ALASKA

Field Guides' Alaska: The Great Land tours in early summer take you from Anchorage's lively ponds to the seabird cliffs of the Chiswell Islands, where thousands of kittiwakes, puffins, and murres nest. We explore Kenai Fjords National Park by boat, spotting Black Oystercatchers, Kittlitz's and Ancient murrelets, and possibly Humpback Whales and Sea Otters along the rocky coastline.

High on every birder's want list is Utqiagvik (Barrow), the northernmost point in the U.S., where you'll search for all four eider species, Snowy Owl, and hundreds of shorebirds in full breeding regalia. The summer's endless daylight and vibrant bird activity make this the prime season, with opportunities to see rare Asian migrants and dramatic breeding displays.

In Nome, which we visit on both our longer Alaska tour linked above as well as on the one-site Alaska: No Place Like Nome, we witness the unique blend of American and Eurasian avifauna--look for Bluethroat, Arctic Warbler, Bristle-thighed Curlew, and Emperor Goose, all amid tundra landscapes alive with displaying shorebirds and the possibility of Muskox or Grizzly Bear encounters.

Our two-parted Alaska Fall Goldmine tours to the Pribilofs and Barrow offer a further great chance for the unexpected, with a focus on the possibility for late Asian vagrants as well as observing the migration of Ross's Gulls.

Alaska tours with Field Guides promise not just exceptional birding but immersion in one of Earth's wildest and most beautiful places--a true bucket-list experience for any nature lover.

Photo credit: Our thanks to participant Doug Clarke for the great image of Spectacled Eider at the top of this page.

We offer many other USA birding tours, too!