Birds and Bird Guides in Alaska (1 Viewer)

[Suffolkringer]

Hello

I am just wandering if anyone knows the details of any bird tour guides in Alaska and also some helpful pointers to where to go to see some nice birds etc.

I like Martin in previous post am hoping to go to Alaska for a honeymoon. It will certainly involve quite a bit of nature stuff as thats what we both love.

I am unsure how realistic it is, but I was wandering how easy it is to see Bears etc when the Salmon run is on? When is best to see this? Are there any other large mammals that you can see without camping out in the wilderness for 5 days etc? Is there any spots to Photograph the Bears at Salmon time?

Also I would love to maybe catch up with some of the ducks / seabirds? Where might be best for this? Does anyone know a birder / bird tour company locally who organises bespoke trips for this sort of thing? I assume it will involve boats? What about breeding sea ducks? Eider species? Which ones occur? What about Harlequin Duck? Does this occur? If so where? and when is best?

Hope someone can help?

All the best
Jon

 

[Jim Lawson]

Jon,
I do not know the time frame in which you are coming to this great state, the Salmon run is from late May to early September and when there are Salmon you will find Bears, The Kenai And Russian rivers has trails and bears visit these area's. Also 7 miles outside of Anchorage heading south on the Seward Highway we have Potters Marsh< ducks, Geese,Swans,Golden eyes,mallards,pintails,just about every species of waterfowl in north america Migrate threw this area of marsh land for mating. There is so much to see and I have not seen it all after living here for 30 years but I am getting close. Lots of web sites on Alaska, Puffins are located in Seward and Homer Alaska yes it involves boats, Also the summer months includes whales and dolfins (bottle neck) and sea ducks. It is pretty amazing on the amount of defferent spices that visit this state. I hope this helps

Jim

 

[Martin Fagg]

Jon,
I do not know the time frame in which you are coming to this great state, the Salmon run is from late May to early September and when there are Salmon you will find Bears, The Kenai And Russian rivers has trails and bears visit these area's. Also 7 miles outside of Anchorage heading south on the Seward Highway we have Potters Marsh< ducks, Geese,Swans,Golden eyes,mallards,pintails,just about every species of waterfowl in north america Migrate threw this area of marsh land for mating. There is so much to see and I have not seen it all after living here for 30 years but I am getting close. Lots of web sites on Alaska, Puffins are located in Seward and Homer Alaska yes it involves boats, Also the summer months includes whales and dolfins (bottle neck) and sea ducks. It is pretty amazing on the amount of defferent spices that visit this state. I hope this helps

Jim

Hi Jim,

I am also planning a honeymoon to Alaska this year. It's been my fiancee's life long wish to see it.

When would you say is the best month to visit. I was thinking of coming over in May but might have to wait until June due to work commitments.
Is either month better than the other? Or is fall better?

Or maybe spread the stay across the last two weeks of May and first two weeks of June?

I am mainly into birding but whales and mammals will also be on our 'to see' list.

We will be hiring an RV to roam around in.

Best wishes,
Martin.

 

[jparks]

hello all

Hi,
I just registered to this forum and there is a lot of stuff on this website.

Alaska is a huge place with tons of stuff to do. When talking about times of migrations it really depends your location at that time. The geese, swans and most waterfowl start there migration in april. The shore bird migration hits places like Cordova and Homer around the 2nd week of may. It is quite an amazing thing to see litteraly hundred of thousand of western sandpipers and dunlins flashing there white undersides as fly back and forth and settle back down on the mud flats.

The first week of june birds from asia hits the north slope low lands like bluethroats and arctic warblers. By about the middle of june most birds are nesting and raising there young all across alaska. From end of may till the early part of june the song birds are easier to find. While they sing there songs and do there mating rituals.

Depending on the amount of time you have and transportation like your RV you can see a great variety birds not to mention the animals. I run into people every year who start in homer and travel all the way to Prudoe bay with a rented RV. With a manditory stop and bus ride into denali park.

There are just too many option to mention. One thing that is sought after and dreamed of by the majority of true birders who come to Alaska is Gambel. The only way to visit is through several tour operators. They are easy to find on the net.

A couple really good Alaska bird books are:
Field guide:
http://www.amazon.com/Guide-Birds-A...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262933256&sr=8-1

Guide on every place to bird in alaska:
http://www.amazon.com/Birders-Guide...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262933354&sr=1-1

Dont get "birds of alaska" by stan tekeil it is more than incomplete.

hope this gives you an idea that there are endless options of wonderful things to do.

josh

 

[Martin Fagg]

Hi,
I just registered to this forum and there is a lot of stuff on this website.

Alaska is a huge place with tons of stuff to do. When talking about times of migrations it really depends your location at that time. The geese, swans and most waterfowl start there migration in april. The shore bird migration hits places like Cordova and Homer around the 2nd week of may. It is quite an amazing thing to see litteraly hundred of thousand of western sandpipers and dunlins flashing there white undersides as fly back and forth and settle back down on the mud flats.

The first week of june birds from asia hits the north slope low lands like bluethroats and arctic warblers. By about the middle of june most birds are nesting and raising there young all across alaska. From end of may till the early part of june the song birds are easier to find. While they sing there songs and do there mating rituals.

Depending on the amount of time you have and transportation like your RV you can see a great variety birds not to mention the animals. I run into people every year who start in homer and travel all the way to Prudoe bay with a rented RV. With a manditory stop and bus ride into denali park.

There are just too many option to mention. One thing that is sought after and dreamed of by the majority of true birders who come to Alaska is Gambel. The only way to visit is through several tour operators. They are easy to find on the net.

A couple really good Alaska bird books are:
Field guide:
http://www.amazon.com/Guide-Birds-A...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262933256&sr=8-1

Guide on every place to bird in alaska:
http://www.amazon.com/Birders-Guide...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262933354&sr=1-1

Dont get "birds of alaska" by stan tekeil it is more than incomplete.

hope this gives you an idea that there are endless options of wonderful things to do.

josh

Hi Josh,

thanks for your input. I have the second book you mention (how comprehensive?!) but not the field guide so I'll buy that I reckon. I have Sibley but that contains too many birds not found in Alaska to be practical in the field.

Gambell looks great but as this is my honeymoon and my fiancee isn't a birder I can't drag her out there. It's been her dream since childhood to see the mountains and woods so we'll be sticking to the mainland I think.

I was thinking of starting at Cordova to see the massed waders (we will both really enjoy that) and then mosey north into the hills and just see what birds we discover rather than create an itinerary. A relaxed approach rather than manic listing.
As you say a side trip into Denali will be mandatory.

Cordova sounds amazing. Here in the UK we think of tens of thousands of waders as a huge spectacle. Hundreds of thousands would be mind blowing.
I have got to get a decent camera before we come over.

You help is much appreciated Josh.
Best wishes,
Martin.

 

[jparks]

Cordova spring bird festival

hello,

If you were planning on going to Cordova you should try to make it for the spring bird festival. It is alot of fun and really neat to take the ferry over.
Here is a link to the Cordova web site for it.
http://cordovachamber.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=57&Itemid=44

Looks like this year it will be May 6-9th.

Also just an FYI it seems like the last week of May and first two weeks of June are the nicest of the weeks of summer for the interior and denali. Of course this isnt always the case but from the last 20 years it seems to be true 80% of the time.

I cant wait for spring,

josh

 

[Martin Fagg]

hello,

If you were planning on going to Cordova you should try to make it for the spring bird festival. It is alot of fun and really neat to take the ferry over.
Here is a link to the Cordova web site for it.
http://cordovachamber.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=57&Itemid=44

Looks like this year it will be May 6-9th.

Also just an FYI it seems like the last week of May and first two weeks of June are the nicest of the weeks of summer for the interior and denali. Of course this isnt always the case but from the last 20 years it seems to be true 80% of the time.

I cant wait for spring,

josh

Thanks Josh,

that's really great info. I'm now wondering whether to come over in early may and extend the trip from 4 weeks to!
Have to do some financial sums though :eek!:

Hundreds of thousands of waders is very appealing.

 

[Rufles]

There are just too many option to mention. One thing that is sought after and dreamed of by the majority of true birders who come to Alaska is Gambel. The only way to visit is through several tour operators.
josh

Where did you hear that from? Visiting Gambell through a tour operator is not the only way, but it would make it a lot easier for a first time visiting birder.

Contact the village corporation, Sivuqaq, Inc., for some info on visiting during the spring and fall bird migrations if you plan on visiting without the aid of any of the tour operators.

 

[laciemarie_ak]

hello from alaska,

my name is Lacie, and i am a avian handler at the alaska raptor center in Sitka Alaska. there is plenty to see here, especially at my facility. In late july here in southeast ak, u can see Brown bears and the beginning of the salmon run. it depends on how u come up here , cruises through the inside passage offer great opportunities to see wild life from the boat. if its eagles, owls and falcons , and bears oh my, then southeast is the best place to see it!! try googling sitka, ak, juneau, and ketchecan ak.

 

[jparks]

Gambel

Yes you can do it yourself, but it is difficult to do. If you call one of the two comercial places to stay up there they will tell you they are booked up till 2012 (because of the tour guides) at least that was the last time I called last fall. You can stay with natives but it is tough for an outside to do it and to get around once you are out there. Gotta get the native land permits also. You can but its tough and takes a lot of money.

You are right though you can go out there on your own.

josh