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U.S.A. - ALASKA: NOME & GAMBELL

2 - 17 September 2006

by Dave Tannahill

I birded Nome and Gambell Alaska with Dick Wood of Tucson, AZ..   In case any of you ever travel to Gambell the following is what we did and what we learned.

Security clearance is easier at Canadian airports than US airports. You should be at the airport 2.5 hours before flight, have shoes that are easy to remove, and no holes in socks. I flew Toronto, Vancouver, Anchorage, to Nome, via Air Canada and Alaska Airlines.

We spent 2.5 days birding the Nome area, and saw Caribou, Musk Ox, and great scenery. We stayed at the Bering Sea B&B, $109 for two. There are three hotels in Nome and several B& B. The Nome Visitors Centre website has the complete list.

We bought food in Nome. The AC Centre Grocery has a much better fresh vegetable selection then the Safeway (Hansons). Since refrigeration is no problem at the Lodge in Gambell we should have taken fresh and frozen food from Nome to Gambell and just bought basics in Gambell. Gambell is a DRY community and we respected that and did not take any booze – there is up to a $6000 fine for bringing alcoholic beverages into a native community. 

We flew to Gambell on Bering Air. They have a weight limit of 50 pounds per person, including all carry-on bags, so we paid to take over the groceries. Hageland Air has a 150 weight limit.

We stayed in the "Lodge", which is a native-run business. The cost of the room was $160 per night for two in a room, or $110 single occupancy (all dollars referred to in this report are U.S. dollars). The single beds were comfortable; however if you want clean sheets or clean floor other then the first night you must request these "services" during your stay. There are washers and driers and a broom in the connecting "hallway". I thought that he toilets and showers (cleaned daily by the staff) were quite good.  The communal kitchen is large, and with a little cooperation both the tour groups and the independent birders easily used it.

We rented an ATV (a four wheeler, called locally a Honda) that the local "concierge", named Hanson, arranged for us for a $25 fee. The ATVs rented for between $65 to $85 PER DAY.  You got what you paid for. We paid $85 for a nice machine. The gas was the same price as Canada, $4.00 per Gallon. Some of the birders chose instead to walk to each of the birding areas, which are more than a kilometer apart. 

A hand held walkie-talkie radio is a must, the kind birders use now.

The Native Corporation requires a $50 land use permit for all birders entering the island. This permit allows walking privileges within about three square miles

The Gambell Gravel (loose rounded stones) is to be experienced to be believed. I wore light ankle-high hiking boots and pull-on rubbers; some wore Boots and Neos rubbers, others rubber boots. A good heavy duty rain suit is a must, Gortex for sure.

The birding day started about 8:00 with a light breakfast followed by a couple of hours of sea watching.  After that a sweep (walk) through Old Town and the “near” bone yard, followed by a coffee stop at the lodge. At 11 a.m. we did a sweep of the “far” and “circular” bone yards, followed by a general sweep of the rest of the permit area.  Next was lunch and a rest, then a sea watch, and a 7 p.m. sweep of “far" bone yard. After the final daily sweep of the “far” and “circular” bone yards, it was supper, socializing, and off to bed.

We were told that 2006 was one of the worst years for vagrants on birding record. A very strong wind was always from the wrong direction (northeast, east, and southeast).

I returned home on a red-eye flight from Anchorage to Seattle. (2) a mad house Seattle Airport. After being up 33 hours I overnighted at the Econo Lodge at Toronto Airport and returned home Sunday morning.

Other Comments:

Daylight, while we were there, was from approximately 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.. The temperatures ranged from a wet windy and cold 4°C,  to a wet, cold and very windy 3°.

Hanson is the "Mr.Fixit" at the lodge. Everybody asks him to “fix it”, from getting ATV's to correcting flight times. He is VERY up front about telling you he expects a tip and how much. BUT he also make "The Place" work. I rather like the guy. I like knowing where I stand and Hanson tells you, nicely but bluntly.

My personal peeve: birders beating down the price of the carvings the artists bring to sell. I work on the theory that if I don't like the price I don't buy the piece. Some of the carvings were extremely well done and at very fair prices.  

It was very frustrating to make reservations at the lodge via e-mail. It seamed that others used fax and that worked better, so phone the lodge and get the fax number. When the lodge was full and one more person showed up, Hanson “fixit” and found him a place to stay. The lodge is called Sivuqaq, phone number 907-985-5840. The lodge belongs to the Native Community, that also owns several other places they rent out to transients, workers, birders etc. 

As this may be some birders first contact with a First Nations/Native community, birders should be aware that things may work differently than at home. Birders need the locals more than the reverse, so treat the local community with the highest respect. Paying the fees and saying “Thank You” worked well for me.

Regarding the Land Use Permit: just get the local one for $50. To use the $100 permit you will likely need a guide.  We bought the more expensive permit and wasted the additional $50 as a guide could not be arranged. (No fault of Hansons)

Trip List:

It was a fun time. I saw 76 birds and got 3 lifers (Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Red-throated Pipit, and Reed Bunting). The most numerous species were Crested Auklet and Short-tailed Shearwater, both in the 100's of thousands. The most common land birds were Lapland Longspur and Snow Bunting. 

76 Species

SPECIES

Location

Date

Comments

Red-throated Loon

Gambell

Sep 6, 2006

 

Arctic Loon

Gambell

Sep 9, 2006

 

Pacific Loon

Gambell

Sep 6, 2006

 

Common Loon

Nome

Sep 3, 2006

 

Northern Fulmar

Gambell

Sep 11, 2006

 

Short-tailed Shearwater

Gambell

Sep 6, 2006

1.6 million passed Gambell

Pelagic Cormorant

Gambell

Sep 6, 2006

 

Tundra Swan

Nome

Sep 2, 2006

 

Brant

Gambell

Sep 6, 2006

 

Eurasian Wigeon

Gambell

Sep 8, 2006

 

American Wigeon

Gambell

Sep 8, 2006

 

Green-winged Teal

Gambell

Sep 8, 2006

 

Northern Pintail

Gambell

Sep 8, 2006

 

Greater Scaup

Nome

Sep 2, 2006

 

Common Eider

Gambell

Sep 7, 2006

 

Harlequin Duck

Gambell

Sep 7, 2006

 

Long-tailed Duck

Nome

Sep 3, 2006

 

Black Scoter

Nome

Sep 3, 2006

 

Common Goldeneye

Nome

Sep 3, 2006

 

Barrow's Goldeneye

Nome

Sep 3, 2006

 

Red-breasted Merganser

Nome

Sep 4, 2006

 

Northern Harrier

Nome

Sep 4, 2006

 

Rough-legged Hawk

Gambell

Sep 12, 2006

 

Golden Eagle

Nome

Sep 4, 2006

 

Gyrfalcon

Nome

Sep 4, 2006

 

Peregrine Falcon

Nome

Sep 13, 2006

 

Willow Ptarmigan

Nome

Sep 15, 2006

 

Common Snipe

Gambell

Sep 3, 2006

 

Long-billed Dowitcher

Gambell

Sep 3, 2006

 

Gray-tailed Tattler

Gambell

Sep 9, 2006

 

Ruddy Turnstone

Gambell

Sep 13, 2006

 

Pectoral Sandpiper

Gambell

Sep 3, 2006

 

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper

Gambell

Sep 7, 2006

1st of 20 birds

Dunlin

Gambell

Sep 7, 2006

 

Rock Sandpiper

Nome

Sep 3, 2006

Young bird

Red Phalarope

Gambell

Sep 6, 2006

Hundreds

Pomarine Jaeger

Gambell

Sep 13, 2006

 

Glaucous-winged Gull

Gambell

Sep 3, 2006

 

Glaucous Gull

Gambell

Sep 3, 2006

 

American Herring Gull

Gambell

Sep 3, 2006

“Vega” race, dozens, all age groups

Slaty-backed Gull

Gambell

Sep 3, 2006

 

Sabine's Gull

Gambell

Sep 5, 2006

 

Black-legged Kittiwake

Gambell

Sep 5, 2006

 

Arctic Tern

Gambell

Sep 5, 2006

 

Common Murre

Gambell

Sep 3, 2006

10s of thousands

Thick-billed Murre

Gambell

Sep 3, 2006

 

Pigeon Guillemot

Gambell

Sep 3, 2006

mostly juveniles; a few adults

Kittlitz's Murrelet

Gambell

Sep 3, 2006

 

Ancient Murrelet

Gambell

Sep 3, 2006

 

Crested Auklet

Gambell

Sep 5, 2006

Daily in the 10's of thousands

Least Auklet

Gambell

Sep 12, 2006

 

Horned Puffin

Gambell

Sep 3, 2006

 

Tufted Puffin

Gambell

Sep 3, 2006

 

Rock Pigeon

Nome

Sep 3, 2006

 

Northern Flicker

Gambell

Sep 10, 2006

 

White Wagtail

Gambell

Sep 14, 2006

 

Red-throated Pipit

Gambell

Sep 5, 2006

3 birds; saw 10 on trip

American Pipit

Gambell

Sep 14, 2006

japonicus, 1 bird seen several days

Gray-cheeked Thrush

Gambell

Sep 10, 2006

 

American Robin

Nome

Sep 15, 2006

 

Bluethroat

Gambell

Sep 6, 2006

 

Northern Wheatear

Gambell

Sep 3, 2006

 

Northern Shrike

Nome

Sep 15, 2006

 

Gray Jay

Nome

Sep 3, 2006

 

Common Raven

Gambell

Sep 3, 2006

 

Common Redpoll

Gambell

Sep 7, 2006

 

Hoary Redpoll

Gambell

Sep 7, 2006

 

Reed Bunting

Gambell

Sep 6, 2006

 

American Tree Sparrow

Nome

Sep 3, 2006

 

Chipping Sparrow

Gambell

Sep 14, 2006

 

Savannah Sparrow

Gambell

Sep 14, 2006

 

Fox Sparrow

Gambell

Sep 10, 2006

 

White-crowned Sparrow

Gambell

Sep 8, 2006

 

Dark-eyed Junco

Gambell

Sep 14, 2006

 

Lapland Longspur

Gambell

Sep 6, 2006

 

Snow Bunting

Gambell

Sep 6, 2006

 


Dave Tannahill, Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada
detannahill@gmail.com

 
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