1326: Siberia's Forgotten Coast 21 Jun 2013

 

 

'In the Wake of Bering' Voyage Log
21 June  - 4 July 2013
Voyage 1326
MV Spirit of Enderby/Professor Khromov

 

 

Friday 21st June

Avacha Bay

After a night in the appropriately named Petropavlovsk Hotel, everyone made their way to the wharf in the early afternoon where the Spirit of Enderby, our home for the next couple of weeks, awaited us. Once everyone was aboard, there was a series of briefings including an introduction to the ship and Expedition Team, a Zodiac briefing and the theoretical part of the safety drill.

A little later, Expedition Leader Rodney explained that there would be a delay in our departure as a couple of the Zodiac engines had been sent for servicing. This gave everyone time to unpack and orientate themselves around the ship, although the keen birders were outside with various birds found including Slaty-backed Gull and Black-legged Kittiwake.

As dinner concluded we sailed away from the wharf and out across Avacha Bay, finding our first Tufted Puffins of the expedition. Several small groups of Ancient Murrelets were also spotted, as well as our first Crested Auklets. The sun began to set as we left the bay and as the light faded, most headed off to bed in anticipation of the big adventure ahead.

 

 

Saturday 22nd June

Zhupanova River

For some of the group (especially the insomniacs who had not yet adjusted to the time change), the day began well before breakfast and as we cruised northwards towards the Zhupanova River enjoying views of the spectacular snow-capped mountains that guarded the coastline. It was an excellent opportunity to become familiar with some of the species we could expect to see over the coming days, with good numbers of Tufted Puffins as well as our first Laysan Albatrosses and Northern Fulmars.

By the time breakfast had concluded, the Spirit of Enderby was positioned off the mouth of the Zhupanova River and after a briefing from Rodney, we boarded five Zodiacs and set off for the river entrance to be greeted by five Steller’s Sea Eagles on the shoreline. This was a ‘must see’ bird for many and we got some good views as they flew off.

We set off up the river and soon found a flock of a hundred or so Common Terns. These were of the Pacific subspecies longipennis and with their jet black bills, quite different from the birds many were familiar with in Europe. Moving further upstream, we passed a group of Largha Seals hauled out on a sandbar and it was possible to see the distinctive patterning on this North Pacific endemic species which is also sometimes known as the Spotted Seal.

Our main goal on this particular Zodiac cruise however, was to get good looks at Steller’s Sea Eagles and as the birds near the river mouth were somewhat distant, we continued upstream to where the Expedition Team knew there were usually some occupied nests. At one of these the birds were indeed ‘at home’, and we enjoyed some phenomenal views of this majestic raptor with the birds looking down at us from their nests – a major highlight for many. After cruising along the river for several miles, the Zodiacs turned and headed back towards the fishing village at the river mouth. Whilst a few of the group went to investigate the village where they were able to sample some of the salmon, most of the birders joined Adam and Chris on a short walk to a wet grassland behind the village where they soon found a Pechora Pipit. The main target however was Long-toed Stint and after flushing a couple of individuals, we changed strategy and the group stood on the edge of one of the pools whilst Chris went around the back and gently pushed one of these beautifully patterned waders forward, so it could be admired by the assembled throng.

All too soon, it was time to return to the ship and as we cruised towards the Commander Islands, the water began to rapidly deepen and the range of seabird species changed, with more Laysan Albatrosses and our first Fork-tailed Storm-petrels. Several pods of Dall’s Porpoise were also spotted with a number of animals coming in to bow ride, giving us a fantastic opportunity to appreciate their handsome black-and-white patterning.

 

Sunday 23rd June

Bering Island, Commander Islands

Once again, the day began well before breakfast for the ‘early birds’ and as we closed in on Bering Island, the number of birds increased significantly with Tufted Puffin, Common Guillemot, Black-legged and Red-legged Kittiwakes, Fork-tailed Storm-petrel and Pelagic Cormorant amongst the species seen. Several Humpback Whales were also spotted.

Once breakfast had concluded, Rodney gave us a briefing about what we could expect on Bering Island and advised everyone to bring their passports as the local Border Guards sometimes wanted to inspect these. As soon as everyone was ashore, we learnt that this procedure would not be necessary – this outpost of the Cold War evidently did not operate on Sundays! Whilst Nikol’skoye can be somewhat bleak on occasions, we were extremely fortunate today and as we set off, the clouds parted and the sun came out – we were fortunate indeed!

The group could choose from several options, with some visiting the small museum in the middle of the town where there were a range of exhibits including complete skeletons of the Steller’s Sea Cow. This extraordinary looking beast had apparently been common around the Commander Islands when Vitus Bering’s expedition discovered the island in 1741, but tragically had been hunted to extinction within thirty years.

Walking along the shoreline, the birders were on the lookout for one particular bird, the somewhat localised Rock Sandpiper. After a fair bit of diligent checking of the weed covered rocks, two individuals were found. Although these would periodically disappear, they would soon climb back onto their favoured rocks, allowing everyone to get some nice scope views of this special bird. Further along there were several dozen summer plumaged Dunlins and many of the group also saw one of our other target birds for the morning, the Mongolian (or Lesser Sand) Plover. Turning inland, we played a recording of Pechora Pipit with immediate success, as a bird which had been singing high in the sky parachuted downwards and landed on a wooden pole nearby, giving us some great views of this much-wanted bird.

All too soon, it was time to turn around and head back towards the landing site, although some took the opportunity to visit the modest art gallery where there was a wide range of paintings and prints by resident artist Sergei, whilst others made a stop at the memorial statue to Vitus Bering. Although this great explorer had been the first to reach the Commander Islands when his ship had been wrecked on Bering Island in 1741, he had only survived another month before succumbing to scurvy. This was a truly tragic end for one of the most amazing (but little known) explorers of the Russian Far East. By 12:45pm everyone was back at the landing site and the Zodiacs soon began shuttling everyone back to the ship. It had been a fascinating and rewarding morning ashore.

Over lunch the Spirit of Enderby repositioned to North-West Cape where five Zodiacs were lowered and we set off for the shore.  The weather had deteriorated since morning but we persevered and despite warnings that this landing might involve us getting wet feet, everyone was soon safely ashore and we set off with local Ranger, Victor, for the seal colony. There were two viewpoints on the cliffs overlooking the colony where literally hundreds of animals lay on the beach. Whilst the majority were Northern Fur Seals, there were also good numbers of Steller Sea Lions. These endangered animals were much larger than their smaller cousins and whilst the main breeding season was yet to start, we saw several of the large bulls chasing females. Rodney took the decision to end the landing somewhat earlier than had been originally intended as the wind continued to strengthen. This turned out to be a very wise decision as the ride back to the ship was rather wet and bumpy.

The adverse conditions meant that the plan to Zodiac cruise the nearby island of Arij Karmen after dinner was abandoned. Rodney announced that instead we would head along the southern coast of Bering Island to a steep shelf edge where he hoped we would find some whales. By the time dinner had concluded we were in the ‘whale zone’ and as we cruised there were regular sightings of Humpback Whales, with several dozen animals sighted over the course of the evening. More unexpected was a lone Maiko Shark which showed very well off the port side of the ship.

 

Monday 24th June

Medney Island, Commander Islands

During the night the Spirit of Enderby continued south-eastwards and at 5am we were off the southern tip of Medney Island. This was where the ranger we had collected the previous day at Nikol’skoye had wanted to be dropped off. Unfortunately for him thick fog and the heavy swell meant conditions were unsuitable for a safe landing, so the ship turned to the north-west and we headed up the northern coastline of Medney.

Despite the early hour and the far from ideal viewing conditions, a small band of birders was already on the bridge and pleased when a juvenile Short-tailed Albatross suddenly appeared out of the murk. The uniform chocolate brown plumage and pink bill were well seen, but unfortunately the bird disappeared as quickly as it arrived. A few minutes later, two Whiskered Auklets were spotted not far off the bows and there was little doubt that the early risers had been well rewarded for their efforts.

Once the ranger had been dropped off at a marginally more sheltered bay, we continued along the coast. After a post-breakfast briefing from Expedition Leader Rodney, everyone readied themselves for a landing at Paschanaya Bay. With a heavy swell in the bay, it took a little while to position the ship to minimise the roll at the gangway but once the captain turned the ship to the north, conditions were much improved. We were then shuttled ashore and began exploring this dramatic location.

One of our main targets was the Grey-crowned Rosy Finch, a species which is usually reasonably reliable in this bay and after a few minutes searching, we found several individuals around the abandoned buildings on the western edge of the bay. There were at least three adult birds as well as some youngsters, and everyone was able to get some fantastic views of this special species.

With the Rosy Finch secured, many of the birders set off along the rocky shore in search of Pacific Wren and at least a couple of pairs were soon located. Although these birds had been regarded as a subspecies of Eurasian Wren until only two or three years ago, they certainly looked and sounded different. Continuing along the shoreline, we enjoyed some nice views of Horned and Tufted Puffins, Pigeon Guillemots, Harlequin Ducks and a truly spectacular view of the surrounding vista.

Whilst the birders were exploring the shoreline, some of the group set off along a trail that climbed up towards a mountain plateau and found a Ptarmigan quietly feeding near the path. This seemed utterly indifferent to the presence of several admirers and those who were lucky enough to be there were able to appreciate the amazing camouflage of this handsome bird. By late morning we were all back at the landing site and as the first Zodiacs began shuttling back to the Spirit of Enderby, two Parakeet Auklets were spotted and those aboard got some close views whilst those on the shore got some reasonable views through Chris’ telescope.

With weather conditions being unsuitable for a Zodiac cruise, we headed towards Commander Bay on Bering Island and over the course of the next few hours at least a couple of hundred Whiskered Auklets were spotted. Although only a few came close, their dingy white bellies could be seen.

By the late afternoon the Zodiacs were in the water once again and we landed at Commander Bay which was where Vitus Bering and his men had been shipwrecked in November 1741. Some of the crew (including Steller whose name is now associated with the Steller’s Sea Eagle, Steller’s Sea Cow and Steller Sea Lion) survived the wreck and eventually made it back to Kamchatka. Bering and several other men died here and we made the short walk to the cemetery where their graves are located. Although the birding was very quiet here, there were plenty of colourful flowers to enjoy. Indeed, it was a fascinating and somewhat poignant place to visit with the modest graves and memorials to these explorers from a bygone age.

After an hour or so ashore, it was time to head back to the ship and as dinner concluded, we crossed the edge of the shelf where a couple of Sperm Whales were seen. Although the first of these dived whilst the ship was a mile away, the second animal proved to be more obliging. The captain turned the ship so we could enjoy some fantastic close views before it dived only 30 metres off the starboard side. It was a fantastic finale to our time in the magical Commander Islands.

 

 

Tuesday 25th June

Karaginskiy Island

A quiet morning with several lectures was scheduled, but right after breakfast Adam spotted several Fin Whales so we changed course to get a closer look. A group of about six huge whales was surrounded by numerous short-tailed shearwaters. It was hard to go inside for the lectures after that, but the programme looked interesting. Firstly there was a lecture from Katya about Sea Otter biology and conservation. She worked with these interesting animals on the Commander and Kuril Islands, and we learned a lot of details about their life and status in the modern world. This was followed by the opening of Meghan’s Sea Shop so people could indulge in a little retail therapy. This break was followed by a presentation from Evgeny and Elena about the Spoon-billed Sandpiper. They discussed its conservation, threats and efforts that various teams and organisations are making to save this amazing little bird. The lecture consisted of several parts and included telling us about captive breeding, head starting and winter ground programs that are working to prevent its complete extinction. It was very informative and made us even more aware how special is the target of our expedition. It was a very pleasant surprise to hear that the Swedish AviFauna Team had very generously donated $2,000 to the Sand-piper programme.

Our day was not spent entirely indoors however as another landing awaited in the afternoon. Karaginsky Island is one of the biggest islands in the Russian Far East, well visible from the satellite images and quite mountainous. We made a landing on the South-Western side of it, where the ground is rather low and flat and spread out to walk at our own pace in this very good birding habitat. The highlights for the day were Dusky Warbler, Pallas’ Reed Bunting and Red-throated Pipit with a good range of waterfowl also found including Long-tailed Duck, Scaup and Pintail.

We had a usual Bird List reading in the bar that evening before another magnificent dinner was produced by Lindsey and Dean. Most of the people had an early night in preparation of a long day ahead.

 

Wednesday 26th June

Verkhoturova Island and Primetniy Cape

We started at a very early hour because Rodney wanted to maximize our time ashore. It may have felt unpleasant at first but most agreed it was well worth it. Verkhoturova Island where we landed this morning boasted a spectacular bird cliff and also housed a good number of Red Foxes. We started with the Zodiac cruise along the coast, because thousands of Crested and Parakeet Auklets nest there, and dawn is the best time to see them. We marveled at clouds of tiny Crested Auklets flying around the boats and rafting on the water. Parakeet Auklets were not as abundant, but everyone got some great looks and photos. We were even lucky enough to encounter a very friendly Humpback Whale which surfaced right next to one of the boats. Unfortunately, it did not reappear again.

When we landed we climbed a small but quite steep slope. Everyone managed it and enjoyed the amazing views of Tufted Puffins, Common and Brunnich’s Guillemots as well as Black-legged Kittiwakes tucked on small bird cliffs, which we could observe from the top. Because we landed early we had plenty of time to enjoy the day, taking photos and observing the life of the colony. Some went further along, or up the hill into the crowberry tundra area, and Lindsey and Dean decided to climb the highest hill. One of the highlights was an encounter with the litter of foxes that lived on one of the points. Not everyone got to see them, but those who did declared it one of the best ever fox encounters. As we were packing up to go back and putting on our lifejackets, a fox trotted along the beach, so we sat quietly and he approached incredibly close to the group so we all got great views and some amazing photos of him on the hillside. As we hardly dared to breathe he became even more relaxed and got very close to some people, obviously checking out what we were doing in his territory. As we left the shore he was rolling on the beach just a few meters away from the boat.

The next point of interest was Cape Primetny, in a reserve situated on Goveno Peninsula, and nicknamed Bear Gully by the expedition team, as they had always seen bears here. Fortunately this day was no exception. As soon as we set out for the Zodiac cruise, Chris spotted four bears on the beach, but first we visited the wrecked fishing boat that has been here for many years. It now has a new life as the Slaty-backed Gulls’ mansion and is covered with many nests. As we approached the coast, Katya spotted more bears on the slope. The first to be seen clearly was a female with a tiny cub. Next we spotted a beautiful female with three round and shiny cubs which had already grown quite large. They firstly made their way up the hill and then, seeing that cliffs blocked their way, went down to the beach and disappeared into the gully. As the bears here are notoriously skittish it was unusual to get so near to this little family, so we felt very privileged to have such a close encounter.

Despite the number of bears in the vicinity we decided to land for a short walk into the gully and sat on the hillside admiring the beautiful rolling landscape and birds in the bushes. The Stone Pines surrounding us produced a wonderful smell, the sun was shining, there were no mosquitoes and it was the most perfect evening in this incredibly wild country. We did not get to see any more bears, but it was still a splendid landing, and everyone came back on-board quite happy. The final tally was eventually seventeen bears – not a bad result for the day.

 

Thursday 27th June

Tintikun Lagoon

The day began under overcast skies and we were once again in bear country on the wild Koryak coast. Tintikun Lagoon is an old caldera breached into the ocean with a very shallow river at the entrance. The plan was to land us on the bank so we would walk, while drivers took the boats up the river, because at times it can be so shallow that they have to drag them. But even before we could land, Evgeny spotted a male Steller’s Eider amongst the flock of Harlequin Ducks. As they all took off and flew towards the sea everyone had a chance to take a look at this beautiful bird. The walk was very pleasant and Chris was leading some birding along the way. The main objective for this day was the Siberian Accentor. Just around the corner from the start of the walk there were a couple of Steller’s Sea Eagles in adult plumage on the rocks. They flew off into the gully as we passed.

The Zodiacs picked us up on the other side and we started the cruise on the glass calm water of the caldera. First stop was the hot springs, in which Andrey took a plunge, while everybody else continued their birding efforts. Then as we drove into the head of the lagoon, Meghan spotted two young bears in the bushes, so we carefully edged closer, dragged the boats to the shore and landed. The bears did not seem to notice us, so they moved away slowly, grazing on the grass. It was quite an amazing experience to watch them peacefully going about their business, completely oblivious to their human admirers. The next stop was in the other corner of the lagoon, where after half an hour of searching, birders finally got their Accentor. By this time the light wind had blown the clouds away and the glorious scenery opened before our eyes with the high peaks surrounding this secluded valley. The tundra even smelled magical and it was a morning we wished would go on forever. But unfortunately, it was time to go...

As we were leaving the sun shone brightly over the mountains which curved the coastline and the sense of scale was just enormous. It was breathtaking to comprehend how wild and huge this land is, without a soul for miles and miles. As we reflected on this, the ship sailed down the coast to pick up the scout team for our first Spoon-billed Sandpiper destination.

 

28th June 2013

Spoon-billed Sandpiper Search Day 1

We started the day at anchor and made ready to start our search for sandpipers. After breakfast and a quick scouting trip by the team we were ready to be deployed in five teams and cover the potential breeding habitats. We brought lunch with us so we could spend the whole day in the field. The sky was gloomy and it rained most of the day, at times quite heavily. This combined with a rather strong wind, made searching conditions rather challenging but we pushed on through the day. Ultimately we were unsuccessful in our quest to confirm any Spoon-billed Sandpiper in this bay and suitable habitat was generally felt to be in rather short supply. Nonetheless there were lots of waders breeding in the bay – Mongolian, Common-ringed and Pacific Golden Plover; Red-necked, Temminck’s, and Long-toed Stint and Wood Sandpiper were all considered to be breeding in the area. Other avian highlights included a total of three immature Steller’s Sea Eagle, Little Bunting and one group saw four Asian Rosy Finches.

One species we did see in great abundance today was Brown Bears. Amongst them the groups we tallied a rather remarkable 30 animals, many of which were females with cubs. Most of groups had close, but not too close, looks! As we gathered back on the ship it was time for a hot shower and a warm cup of coffee as the various groups compared notes. The ship sailed northwards during the night to our next search site.

 

29th June 2013

Spoon-billed Sandpiper Search Day 2

We were hoping to search two bays today and several of the expedition team went ashore very early on a scouting mission and found excellent habitat. Unfortunately due to the strong current, very shallow river entrance and falling tide we could only bring in a small team to search there. Three small groups covered the area over the next few hours and by then we were barely able to get out of the river entrance and back out to sea. Despite the very promising looking habitat again there were no Spoon-billed Sandpipers – a rather disheartening result. Good indicator species Common Ringed and Mongolian Plover were breeding in rather large numbers and other waders we observed were Red-necked and Long-toed Stint and Wood and Common Sandpiper. Other notable avian species in the area were Bluethroat, Dusky Thrush, Little Bunting and good numbers of Hoary Redpoll. We did also return with about 40 red salmon provided to us by the local fisherman in the bay.

During lunchtime we sailed northwards a short distance to our next search site, seeing our first Kittlitz’s Murrelets of the trip en route. Four teams were quickly deployed and everyone who had not been able to participate in the morning got their chance on shore. There was a relatively small area to cover this afternoon and a relatively short window to search. By this time the fog had rolled in and we reluctantly returned to the ship to again report no Spoon-billed Sandpipers. We did spot Mongolian and Common ringed Plover and Red-necked Stints and one team located a small group of Asian Rosy Finch.

With everyone back on board it was time to dry off, warm up and compare notes again as the ship sailed north into the fog. We came to anchor in the evening in ‘Gyrfalcon Bay’ but as it was getting dark and there was heavy fog about we stayed on the ship for the evening.

 

30th June 2013

‘Gyrfalcon Bay’ and Search Site Day 3

At first light we were greeted by very heavy ‘pea soup’ fog but by 5am it had dissipated enough to allow us to head ashore and check on a White Gyrfalcon nest the expedition team had found on a previous visit. After a quick shuttle to shore and a brisk walk we arrived at the site to find the nesting site empty, however a new nest was quickly located further down the cliff. We advanced closer and then feasted on the views of no less than four juvenile White Gyrfalcons staring back at us. The almost pure white mother (albeit with a dirty belly!) watched us warily from cliffs. We spent over an hour around the area staring on with awe at what is surely one of the best birds in the world – high fives and handshakes all round and a memory to cherish forever.

We devoured breakfast we sailed northwards to our final search site. It took the rest of the morning and seabirding en route was really spectacular. Of particular note was the concentration of several thousand Fork-tailed Storm Petrels, unprecedented numbers for us to see here. The much wanted Kittlitz’s Murrelet was common in these waters with over 60 birds recorded. Alcids in general were numerous with an excellent tally of ten species for the morning. Of note were five Ancient Murrelets and four Least Auklets. A single but sadly rather distant White-billed Diver was seen and photographed and there were numerous Pacific Divers around as well. Both Red and Red-necked Phalaropes were seen as well and numerous marine mammals. These included 13 Minke Whales, a Fin Whale, Harbour Porpoises and even a female Ribbon Seal for a lucky few. As we entered the bay many Gray Whales were present.

After lunch we headed ashore for one final search effort. Conditions were cool and overcast with some rain but generally rather pleasant through the afternoon as we fanned out in five groups to cover the rather large search area. The habitat was not particularly good for Spoon-bills and it was no great surprise that we came up empty yet again. Waders recorded included Common Ringed Plover, Long-toed, Red-necked and Temminck’s Stints, Common Sandpiper and Red-necked Phalarope. The area with its many ponds was excellent for general birding and some highlights included Greater White-fronted and Tundra Bean Goose, Falcated Teal, nesting Common Eider and lots of Sandhill Crane. One group was lucky enough to see yet another Gyrfalcon, this one a gray bird, bringing the day’s tally to six. In the riparian areas a few highlights were Oriental Cuckoo, Dusky Thrush, Brown Thrush, Little Bunting and Hoary Redpoll. Brown bears were again prominent, with the day’s tally reaching 22.

We compared notes over a late dinner and unfortunately our search for the Spoon-billed Sandpiper had ended with a sobering, but not unexpected tally of zero. As we all retired for the night the ship sailed northwards towards Spoon-billed Sandpiper HQ at Meinypil’gyno.

 

Monday 1st July

Meinypil’gyno

The next morning most people took the opportunity to sleep in and very few were out on deck when we arrived at Meinypil’gyno shortly after 7am. For those who did make the effort however, there were Gray Whales and Kittlitz’s Murrelets to see. Once breakfast had concluded, Rodney, Katya, Evgeny and Elena headed ashore to finalise arrangements for our visit with the Border Guards and the local representatives of the Spoon-billed Sandpiper Recovery Team. This took a little time to organise but after an early lunch everything was in place and we boarded five Zodiacs and headed for Meinypil’gyno. A couple of Gray Whales and plenty of Largha Seals were seen as the Zodiac drivers skilfully navigated the somewhat lumpy conditions at the river mouth and we soon arrived at the village. Evgeny and Elena were waiting for us along with two members of the SBS Taskforce, Nikoli and Igor, and accompanied by them we set off up the river. To minimise our impact on any individual pair of sandpipers, we were divided into two groups and after travelling for half an hour, we arrived at the first site with the second location being a further ten minutes up the river.

Fortunately it was a relatively short walk to both nests and we were then privileged to be able to watch this iconic species both sitting on the nest and walking around on the tundra. With less than one hundred and fifty birders having ever visited Meinypil’gyno, it was a truly unique experience for our group and something that we would remember for the rest of our lives. After enjoying the sandpipers, the two groups explored the surrounding area and an excellent range of species were found with the undoubted highlight being several sightings of Emperor Goose. After the ‘Spoonies’ this was probably the most wanted bird around Meinypil’gyno for many of the group and when it was eventually time to return to the Zodiacs, the mood was one of total contentment. It had been a spectacular afternoon.

 

Tuesday 2nd July

At sea and Pika River

During the night, the ship remained at anchor off Meinypil’gyno with a reasonably heavy swell running in from the east. The result of this was a somewhat sleepless night for many. After breakfast, Rodney and Adam ventured out to the river mouth in a Zodiac to see if it would be possible to get ashore but they were soon back on the ship explaining that the conditions were far worse than the previous evening making it too dangerous to negotiate the river mouth. As a result the anchor was lifted and we headed towards Pika River watching more Kittlitz’s Murrelets, several White-billed Divers and more familiar species such as Horned Puffin and Parakeet Auklet along the way.

As we approached Pika Bay, we began to see walruses in the water and after lunch, the Zodiacs were launched and we set off to explore this scenic location. Although the walruses were not present on their beach haul-out (possibly due to a large storm a few days before), there were several hundred in the water. We were entertained by small groups of up to a dozen individuals coming within a matter of metres of the Zodiacs to check out these strange creatures who had entered their territory. They were so close we could smell their foul breath and appreciate their incredibly wrinkled skin. It was a truly memorable encounter for everyone, including the walruses! Besides the walruses there were a number of Gray Whales to photograph and it was with genuine reluctance that we returned to the ship in the late afternoon. It had been a very special day indeed.

 

Wednesday 3rd July

Keyngypilgyn Bay

After cruising northwards overnight, we arrived at Keyngypilgyn Bay as breakfast was being served and by the time most had finished eating Rodney, Adam and Katya had been on a short scout trip to assess whether it would be possible to land. The news was positive, so everyone readied themselves for the final landing of the expedition and we were soon ashore on a large island near the mouth of the river.

Evgeny and Rodney had told us that this area was excellent for waterfowl and during the course of the morning an excellent range of species were found. We had some good views of several small groups of Emperor Geese, as well as White-fronted Geese, Long-tailed Duck, Wigeon, Pintail and Scaup. The big surprise however was a stunning White Gyrfalcon which was found sitting on the tundra. As we slowly approached and enjoyed the sight through telescope we were disappointed to see it chased off by a Mountain Hare! Moving forward, we found the falcon again, this time sitting on a log on the sand bar and were able to watch it for the next 20-30 minutes. Although we had enjoyed some great views of this species a few days before, everyone was delighted to see another individual. As well as the Gyrfalcon, another pleasant surprise was an Aleutian Tern which obligingly flew over us. After the disappointment with this species at Zhupanova River, it was great to now get some good looks and the distinctive white forehead and call were appreciated by all.

By late morning it was time to head back to the landing site and after lunch, it was time to settle accounts and attend an expedition recap and disembarkation briefing. It was sad to think that our expedition was almost over, but we had certainly experienced many things which would stay with us forever.

 

Thursday 4th July

Anadyr

Morning found us off the colourful little town of Anadyr. We boarded the Zodiacs to depart the Spirit of Enderby for the final time and bade farewell to all our newfound friends. We had shared many wonderful and memorable experiences together and would look back on this time with great satisfaction in the years to come.