic group, for over 1500 years. Barrow is called Ukpeagvik in local Inupiat language, “the place where Snowy Owl is hunted”. It seems to me that everything and anything is hunted in and around Barrow, which is rather sad and distressing. We heard stories of Polar Bears being shot and even Sabine’s Gulls. Cannot get my head around that one. Barrow is one of the oldest settlements in the United States and is located 320 miles north of the Arctic Circle. The Polar Climate is cold and dry and the flat Tundra landscape stretches for over 200 miles to the south. There is little in the way of any shelter, so the winds are intense and bitterly cold.

All roads are unpaved and nothing more than gravel tracks due to the Permafrost. There are no roads connecting Barrow to the rest of Alaska. Transport in and out is by Air or by ocean-going marine barges during the short summer.

A stunning place for birding, especially during May to mid-June, when the Tundra is covered with breeding waders, ducks, divers, terns and skuas or Jaegers. Our target birds for the area were Spectacled Eider, Sabine’s Gull, Baird’s Sandpiper, Red-necked Stint, Steller’s Eider, King Eider, Snowy Owl, Long-billed Dowitcher, Grey (Red) Phalarope and Pomarine Jaeger. We also saw three Polar Bear feeding on a kill out on the Pack Ice. Listening to singing Pectoral Sandpiper, Red-necked Stint, Western Sandpiper, Baird’s Sandpiper and Semi-palmated Sandpiper was very special.

Barrow is really a desolate, untidy and isolated town, surround by a vast wilderness of Tundra and Pack Ice. However, the community has phone, mail, a public radio station, Internet, Cable TV, 4 Hotels, 8 places to eat, including a brilliant Chinese Restaurant, a dry cleaners, a fur shop and a Bank. Also a large Grocery/Merchandise store and 3 convenience stores. Barrow bans the sale of alcoholic beverages. There are major repair services for marine, auto and aircraft engines and all grades of petrol and gas are available and there is a large Police Station and Police presence, which was rather surprising.

Spectacled Eider – drake – Another mythical bird and my final Eider species – Barrow, Alaska – Tony Davison© – absolute Boomer !!

Spectacled Eider – drake – Take-off – Barrow, Alaska – Tony Davison© – We had good numbers of these handsome ducks at Barrow including a large flock at sea

Sabine’s Gull – Above 6 images – adult in summer plumage – Bonkers !! Barrow, Alaska – Tony Davison©

Red-necked Stint – summer plumage – This bird was displaying for several day to a Semi-palmated Sandpiper – Tony Davison©

Baird’s Sandpiper – Above 4 images – Barrow, Alaska – Tony Davison© – The waders at Barrow were mind-blowing

Semi-palmated Sandpiper – Barrow, Alaska – Tony Davison©

American Golden Plover – Above 3 images – Barrow, Alaska – Tony Davison© – These waders are simply stunning in summer plumage

Red (Grey) Phalarope – Above 4 images – Barrow, Alaska – Tony Davison©

Red-necked Phalarope – Barrow, Alaska – Tony Davison©

Pectoral Sandpiper – Above 4 images – Barrow, Alaska – Tony Davison© Their incredible display and song was amazing to watch

Long-billed Dowitcher – Above 3 images – Barrow, Alaska – Tony Davison©

Dunlin – (alpina race) – Barrow, Alaska – Tony Davison©

Long-tailed Duck – drake in summer plumage – Barrow, Alaska – Tony Davison© – also called “Old Squaw” due to it’s distinctive echoing call.

Snowy Owl – immature female – Barrow, Alaska – Tony Davison© This bird frequented the local cemetery where there was a good population of Lemmings