Russian Arctic: Across the Top of the World

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 Redthroated 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 northnorth 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 wideangle 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)