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Birding the Kuril Islands

Commencing in Sakhalin this voyage covers the full Kuril Island region with its stunning volcanoes and wide diversity and numbers of birds. The Kuril Island chain is made up of 32 islands that stretch between Russia and Japan across the Bering Sea. The Kurils are all formed by volcanoes that rise from the sea floor. The larger of the Kuril Islands are inhabited, and most people make their living from the sea, as they have for generations.

The Kamchatka Peninsula is a land of  bays and snow-capped volcanoes whose alpine meadows and lowland forests support a great diversity of wildlife.

The seas washing these isolated coasts are among the most productive in the world. The area teems with birds and marine mammals. Huge bird colonies dot the cliffs and large seal rookeries are scattered along the coast.

This voyage also takes in the Commander Islands. These remote islands are also rich in bird life and sea mammals and are the final resting place of the famed Danish explorer Vitus Bering.

Birding the Kuril Islands Itinerary:

Day 1:
You will have arrived in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and had the opportunity to explore the city. This afternoon you will be transferred to the Port of Korsakov to embark the ‘Spirit of Enderby’.

Day 2:
An afternoon visit ashore at Kurilsky Zapvednik (Reserve) on Kunashir Island. Over one third of this island is held in nature reserves. The southern part of Kunashir has a particularly high biodiversity. Many species of plants common on the island are rare and endangered elsewhere. Rare birds include the red-crowned crane, Blakistons fishing owl, two sea eagles and a mountain hawk eagle.

Day 3:
At Iturup Island with morning zodiac landings with excursions to forest areas.. Iturup Island, along with Kunashir, Shikotan and Haboniai Islands, has been administered by Russia since 1945 but Japan still claims them. An afternoon expedition by ‘bus” to Rubetskiy volcano and an opportunity to visit a higher altitude habitat.

Day 4:
A morning at sea watching for seabirds which should include common murres, spectacled
guillemots, ancient and marbled murrelets, rhinoceros auklets, tufted puffins, harlequin ducks,
common mergansers, pelagics and Japanese cormorants, slaty backed gulls, northern fulmars and Steller’s sea eagles. Offshore we should be able to spot Dall’s porpoises, sea otters and harbour seals, including the Kuril Island subspecies. We plan an afternoon naiad cruise at Chirpoy Island where dramatic headlands rise out of the ocean covered in kittiwakes, guillemots and puffins clamouring to complete their breeding season. Sheltered coves give opportunities to explore.

Day 5:
At the northern end of Simushir Island there is a huge caldera which gives easy access to slopes of Karlomyy Volcano. The abandoned submarine base here is a haunting reminder of the Cold War and how many people were involved. Nature is reclaiming this island with birches and numerous botanical treasures. In the afternoon we visit Yankicho which must be considered alongside the great seabird islands of the world, outside the caldera towering cliffs are obscured by the birds clinging to narrow ledges. Inside the caldera is home to uncountable masses of Crested, Whiskered and Parakeet Auklets. Arctic foxes patrol and the sulfurous geothermal activity completes an other worldly experience.

Day 6:
Today we visit Matua Island. There are military remains on Matua Island dating from the World War II when the Japanese occupied it. On shore ruby throats are common. Other birds sighted here include the narcissus flycatcher, rough legged buzzard, and harlequin ducks. Around the island is a great deal of seabird and marine mammal activity. Tufted puffins are the most abundant along with the all-black pigeon guillemots. Other seabirds include common murres, crested and whiskered auklets, northern fulmars and black legged kittiwakes.

Day 7:
This afternoon we land on the northern end of Onekotan Island, where we enjoy an easy two km walk to Black Lake. This lake lies in the lee of Volcano Nemo. Beautiful wildflowers carpet the meadows surrounding the lake. Among the birds here it is possible to see the red throated pipit, greenshank, buff bellied pipit and rough legged buzzard. This afternoon an expedition landing on the southern tip of Paramushir island in Vasilyeva Bay.

Day 8:
We continue north along the Kamchatka Peninsula to Vestnik Bay and Utashud Island. The island is small and steep but tufted puffins, horned puffins, pigeon and Brunnich’s guillemots nest there. The surrounding scenery of snow covered volcanic peaks provides a wonderful backdrop for a zodiac cruise.

Day 9:
We spend the morning in the Zhupanova River region on the Kamchatka Peninsula. We negotiate this shallow meandering river with our naiads. There are superb opportunities for birding and nature walks. We are likely to spot up to 40 species of birds, including such special Siberian species as the yellow billed loon, yellow-breasted bunting, greenshank, Far-Eastern curlew and common terns. In the mature birch forest along the river there is a good chance of spotting a Steller’s sea eagle.

Day 10 & 11:
The Commander Islands group is steeped in history and the only place where the extinct Steller’s sea cow was ever recorded. These islands are named after legendary explorer Commander Vitus Bering, who first observed that Asia and the Americas are separate continents. A simple tombstone marks his grave on Bering Island. We will visit the small museum in the village of Nikolskoye, where we will be introduced to the culture of the local people. The Commander Islands are home to a huge number of birds, including horned and tufted puffins, crested and parakeet auklets, thick billed murres, redlegged kittiwakes, and red-faced cormorants. We may also spot harbour seals, Steller’s sea lions and northern fur seals.

Day 12:
At sea as we cruise towards Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy.

Day 13:
We arrive in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy where you will be transferred to your accommodation, transfers to the airport can be arranged

This itinerary is an outline. Circumstances may be encountered during our voyage which will make it necessary or desirable to deviate from this itinerary. These circumstances include poor weather conditions and opportunities for making unplanned zodiac excursions. Your Expedition Leader will provide more information at the start of the voyage and keep you fully informed during the voyage.

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