Spitsbergen, 27 June - 4 July 2007 - part 4

Woodfjorden

Monaco glacier, Woodfjorden

Moffen Island, 80 deg N, Walruses hauled out

pack ice, north coast Spitsbergen

Glaucous Gull, Alkefjellet

Spitsbergen, 27 June - 4 July 2007 - part 3

Alkefjellet cliffs and Brunnich's Guillemot colony

Blue Fulmar in the pack ice

Images of the pack ice, 79 deg N

Little Auk colony, Fuglesangen

Polar Bear, watched for 2 hours on Albertoya island

Spitsbergen, 27 June - 4 July 2007 - part 2

Red (Grey) Phalaropes, Raudfjorden

Black Guillemot, Krossfjorden

Bearded Seal, Krossfjorden

Ivory Gull, Ny Alesund

Barnacle Geese, Ny Alesund

Purple Sandpiper, Ny Alesund

Ny Alesund landscape

Long-tailed Skua, Blomstrandhalvoya

Grigoriy Mikheev, Raudfjorden

Kittiwakes on iceberg, Raudfjorden

King Eider, Raudfjorden

Spitsbergen, 27 June - 4 July 2007 - part 1

In summer 2007 I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to go on a 9-day trip to Spitsbergen on the Grigoriy Mikheev, a ship run by Oceanwide Expeditions. This trip sailed up th west coast and along the north coast at the edge of the pack ice as far as 80 deg north.
The weather was mixed but fairly sunny, highlights were many and included Ivory Gull - Little Auk and Brunnich's Guillemot colonies - Walrus and Bearded Seals - and 3 Polar Bears. Breeding waders included Purple Sandpiper, Ruddy Turnstone and Red (Grey) Phalarope - wildfowl included Barnacle Goose and Long-tailed Duck, also King Eider.
The landscape is very bleak and impressive but there was less sea ice than I expected.

photos;

Longyearbyen, the main settlement on Spitsbergen

midnight sun leaving harbour

G Mikheev entering Krossfjorden

glacier, Krossfjorden

zodiac cruising, Krossfjorden

statue of Amundsen, Norwegian polar explorer, at Ny Alesund

Farmoor and Port Meadow, Oxford

29 September - an arrival of seabirds inland, especially in East Anglia, did not leave out Farmoor. Unfortunately I missed the juvenile Sabine's Gull, but I saw a juvenile Arctic Skua (photo) and 1st winter Grey Phalarope (photo), as well as a very confiding Knot. Port Meadow floods held 2 Pectoral Sandpipers and a Curlew Sandpiper, as well as 30 Snipe, 18 Golden Plover, 2 Ruff and a Little Egret.

Gibraltar and Tarifa

14-18 September 2007 - a Naturetrek tour, very successful as 100s of migrating raptors and storks seen, particularly at the western end of the straits in the strong easterly wind. Good low views of birds streaming overhead, including groups of Honey Buzzards, Black Kites and Booted Eagles, a scattering of Short-toed Eagles and flocks of Black Storks. Bee-eater, Alpine and Pallid Swifts also seen, as well as Cory's and Balearic Shearwaters out in the straits.
photos;

Honey Buzzard
Booted Eagle
Short-toed Eagle
Black Kite
White Stork
Black Stork
Audouin's Gull (on Bolonia beach)

Wilson's Phalarope and Purple Sandpiper

8 September - Good views of the Wilson's Phalarope (upper pic) at Stanpit Marsh, Dorset, feeding on the exposed margins with a variety of other waders including several Curlew Sandpipers, Avocet, Knot and Greenshank.

9 September - an afternoon visit to Farmoor to see the confiding Purple Sandpiper, feeding along the causeway with 4 Dunlin (lower pic). A very scarce bird inland, presumably en route to its coastal wintering grounds.

Spotted Crake at Coombe Hill Meadows

1 September - I saw the Spotted Crake this evening at Coombe Hill, it was frequenting a small pool in the reeds, crossing it every 5-10mins. Presumably an adult as fairly brightly marked with an orange bill. The more distant photo is mine! Also a flyover Yellow Wagtail and a Snipe.