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Visiting the
Dovekie colony was one of the avian highlights. The sight
and sound was fabulous. (Photo by guide John Coons)
Our group enjoyed calm seas on our expedition to Svalbard where we had great encounters with so many prototypical arctic species. Polar Bear, Walrus, Arctic Fox, Ivory Gull, and Dovekie are species one has to go far north to see. And, far north we went. We reached 81º 21.026' N latitude which is 1000 miles north of the Arctic Circle and only 590 miles from the north pole. The spectacular scenery was a great backdrop for also seeing the massive bird cliffs filled with Thick-billed Murres at Alkefjellet, those colorful King Eiders swimming and standing on the ice, both Barnacle and Pink-footed geese, Red-throated Loons on the nest, breeding plumage Purple Sandpipers in flight display, Parasitic and Long-tailed jaegers, those always popular Atlantic Puffins, and numbers of Snow Bunitings singing away. We were also all dived on by Arctic Terns. Most of our landings were made on the island of Spitsbergen, but we also went ashore at Torrellneset on Nordaustlandet and the smaller island of Phippsoya. We sailed a total of 1072 nautical miles (1233 miles). Since so few species occur on Svalbard, I added the appropriate subspecific names for those that I could find information.
The great food, comfortable seas and ship, and friends we made among the quite international group of passengers and staff made for a lovely expedition to the Far North. Thanks for making it a wonderful time for me, too!
--John
KEYS FOR THIS LIST
One of the following keys may be shown in brackets for
individual species as appropriate: * = heard only, I =
introduced, E = endemic, N = nesting, a = austral migrant, b =
boreal migrant
BIRDS
Anatidae (Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl)
PINK-FOOTED GOOSE (Anser brachyrhynchus) – We saw these on a handful of occasions
with our first being seen on Blomstrandhalvoya. [E] BARNACLE GOOSE
(Branta leucopsis) – These were encountered on several days
with our first on the green tundra at the edge of
Longyearbyen where there were a few goslings. There were
also a good number in Ny Alesund where the chicks were a
little smaller. The population of this species in the 1950's
was less than 1000 individuals but it has come back well.
A highlight for
all the passengers and staff was this Polar Bear mother
and cub staying cool on the snow. (Photo by guide John
Coons)
COMMON EIDER
(BOREAL) (Somateria mollissima
borealis) – The most common
duck we encountered, there were good numbers in some
locations including many with young at Prins Karls Forland.
This subspecies is the same that breeds in Iceland,
Greenland and northeastern Canada.
LONG-TAILED DUCK
(Clangula hyemalis) – Surprisingly, we saw more of these than
expected with our first at Ny Alesund. Most were males but a
couple of females were also seen. Interestingly, there are
no described subspecies for this duck.
Phasianidae (Pheasants, Grouse, and
Allies)
ROCK PTARMIGAN (Lagopus muta hyperborea) – On our landing at Faksvagen some elected
to stay on the ship or do the beach walk. Going higher up
the ridge the group I was with found three Rock Ptarmigan
with one strolling around in front of all. This is the only
year-round resident of Spitsbergen and this race is only
found on Svalbard and Franz Josef Land. Gaviidae (Loons)
RED-THROATED LOON (Gavia stellata) – We found two nests with attending pairs.
Both birds on the nest were showing the characteristic prone
position with the neck stretched out. Procellariidae (Shearwaters and Petrels)
NORTHERN FULMAR (GLACIALIS) (Fulmarus glacialis glacialis) – Seen commonly each day. There was rarely
a time when one or two were not gliding by the ship. The
population in the Svalbard area is estimated at over one
million pairs. All that we saw were dark morph individuals.
This subspecies is the high arctic breeder in the Atlantic,
Charadriidae (Plovers and Lapwings)
COMMON RINGED PLOVER (Charadrius hiaticula hiaticula) – We enjoyed nice scope views of one at the
pond near Ny Alesund. Another was seen at Faksvagen and a
couple of us saw one at the pond in front of the airport
terminal on our last afternoon on Spitsbergen. Scolopacidae (Sandpipers and Allies)
PURPLE SANDPIPER (Calidris maritima) – These were well represented with at least
one or two seen at most landing throughout the trip. Several
were engaged in flight displays and at least one was seen
doing the lifted-wing display. Some of us saw a color-banded
individual on the beach at Raudfjorden. I contacted some
European banders who led me to a website that indicates this
bird may have been banded in Sweden but that bander has not
responded to my email. RED PHALAROPE
(Phalaropus fulicarius) – Our only encounter was a fly-by pair
while we were enjoying the female Polar Bear and cub at the
Andoyane Islands. Those that got on them could see the red
color and white cheek of the more brightly-colored female.
Laridae (Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers)
BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE (ATLANTIC)
(Rissa tridactyla tridactyla) – These were abundant throughout the trip.
We saw many on the nesting cliffs at Alkefjellet then
several groups that congregated on ice floes in the fjords.
IVORY GULL
(Pagophila eburnea) – One of the quintessential birds of the
Arctic. We observed at least seven individuals in five
different localities. The pair on the beach and swimming
just offshore at Ny Alesund afforded the best views of this
rarely seen species. Our first was at Longyearbyen where we
got lucky and saw one on a pond near the dog town east of
the community. A great bird!
This Ivory Gull,
one of the great birds of the north, showed well at Ny
Ålesund. (Photo by guide John Coons)
ARCTIC TERN
(Sterna paradisaea) – These were around and aggressive at most
of the landings we made. The nesting birds will really let
you know they don't want you around. At least one of us got
tapped on the hat at Ny Alesund where they can not be
avoided.
Stercorariidae (Skuas and Jaegers)
GREAT SKUA (Stercorarius
skua) – Only a few were seen
and these were all from the ship as they harassed terns and
kittiwakes. PARASITIC JAEGER
(Stercorarius parasiticus) – We saw a fair number of these "Arctic
Skuas" throughout the trip. Some were chasing terns while
our treks on the tundra took us near some nesting areas
where both individuals flew just a few meters overhead
before returning to the nest.
LONG-TAILED JAEGER
(Stercorarius longicaudus) – At Blomstrandhalvoya we saw one of the
few pairs of this species on Spitsbergen. The individual we
saw well was banded and had a solar geo-tag. If this was the
same individual that we saw last year, it had spent the
previous winter off the coast of South Africa.
Alcidae (Auks, Murres, and Puffins)
DOVEKIE (Alle
alle alle) – Although we saw
many individuals flying past the ship, it was a trip
highlight to sit amongst these calling birds in the nesting
colony. About every 15 minutes a Glaucous Gull would pass
over scattering hundreds of birds into flight. Not many
birders have seen this species in its breeding plumage.
THICK-BILLED MURRE
(Uria lomvia lomvia) – This was certainly the most numerous
species we saw on the trip. The nesting cliff at Alkefjellet
alone has 65,000 pairs. Hundreds upon hundreds were seen
everyday from the ship. Throughout the expedition this
species was referred to by its Old World name, Brunnich's
Guillemot.
BLACK GUILLEMOT
(ARCTIC) (Cepphus grylle
mandtii) – We saw this
species every day of the trip but not in big numbers. At the
nesting cliffs at Alkefjellet there were only a handful of
nesting pairs compared to the Thick-billed Murres and
kittiwakes. Several seemed to be quite curious of the
drifting zodiacs and came up for a close look where the
bright red feet could easily be seen. This is the race that
breeds in the arctic and is different from the form that
breeds in eastern North America.
ATLANTIC PUFFIN
(Fratercula arctica) – This popular species was mostly seen in
the southern portion of our expedition though a few were
seen further north. Those of us that did the post-dinner
zodiac cruise near the 14th of July Glacier saw a few
nesting pairs on the rocky cliffs one of the furthest north
colonies in the world.
Calcariidae (Longspurs and Snow Buntings)
SNOW BUNTING (Plectrophenax nivalis nivalis) – Starting in Longyearbyen we saw this
beautiful little species, the only regularly occurring
passerine on Svalbard, almost everywhere we landed that had
any kind of tundra vegetation. Its song was always a delight
to hear. The subspecies occurring here is the same one that
winters in the United States. MAMMALS
WHITE-BEAKED
DOLPHIN (Lagenorhynchus
albirostris) – Wayne Lynch
convinced me that the first sighting of Minke Whale right
off the bow by many on the ship was probably this species.
The shape of the dorsal fin and size fit well. I wish we had
seen it better.
COMMON MINKE WHALE
(Balaenoptera acutorostrata) – At least a couple of these small whales
were seen.
FIN WHALE (Balaenoptera physalus) – I don't think any of us got up (Cynthia?)
when the call went out that these were near the ship at 1:00
am. Near the end of the trip some of the late-nighters had a
small pod of blowing individuals on the starboard side.
ARCTIC FOX
(Alopex lagopus) – We did well with sightings of this
entertaining species with good sightings at Alkefjellet and
at Fuglehuken where we had the closest view.
POLAR BEAR
(Ursus maritimus) – Wow! A trip highlight for all had to be
the encounters with this magnificent creature. Our first was
a male at Woodfjorden that was tending to a seal kill while
another smaller bear made an approach before wisely moving
on. Later that day we enjoyed a mother and cub lounging on a
patch of snow on one of the Andoyane Islands. Amazingly,
while most of the passengers were ashore at Murchisonfjord a
Polar Bear swam up to the ship for some of the best photos
of the trip. Another great sighting was the bear we found
near the edge of the pack ice well north of 81º N latitude.
We watched this one swim between ice floes before letting it
resume its hunting. In all, I believe eight of these top
predators were seen.
We enjoyed
several encounters with Walrus including this haul out
location at Torrellneset. (Photo by guide John Coons)
HARBOR SEAL
(Phoca vitulina) – We saw a good number of these at
Fuglehuken which is the normal northern limit of their
range.
RINGED SEAL
(Phoca hispida) – A few of these were seen later in the
trip. This species is the only one that is able to keep its
breathing hole open in the thicker pack ice.
HARP SEAL (Phoca groenlandica) – A few were seen well later in the trip.
BEARDED SEAL
(Erignathus barbatus) – Some folks had nice close views of one
near the ship while many were ashore. We had another couple
that we got in the scope on some distant pack ice. This is
the largest of the seals we encountered.
CARIBOU (Rangifer caribou) – Good numbers of this endemic subspecies
were seen. Known locally as Svalbard Reindeer, this form is
smaller with shorter legs than its mainland counterparts.
The subspecific name is platyrhynchus which means flat nose.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Totals for the tour: 23 bird taxa and 11 mammal taxa