Zugunruhe Birding Tours

BARROW, ALASKA

October 3-7, 2012

The are very few places in the world where Ross's Gulls are seen reliably in numbers, and Barrow is the only easily-accessed spot. During late September and early October, a large portion of the world's population migrates past Barrow into the Beaufort Sea. During the 2009 tour, we saw hundreds every day, with thousands, perhaps over 10,000, on one of those days. (Click here to see a reprint of the North American Birds article about this experience.)

This is a tour that's about quality instead of quantity. At this time of year, very few species remain around Barrow, but of the ones that do, many are highly desired. Over the past two years, we've averaged 19.5 species, but among those were King and Spectacled Eider, Yellow-billed Loon, Red Phalarope, Ivory Gull, Snowy Owl, and of course, Ross's Gull each year. We will also look for arctic fox and polar bear. Many of these species occur in low numbers so expect to miss at least some of them. For example, in 2009 we did not see polar bear and saw only one Spectacled Eider, Yellow-billed Loon, and Ivory Gull.

Species lists from the 2009 and 2010 tours are listed at the bottom of this page.

Day 1 (Oct 3): Meet in the evening in Barrow. (Your guide will be arriving at 7:30 PM.)

Day 2-4 (Oct 4-6): Each day, we'll spend a good part of the day on the waterfront road that follows the shoreline from Barrow to the northeast. From here, we'll be watching for Ross's and Ivory Gulls, Yellow-billed Loons, and Spectacled Eiders. We will also explore the NARL facilities and inland areas for a few landbirds, such as Hoary Redpoll and Snowy Owl. We plan on making one visit to Point Barrow, the northernmost part of the United States.

Day 5 (Oct 7): On our final morning, we'll bird for about an hour before heading to the airport to check-in and wait for our departing flight scheduled to leave at 11:08 AM.

Note: This tour may coincide with the native hunt for bowhead whales. If so, you may see carcasses being dragged to shore and butchering activities.

TOUR FEE: $1550 per person, price subject to change. The tour fee includes lodging for four nights, all meals from breakfast on Oct 4 to breakfast on Oct 7, ground transportation during the tour, and guide services. It does not include transportation to and from Barrow, AK before and after the tour, phone calls, laundry, room service charges, alcoholic beverages (note that Barrow is a "damp town"; you may possess alcohol but cannot purchase it there), or any items of a personal nature.

LEADER: John Puschock, owner of Zugunruhe Birding Tours, will be your leader for this tour. John has led this tour twice.

GROUP SIZE: A minimum of 3 is required to confirm the tour. An additional guide may be added for groups of 6 or more.

PHYSICAL CONSIDERATIONS/WEATHER: Participants should be able to sit in a vehicle for up to 2 to 3 hours . Temperatures will be cold, probably 20 to 30 degrees Fahrenheit, with the possibility of high winds. Snow is possible. Almost all of the birding can be done from a vehicle, so weather conditions may not make things as intolerable as they may sound. Please notify us if you have any medical conditions that may affect your participation.

REGISTRATION and DEPOSIT: A deposit of $250 and a signed registration and release form will reserve your spot on this tour. Please e-mail for more information on the registration procedure and forms (contact info below). The balance of the fee is due by 60 days prior to the tour.

CANCELLATION POLICY: All fees received will be refunded with more than 90 days notice of cancellation. With 60-90 days notice of cancellation, all fees except the deposit will be refunded. No refund is possible with less than 60 days notification.

TRIP INSURANCE: We strongly recommend that you purchase trip insurance to protect yourself in case you need to cancel, luggage is lost, stolen, or damaged, a medical emergency occurs, or other unforeseen circumstances. Note that many insurance policies require that you purchase it at the time you make the initial deposit for the tour and terms and coverage differ among policies.

For more information and registration forms, please us.

Species List

Oct 5-9, 2009

Greater Scaup

Spectacled Eider - one female

King Eider - common

Common Eider

White-winged Scoter

Long-tailed Duck

Willow Ptarmigan

Pacific Loon

Yellow-billed Loon - one adult in alternate plumage

Northern Fulmar

Red Phalarope - hundreds

Black-legged Kittiwake

Ivory Gull - one fly-by adult

Ross's Gull - thousands

Mew Gull - one first-cycle immature

Thayer's Gull

Slaty-backed Gull - several first-cycle immatures

Glaucous Gull - common

Snowy Owl - two

Common Raven

Oct 6-10, 2010

Spectacled Eider - two females

King Eider - common

Common Eider

White-winged Scoter

Long-tailed Duck

Pacific Loon

Yellow-billed Loon - several fly-by alternate-plumaged adults

Short-tailed Shearwater - a few close to shore, including about 50 in Elson Lagoon

Red Phalarope - common but less numerous than in 2009

Black-legged Kittiwake

Ivory Gull - one adult feeding on whale scraps

Ross's Gull - hundreds

Thayer's Gull - a few adults and immatures

Glaucous Gull - common

Great Black-backed Gull - one first-winter immature; 2nd record for Alaska

Black Guillemot - one fly-by

Snowy Owl - two or three immatures

Common Raven

Palm Warbler - one seen very briefly