Russian Arctic: Across the Top of the

World searching for Polar Bears

7 – 21 August 2013

A trip report by two clients, Judith Hartzler and Joanna Suter, who went on this voyage. There was no Tropical Birding guide present, but on board naturalists assisted with wildlife encounters. Keith Barnes assembled the Trip Report.

Introduction:

This trip delivered an Arctic wildlife smorgasbord never to be forgotten. Polar Bear encounters, including with babies, on five consecutive days has to take the cake. But other amazing northern beasts such as Walrus, Beluga Whales, Musk Oxen, Orcas, Brown Bear, Arctic Fox, and several species of whales and seals were seen multiple times. Although birds diversity is low up here, it is the absolute spectacles of millions of Crested Auklets, or walls filled with Tufted and Horned Puffins, or a Snowy Owl hunting in broad daylight, that make this region so amazing. Not to mention encounters with genuinely scarce and localized creatures like Ross’ Gull, Emperor Goose, White-billed Diver and Spectacled Eider satisfying even the most hardened twitcher. The amazing wild landscapes and human history only add to the sense of adventure when having the privilege of visiting one of the wildest places left on Earth. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, explorers risked their lives and those of their crew to chart and lay claim to the area in the remote Siberian wilderness of Northeast Russia. The sea provided bountiful animal life for those subsisting along the coast as well as many who sought fortunes in its wealth. The Cold War closed off possibilities of further exploration and settlement with armed installations in the Chukotka region facing off across the sea with North America. But in 1976, Wrangel Island and its surrounding waters off the north coast of Chukotka became a Russian Federal Nature Reserve, providing critical habitat to a variety of species that eke out existence in its seemingly stark but pristine High Arctic landscape or use its rich biodiversity as summer breeding and feeding grounds.

With the rising sea temperatures and the melting of arctic ice, expeditions have become possible that would not have been considered a decade ago. Increased human access to these lands poses risks to the species that, while limited in variety, are represented in vast quantities. The search for wildlife, especially mammal species, is made challenging by the vast area, limited access, and physical conditions, but that only makes the rewards of spotting wildlife so much more rewarding. The excitement of discovery was conveyed in the welcome by Rodney Russ, expedition leader, in the Bering Air terminal in Nome, where the charter flight to Anadyr originated. While outlining some of the challenges we would face (port and border authorities, weather and sea conditions, etc.), his love for the region and his hope that we would discover and share his passion, was evident in his voice. “One does not discover new lands without consenting to leave sight of the shore.” -Heritage Expeditions Day 1: We arrived at the Bering Air Terminal in the Nome Airport where we met a truly international group of fellow passengers and a few of the expedition staff members. The logistical challenges became apparent very soon. With two planes available to shuttle three flights of passengers, some of us spent much of the day in Nome in a futile search for musk ox in the surrounding area. We did manage some good looks at a variety of tundra plants, including monkshood, fireweed, gentian, Siberian iris, and crown of thorns. We spotted some Glaucous Gull fledglings and Red-throated Loon in a pond as well as Sandhill cranes and a young Rough-legged Buzzard in a field near the airport. Those who had departed on the first two flights had a chance to tour Anadyr, the port city in Russia, which is the departure point for the expedition. The flight over the Bering strait went quickly; crossing the International Date Line, we left Nome on Tuesday but arrived in Anadyr on Wednesday, eager to start our adventure. A ferry took us to the ship; there were Beluga Whales and Spotted Seals in the harbor. We had a short time to settle into our cabins and explore a bit of the ship before a short introductory meeting and dinner. While eating, we could feel the thrum of the engines as the ship prepared to head out into the Anadyrskiy Bay and our voyage of exploration. Day 2: We had time to gain our sea legs as we sailed northeast from the Gulf of Anadyr towards the Bering Strait until we anchored at Cape Achchen. Our ship was accompanied by Herring and Glaucous gulls swooping along beside us. Puffins and Common Murre, Crested Auklets and Black-legged Kittiwakes swept across the water in front of us. In the late afternoon, after our mandatory lifeboat instruction, we wrapped up in warm and waterproof clothes and went out on the zodiacs. Huge craggy cliffs rose from the sea at many angles and with many layers, providing precarious nesting ledges for thousands of birds. The sheer cliff sides were covered with colonies of birds: Common and Thick-billed Murre, Pigeon Guillemot, Crested Auklet, Parakeet Auklet, Tufted Puffin, Horned Puffin, Glaucous and Herring Gull, Pelagic Cormorant, Black-Legged Kittiwake. A group of Harlequin Ducks swam in a whirlpool created by a tall waterfall, and a Snow Bunting perched on a rock near the water.

The seabird cliffs are a major feature of the beginning of this trip and a sight to behold.

(Photo Judith Hartzler and Joanna Suter)

The impish Crested Auklets (above) and Horned Puffins (below) were seen in huge numbers today (Photos: Cameron Cox).

Day 3: Strong winds and high waves kept us from landing at Whale Bone Alley but we went ashore at Glazenpa Bay on Arakamchechen Island, the site of an ancient Inuit village. We had time to hike up into the hills looking out over the water. A Northern Wheatear flew across gentle slopes filled with small streams and patches of snow. The rocks hid Northern Pikas and Arctic Ground Squirrels and the tundra was full of wildflowers. In the afternoon we stopped at Gilminyl Bay and went ashore where we did some birding along the river where we watched some salmon swimming. Northern Pintail, Eurasian Wigeon, Common Eider were spotted along the shoreline of a distant pond. While we stood watching some young Rough-Legged Hawks practice their soaring above the rock sided mountain in the high winds, a small flock of Sandhill Cranes flew in. The scenery was magnificent. Some of the hardier souls braved the cold temperatures and high winds to swim in the hot springs. Day 4-5: As we sailed north through the Bering Strait, we encountered strong north-north easterly winds. Sea spray flowed over the bow of the ship and regularly sprayed the windows in the bridge. Northern Fulmar, Short-tailed Shearwater, and Arctic and Pomarine jaegers accompanied the ship, along with the usual gulls, kittiwakes and murres. Red Phalaropes were feeding before starting their long migration to South America. A magical walrus (below) stuck his head out of the water in the morning near Cape Dezhnev.

Walrus! (Photo Judith Hartzler and Joanna Suter)

The strong winds eliminated the possibility of any landings on the northern coast of Chukotka, so we headed towards Herald Island to the east of Wrangel in hopes of sailing out of this depression. We had several interesting lectures on the native people of Chukotka and the history of Wrangel Island and saw a great movie on polar bears, filmed by Nikita Ovsyanikov, Russia’s eminent polar bear expert. We took the zodiacs to Herald Island where we were able to land for a bit, thus being some of the few people who have ever landed there. Boating quietly along the cliffs, the air was filled with the sights and sounds of thousands of birds: Glaucous Gulls, Horned Puffins, Black-Legged Kittywakes, Pelagic Cormorants, and Thick-billed Murre. There was an endless parade of birds leaving the cliffs to search for food and returning to cliff homes and nests. We passed large chunks of ice in fascinating shapes along the shore. Our first polar bear, spotted on an ice flow, slipped into the water. Day 6: We encountered ice around 3:00 a.m. near Wrangel Island, and Rodney invited us to come to the bridge to look for animals on the ice. Three walrus were spotted on some sea ice in the early morning. The ship’s progress was significantly slowed, so we had time for a very interesting presentation by Nikita on the future of the polar bear. While a polar bear’s entire life cycle can take place on drifting sea ice, the bears are extremely adaptable and have survived five or six warming periods. However, the marginal sea ice has resulted in leaner bears as well as increasing human activity in the arctic. That increased exposure to human encounters (hunting, invasive research, pollution, oil spills, etc.) pose a major threat to the survival of polar bears, and Nikita believes that if polar bears are not put under protection, they may disappear in 20-25 years (which is the lifespan of the generation currently being born). We dropped anchor around four miles from Doubtful Harbor and took zodiacs past many beautiful ice formations to shore where we had time to explore the area. Wrangel Island is thought to be one of the last places mammoths lived and we saw mammoth tusks in the riverbed and near a shed. Wildflowers were in bloom and we saw Siberian Brown Lemmings nibbling grasses. Snow Buntings fluttered everywhere and a small group of young Ruddy Turnstone waded at the edge of a pond that had musk ox tracks leading to it. A flock of Brent Geese rose from a pond and flew out over the sea, while a flock of Snow Geese flew in formation overhead.

We ate lunch near the shore and bade farewell to five passengers who had signed up for the Wrangel Overland Traverse. The sea ice had shifted while we were ashore, and our zodiacs were forced to turn around several times when our path back to the ship was blocked by ice. One zodiac was lucky enough to pass close by a polar bear and her cub swimming. For a few delightful moments, we watched as they climbed onto the ice and went on their way, a magical moment indeed. Day 7: We drifted in the sea ice overnight, and in the morning the ship was surrounded. The crew had a difficult time trying to extricate the ship from the ice; eventually they gave up the attempt to sail west to Cape Blossom and had to painstakingly turn it around and head east. The additions today were ringed and bearded seals. A polar bear was sighted on shore during breakfast and we all ran up to see it. A haul-out of walruses was spotted on some distant ice and another bear was seen on shore. A large flock of Snow Geese flew over the shore. It was fascinating to watch the ship maneuver, avoiding much of the sea ice. When it wasn’t possible to skirt the ice packs, the ship literally plowed up on some of the ice, then slowly sank back as the ice splintered away beneath it. There were tense moments for the captain, chief mate, and helmsman, but we passengers were entranced, trying to decide which path they would choose. The scenery was spectacular: wonderfully shaped ice packs floating with hills as a backdrop, gulls and kittiwakes wheeling around the ship looking for food in the large cracks caused by the ship’s ice breaking, and an incredible northern sky.

(Photo Judith Hartzler and Joanna Suter)

After a lecture on the alcids of the North Pacific and an early dinner, we reached Cape Warring and took the zodiacs near the shore. There was a dreamlike quality to this venture: mist hung over the top of the headland as we used paddles to silently float closer to two polar bears on the mountainside. Once the polar bears had moved away, we landed and walked to a small memorial erected for the sailors on the Karluk, a ship that was stranded, and finally sank in the ice, in 1914. The sailors managed to hike over fifty miles to Wrangel Island. As we were waiting for the zodiacs to be repositioned, a musk ox appeared in the dimming light over the top of the ridge. Day 8: We made good progress during the night, sailing clear around the north and partway down the west coast of Wrangel. A fairly calm sea permitted three zodiac trips. In the morning, after a short briefing about the day from Rodney and polar bear safety from Nikita, we boarded the zodiacs and cruised past the steep cliffs of Ptichy Bazar, shrouded in mist. The cliffs and sky were filled with kittiwakes and murres, with some Horned and Tufted Puffins nesting in deeper cavities on the ledges. The zodiac motors were shut off and we drifted with the raucous calls of the birds filling the area. After lunch we moved north to Cape Florence at the mouth of the Goose River, where the second overland group switched places with the first. After the exchange we reboarded the zodiacs and cruised along the shoreline. Two polar bears came into view in the distance, one lying along the beach and the other on the hillside. We landed farther up the beach and Rodney led some of the group on a brisk hike up into the hills. During this walk through the spongy high arctic tundra we saw our first Arctic Fox. On the way to Konsomol, a walrus swam away from the ship. From the bridge we spotted six bears near the shore, including a mother with a cub, but by the time we boarded the zodiacs they had moved out of sight. Running out of gas on our return zodiac trip was a stroke of luck. The delay allowed us to spot two Gray Whales breaching several times. Day 9: We awoke to heavy fog that had descended overnight. We stopped at Dreamhead, which is a major denning area for polar bears, but the mist hindered any bear sightings. We had the option of a long, vigorous hike over uneven, spongy, boggy tundra. We spotted a spectacular snowy owl perched on a small rise. It let us advance to 100 meters from it before flying to another perch. Dunlins fed in the shallow pools near the shore. In the late afternoon we loaded into zodiacs for a landing at Nahotka Island along the north shore of Wrangel Island. We reached our highest latitude here:

71 39’. Rodney used a GPS to guide us and the zodiacs had to stay close together because they were easily lost in the fog. After a brief landing we returned to our ship, which appeared like a ghost ship in the mist. Day 10: The fog was so heavy we decided to forgo an early morning landing. Late morning we arrived at Rodgers Bay, in the southeast corner of Wrangel Island. We went ashore near the remnants of a former village, complete with school, library, post office and a main street. This is the main base for the nature reserve staff; many buildings are abandoned but reserve staff and researchers occupy some. As on previous landings we saw many empty oil barrels and discarded equipment. The overland group had arrived

the night before and shared their sightings of large groups of musk ox and an encounter between a young Snowy Owl and an Arctic Fox. The small waves caused by the zodiacs were incredibly beautiful in the fog. Small icebergs were floating in the water and a flock of Snow Geese flew in formation over the shore as we arrived. Following a lecture on seabird colonies, a polar bear was spotted swimming away from the ship.

The incredible Ross’s Gull was seen by some participants this morning! (Photo: Cameron Cox). Day 11: We were now back in open waters. The Bering Strait is rich with marine mammals and birds. Waves of Short-tailed Shearwaters, estimated at 80,000, flew across the front of the ship as we sailed towards Kolyuchin Island. During a lecture on the history of the Chukotka region there was an announcement that a pod of Humpback Whales was spotted in the distance. We temporarily abandoned the lecture for a real wildlife experience. We saw a lot of spouting but they kept their distance. By this time the mist had lifted and we were able to see our landing spot, which was blanketed by a haul-out of walruses. Landing was out of the question so we loaded into zodiacs and approached the walruses very slowly. First we saw them, then we smelled their pungent aroma, and then we heard their guttural snorts. A few approached the zodiacs to inspect us but came no closer than twenty yards before disappearing under the water. We moved to Kolyuchinskaya Inlet. The spit has numerous ponds so we slogged through very boggy tundra. We were rewarded by the sound and sight of Yellow-billed Loons, and Emperor Geese on the far edge of the pond. Two Arctic Foxes ran back

and forth in the background. A pair of Trumpeter Swans and their four cygnets glided across a pond. Also spotted were Red-throated Loons, Sandhill Crane, Bewick’s Swan and Common Eider. Day 12: The morning started with endless waves of Crested Auklets flying in both directions; our birding expert estimated they were 10 ½ million strong. As we neared Uelen village, we started to see spouting everywhere, and it was evident we had chanced upon an assemblage of Humpback Whales. One Gray Whale was spotted among the estimated 450 Humpbacks. Some swam quite close to the ship and we spotted tails and volcanoes of spouts in every direction. The ship slowed and circled around so we could get additional looks at the whales. After a lecture on marine mammals of Chukotka, we visited the village of Uelen. Uelen was established as a marine hunters’ camp over 2000 years ago. We visited the school and a museum where we saw beautiful walrus tusk carvings. Villagers gave a traditional dance demonstration on the beach. Just after arriving back on board ship, a pod of Orcas raced by the ship chasing a Humpback Whale. Unfortunately heavy fog blanketed the ship and we could not discern whether the hunt was successful. The heavy fog and high waves prevented a landing at Cape Dezhnev, the closest point to North America. Day 13: We anchored off shore of Yttygran Island, home to the ancient site known as Whale Bone Alley. This was a main hunting area for Bowhead Whales and was both a ritual and processing site. As we approached, we could see what remained of the immense jaw and rib bones standing upright in several locations. We had over three hours to explore the island. We enjoyed listening to and watching Northern Pika and Arctic Ground Squirrels stand sentry, then disappear and reappear hunting seeds among the scree. Some of the passengers climbed to the tops of the peaks for a wide-angle view of the spectacular scenery. Days 14 – 15: As we sailed south through the Bering Sea towards Anadyr harbor we had time to pack, settle accounts, meet the staff one last time, and enjoy reminiscing while viewing each other’s photos. Our last dinner together was a delicious carvery with a bounty of seafood and other meats, vegetables and desserts. As we waited for our ferry to take us to the airport, we watched the Beluga Whales swimming near the ship and Spotted Seals hunting salmon in the harbor. From the Expedition Log 1233:

“We arrived here in Russia’s Far East with enquiring minds, seeking uncommon

experiences where creatures and landscapes are the stuff of legends. White whales,

seals with teeth a metre long, white ‘ice’ bears, mammoth tusks and flying penguins

really do have to be seen to be believed. Paint them on a movie set backdrop of

Salvador Dali rustic contours and frozen icescapes that shape this northern world and it

is immediately apparent that there is no other place like this on earth. Into this picture

bring the descendants of people who have eked out a meagre existence for thousands

of years in tune with nature. Humans who survive in abodes and craft of bone and skin,

who dance before you with the spirit that has sustained them through the ages.

Somehow our journey to this place had crossed over from the ‘real’ life at home to a

world previously known only in our imagination. It was now time to cross back, but we

would do it with full hearts and so many stories to tell.”

Parakeet Auklet, one of the avian highlights of the cruise (Photo: Cameron Cox)

List of Bird Species recorded Sequence and taxonomy follows Clements, J. F. (2000) Birds of the World: A Checklist. White-billed Diver (Yellow-billed Loon) Gavia adamsii Black-throated Diver (Arctic Loon) Gavia arctica Red-throated Diver (Red-throated Loon) Gavia stellata Northern Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis Short-tailed Shearwater Puffinus tenuirostris Fork-tailed Storm Petrel Oceanodroma monorhis Pelagic Cormorant Phalacrocorax pelagicus Sandhill Crane Grus canadensis Bewick’s Swan Cygnus columbianus bewickii Trumpeter Swan Cygnus bucinnator Bean Goose Anser fabalis Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons Snow Goose Anser caerulescens Emperor Goose Anser canagicus Brent Goose Branta bernicla Northern Pintail Anas acuta Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope Greater Scaup Aythya marila Common Eider Somateria mollissima King Eider Somateria spectablis Spectacled Eider Somateria fischeri Harlequin Duck Histrionicus histrionicus Long-tailed Duck (Oldsquaw) Clangula hyemalis White-winged Scoter Melanitta fusca stejnegeri Rough-legged Buzzard Buteo lagopus Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus Snowy Owl Bubo scandiacus European Coot Fulica atra Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva Grey Plover (Black-bellied Plover) Pluvialis squatarola Dunlin Calidris alpina sakhalina Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos Rock Sandpiper Calidris ptilocnemis Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres Gray Phalarope (Red Phalarope) Phalaropus fulicarius Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus Arctic Skua (Parasitic Jaeger) Stercorarius parasiticus Long-tailed Skua (Long-tailed Jaeger) Stercorarius longicadus Pomarine Skua (Pomarine Jaeger) Stercorarius pomarinus Glaucous Gull Larus hyperboreus Vega Gull Larus vegae

Sabine’s Gull Xema sabini Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla pollicaris Ross’s Gull Rhodostethia rosea Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea Common Guillemot (Common Murre) Uria aalge Brünnich’s Guillemot (Thick-billed Murre) Uria lomvia arra Black Guillemot Cepphus grille Pigeon Guillemot Cepphus columba Crested Auklet Aethia cristatella Least Auklet Aethia pusilla Parakeet Auklet Aethia psittacula Horned Puffin Fratercula corniculata Tufted Puffin Fratercula cirrhata American Pipit (Buff-bellied Pipit) Anthus rubescens japonicus Pechora Pipit Anthus gustavi Red-throated Pipit Anthus cervinus White Wagtail Motacilla alba ocularis Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava simillima Northern Wheatear Oenantha oenanthe Arctic Warbler Phylloscopus borealis xanthodryas Common Raven Corvus corax Lapland Bunting (Lapland Longspur) Calcarius lapponicus Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis Common Redpoll (Mealy Redpoll) Carduelius flammes Arctic Redpoll (Hoary Redpoll) Carduelius hornemanni

Long-tailed Jaeger (Cameron Cox)

List of Mammal Species recorded Musk Ox Ovibos moschatus Arctic Ground Squirrel Citellus parryi Tundra Vole Microtus oeconomus Siberian Brown Lemming Lemmus sibiricus Northern Pika Ochotona hyperborean Arctic Fox Alopex lagopus Polar Bear Ursus maritimus Brown Bear Ursus arctos beringianus Ribbon Seal Phoca fasciata Harbor Seal Phoca vitulina Spotted Seal (Largha Seal) Phoca larga Bearded Seal Erignathus barbatus Walrus Odobenus rosmarus divergens Orca Orcinus orca Beluga Delphinapterus leucas Minke Whale Balaenoptera acutorostrata Humpback Whale Megaptera novaengliae Gray Whale Eschrichtius robustus

Ice Bears, do you need any other reason to go on this trip? (Photo Judith Hartzler and Joanna Suter)