Alaska Birding Trip -- June 2018
 First chance to bird on the Pribilof Islands |
June 08, 2018. Birding Trip Day 1. St. Paul, Pribilof Islands. After some airline drama that wasted several hours in the Anchorage Airport, we flew in a tiny, 14-seat twinprop airplane to the village of St. Paul on the Pribilof Islands out in the middle of the Bering Sea. We arrived in time to check into the hotel and run to the fish cannery for dinner (we ate all meals at the cannery worker's cafeteria). After dinner, we went outside, walked across the parking lot to the shore, and started seeing amazing birds. A trio of Horned Puffins was just sitting on a cliff, Least Auklets flew in to sit nearby, and Red-faced Cormorants sat out in front of the crowd. A pair of Pribilof Pacific Wrens worked the nooks and crannies of the cliff, and Snow Buntings and Pribilof Gray-crowned Rosy Finches flew about. A couple of Arctic Foxes ducked in and out of the rocks looking for scraps. After an amazing introduction to the Pribilof Islands shoreline, we headed a short ways inland to a rock quarry where we found an Oriental Cuckoo who had flown off-course, and stranded here, was waiting to die. Even so, it was a very rare bird. Night in St. Paul. |
 Morning in Anchorage |
 Birding next to the hotel at Hood Lake, Anchorage |
 Check-in for Ace Air, a charter company |
 Boarding the Ace Air 14-passenger twin turbo prop plane |
 Anchorage International Airport, walking out on the tarmac |
 Boarding the Ace Air 14-passenger twin turbo prop plane |
 Tight seating without room to stand upright |
 Packed in and ready to fly |
 A break in the clouds while crossing mountains west of Anchorage |
 Landing at Bethel to refuel before heading out over the sea |
 Departing Bethel after refueling before heading out over the sea |
 Icy window with hazy view of clouds over the Bearing Sea |
 Dropping below clouds approaching St. Paul Island |
 Approaching St. Paul Island |
 Landing on St. Paul Island |
 Airport facility on St. Paul Island |
 Setting foot on St. Paul Island |
 Welcome to St. Paul Island (dorms) |
 All meals taken at the Trident cafeteria |
Finally getting to do some birding on St. Paul Island |
 Sea cliffs and shoreline |
 Red-faced Cormorant |
 Horned Puffins |
 Arctic Fox, Pribilof Island subspecies |
 Rock quarry where we found an Oriental Cuckoo |
 Oriental Cuckoo |
Note: All distances, elevations, and other facts are approximate.
; Last updated 180708
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