ALASKA

May 24 - June 6, 2001

A Wild & Beautiful Land with Birding Experiences
  Always to be Remembered!

Tour FON/AK-1A:  An Optional Start-Up Tour to the Pribilof Islands: May 24-28:

Thu: May 24 Arrival in Anchorage. The night's accommodation there, not far from the Cook Inlet. The extensive mudflats there can be, dependent upon the tide, superb for flocks of shorebirds. Dependent upon arrival times of participants and the tide, there may be some good shorebirding before the day's end.

Fri: May 25  Mid-day departure from Anchorage on Reeve Aleutian Airlines flight, to Saint Paul Island, in the Pribilofs out in the Bering Sea. Overnight on the island at the King Eider Hotel.

Sat & Sun: May 26 & 27  Two full-days at St. Paul in the Pribilof Islands. A great place for auklets (Parakeet, Least, and Crested) and other alcids. The cliffs there, with these birds, are stupendous. The nesting birds can be seen closely. Cormorants, kittiwakes, and alcids can virtually be "eye-to-eye" with the observer. And the Pribilofs can be a place to see birds that stray from Asia. Late-May can be a good time for them. Asiatic birds seen during our previous tours have included: Common Pochard, Common Greenshank, Green Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Skylark, Eye-browed Thrush, and Olive-backed Pipit. Among the regular, annual nesters in the Pribilofs: Red-faced Cormorants, Red-legged Kittiwakes, and Rock Sandpipers. Overnights at King Eider Hotel, St. Paul (near a pond where a drake King Eider or two can sometimes be seen.)

Mon: May 28  Return flight, in the afternoon, from St. Paul to Anchorage. Overnight in Anchorage, where we were our first night. Once again, we could have some good shorebirding by the Cook Inlet. The next morning, a flight to Nome, for those continuing on the next part of the tour, FON/AK-1B.

Tour FON/AK-1B: A Birding Tour in the Areas of Nome, Anchorage, & toward Denali: May 28-June 3:

Mon: May 28  Arrival in Anchorage. The night's accommodation there, not far from the Cook Inlet. The extensive mudflats there can be, dependent upon the tide, superb for flocks of shorebirds. Dependent upon arrival times of participants and the tide, there may be some good shorebirding before the day's end.

Tue: May 29  An early morning flight on Alaska Airlines to Nome. A remote, interesting place. Nuggets of gold used to be found along the coast. For us, there, some interesting birding can be found. Particularly, this day, for that, we'll visit the mouth of the Nome River and Safety Lagoon. Birds can include: Pacific Loons, Bar-tailed Godwits, Sabine's and Slaty-backed Gulls, and Aleutian Terns. Some Ross' Gulls, in striking plumage, were seen in that area during one FONT tour in '96. During our tour there, in '98 there were a drake Steller's Eider, Emperor Geese, and Arctic Loon. And, yet other birds are possible. Rarities that have occurred in the Nome area, in early June, include: Great Knot, Ringed and Mongolian Plovers, Red-necked Stint, and Terek and Common Sandpipers. Throughout our stay in Nome, we'll be keeping aware of whatever rarities may be found. We'll in turn make an effort for those we can. Some places, such as Safety Lagoon and the Nome River, may be visited more than once. Our first of three nights in Nome, in comfortable accommodations.

Wed: May 30  The first full-day of birding in the Nome area. Going for the Bristle-thighed Curlew, Gyrfalcon, and Bluethroat. This day along the Kougrok, or Taylor Highway. During this day, the visit to the traditional breeding site of the rare Bristle-thighed Curlew (one of the last North American birds' breeding site to be discovered). Along the way, we should hopefully find displaying Bluethroats. It may be too early for the Arctic Warbler, but we'll keep an ear open. We should find, with good fortune, both Yellow and White Wagtails, and Willow and Rock Ptarmigans. Another spot to be visited during our stay in Nome will be Anvil Mountain, a good place for pipits (mostly American Pipits, of course, but also, possibly, the Red-throated Pipit). Overnight in Nome.

Thu: May 31  Our second full-day of birding in the Nome area to be determined by what's been seen already, or what's been heard to be about. At any rate, there will be birds. And mammals, too. During FONT tours, here in the past, we've seen: moose (with young), Grizzly Bear, and Musk Oxen. One time, even a Walrus, on the beach. Last year, Gray Whales close to shore. You never know! This will be our last overnight in Nome.

Fri-Sun: Jun 1-3  From Nome, morning flight on June 2 to Anchorage. From there, travel to the north and east,along the Glenn Highway, with birding along what's known as the Glenallen-Paxson Route. After some miles of largely mixed forest, there's extensive region of spruce, with bird possibilities including: Spruce Grouse, Boreal Chickadee, White-winged Crossbill, Pine Grosbeak, Gray Jay, and Northern Hawk-Owl. Another objective during this route would be the Smith's Longspur (there's an area where they nest). In all, a fine taste of Alaska, with some nice birds possible. Overnights of June 1 & 2 at the Tangle Lakes Lodge. Return to Anchorage in the early afternoon, June 3. Followed by either departure from Alaska, for home, late that day (June 3) or the next day (June 4). Overnight of June 3, if necessary or desired, in the Anchorage area (at appropriate cost). Or continuation on our Optional Extension to Homer.

Tour FON/AK-1C: An Optional Extension to Homer and adjacent waters: June 3-6:

Sun: Jun 3  Overnight in Anchorage.

Mon: Jun 4 Travel from Anchorage to Homer, with birding enroute (of course!). Barrow's Goldeneye and Trumpeter Swan are among the birds along the way. At Homer, the prime place to bird is the 5 mile-long Homer Spit, jutting into the Kachemak Bay, where alcids, loons, ducks, and other waterbirds are apt to be seen. Overnight in Homer.

Tue: Jun 5  An all-day boat trip to the Barren Islands. During the boat-trip, a number of seabirds are possible. Even some seen elsewhere further at sea, such as Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel and a shearwater or two. Among the possible alcids are both Kittlitz's and Marbled Murrelets and Rhinoceros and Parakeet Auklets. The murrelets can be common. Also, 2 species of puffin occur, the Horned and Tufted. The colonies of alcids at the Barren Islands are huge. Back at shore, some shorebirding along the spit. A dozen or so species occur commonly. But rarities might also be found (such as Bar-tailed Godwit and Bristle-thighed Curlew). Overnight, again, at Homer.

Wed: Jun 6  After some final birding at the spit, in the morning, travel mid-day and into the afternoon returning to Anchorage. To the airport, for those heading home. To the hotel, for those spending a night in Anchorage. Departure, either in the evening, or the morning of Thu. Jun 7, from Alaska, dependent upon flight schedules of various tour participants.

Tours to be led by B.J. Rose and/or Armas Hill.

Prices (in US $):

AK-1A, the Pribilofs, May 24-28

(including flights to/from St. Paul Island, with accommodations 3 nights on St. Paul & 1 night in Anchorage): $1,450 
(this is the price for those continuing on tour AK-1B)

 (with 2 nights in Anchorage, and not continuing on tour AK-1B): $1,575

 AK-1B, Nome, Anchorage, and the Glenn Highway, May 28-June 3

(not including flights to/from Nome, with overnight accommodation in Anchorage, night of June 3): $1,425

 (without June 3 overnight in Anchorage): $1,310

 AK-1C, Homer and adjacent waters, June 3-6

(without overnight accommodation in Anchorage, night of June 6): $825

 Above prices, per person, based upon double-occupancy.

 Single Supplements as follows (when applicable):

AK-1A available upon request      AK-1B $550      AK-1C $250

Prices include:
All overnight accommodations - all of good quality, with those in Nome among the best in town.
Breakfasts and lunches.
All ground transportation.
Air transportation during the Pribilofs tour (between Anchorage & St. Paul).
Boat trip during the Homer tour.
Services of FONT birding guide(s).

Prices do not include:
Air transportation (other than Anchorage-St. Paul round-trip for the Pribilofs).
Dinners. Drinks. Gratuities. Any items of a personal nature

Focus On Nature Tours can arrange air travel, and would seek the best possible fares. To do this, FONT should be advised, as soon as possible. With reservations and ticketing done early, there would be better fares.

Deposits (per person) required to register for the tours:
AK-1A: $400 AK-1B: $300 AK-1C: $200