Trip Report by Tour Leader Tony Marr

Summary

Fifteen participants joined this WildWings trip to Spitsbergen from 20th -28th June 2010. This was Tony’s 12th visit with a WildWings group, and (sadly – Ed!) his last-ever tour for the company. Appropriately it proved to be the most successful, measured by the variety and volume of special wildlife, good weather, and with the perfect ship and expedition team, but above all, by the way in which the trip exceeded everybody’s expectations.

Svalbard’s special bird species were nearly all seen: five Ivory and two Sabine’s Gulls; one Long-tailed Skua, a remarkable flock of 60+ King Eider; five Grey Phalaropes; only Ptarmigan disappointed. The regular breeding species were as numerous and widespread as ever: Pink-footed and Barnacle Geese, Common Eider, Purple Sandpipers, Arctic Skuas, Glaucous Gulls, Black-legged Kittiwakes, Brunnich’s and Black Guillemots, Atlantic Puffins, Little Auks and Snow Buntings. A Turnstone apparently sitting on eggs was found on a beach, but only one Pale-bellied Brent Goose was seen.

The sea ice had moved away from the northern coast of Spitsbergen, allowing us access to the very productive fjords, bays and islands of the area, some of them still containing significant quantities of ice and snow which at times restricted our Zodiac operations.
This late spring meant that much of the tundra was still snow-covered, so many birds were waiting for access to their breeding territories. The unusual concentration of King Eider was a case in point, and represented more than had been seen on all the previous trips added together. Passengers’ experience on shore landings confirmed that in many places the snow was deep (up to the waist at times) and that there was still little open ground or open water away from the sea.

However good the birds on these tours, it’s often the mammals of the high Arctic which offer the most dramatic spectacles, and this trip excelled in this respect. Three Arctic Foxes, a haul-out of 25 Walrus and some 70 Svalbard Reindeer were encountered, but all were eclipsed by the best Polar Bear experience of all the 12 WildWings tours. The total of 16 was our largest ever, but 13 of these were on one day, and 10 were in one small bay, attracted by the carcass of a dead whale. For nearly two hours we watched, mesmerised from the Zodiacs - the interaction between a mother with a small cub and two different males, as they all tried to feed at the whale carcass. A couple of days later, another yellowish sight among the white ice and snow was not a bear this time, but a Beluga, swimming and diving with a dark young one, and during the trip some eight Minke Whales were seen, many more than usual. Seals totalled 19 Bearded and 14 Ringed, but no Harp Seals were seen this year.

Over the years, our groups have found some of the vagrant bird species which have appeared in Spitsbergen, including Steller’s Eider, Pectoral Sandpiper, Black Tern and Red-throated Pipit. Even Grey Lag Goose, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Eurasian Teal, Northern Wheatear and Meadow Pipit have been added to our check list! This year we had a slim, dainty, long-legged wader feeding with a Purple Sandpiper on a pool at Ny Alesund; although some way off, ‘scope views showed that it had bright yellow legs! Most unfortunately, at that moment it flew off, showing all-dark upperwings, but we could not see the white rump or sufficient detail to clinch it as a Lesser Yellowlegs. Despite a thorough search, we never saw it again.

Daily diary

Sunday 20th June

We arrived at Oslo Airport in the late afternoon after a punctual flight from London Heathrow. A satisfying sight at Heathrow was Terminal 2 being demolished, although one member of our group thought it had always looked like that. We enjoyed an hour’s sunny woodland walk around the hotel before dinner, where Fieldfares and Redwings were for us a summer novelty among the regular countryside birds.

Monday 21st June

A Common Swift was flying around inside the terminal building as we checked in for our
flight to Longyearbyen and the high latitudes of the Arctic. A brief stop at Tromso, and by early afternoon we were there. What a contrast with Antarctica, which usually takes four days of continuous travel to reach. On a bright and very windy afternoon, we took a walk from the town to the ship, finding a lovely Ivory Gull among the Glaucous, over 100 Purple Sandpipers feeding out on the mud, and our first Arctic Skuas, Barnacle Geese, Common Eiders, Arctic Terns and Snow Buntings. Our ship, Research Vessel (R/V) Akademik Ioffe, proved to be spacious, comfortable and well-appointed, and soon we had settled into our cabins, checked out the ship and been introduced to our Expedition Team. We completed our mandatory safety and lifeboat drill, the anchor was raised, and we were soon on our way to explore this remote and beautiful Arctic wilderness. As we sailed away from the quay, our first Brunnich’s Guillemots, Little Auks and the strangely dark grey Arctic form of Northern Fulmars escorted us down Isfjorden (“Ice Fjord’) towards our anchorage later in the evening some miles to the north-west.

Tuesday 22nd June

We landed after breakfast under the towering cliffs of Alkhornet on a perfect sunny morning with light winds, for a tundra walk ‘to see what we could see’. Three different speeds were arranged, the birders as to be expected being among the slowest. It was a sensory overload, with spectacular snowy and icy scenery as far as the eye could see; the background noise of thousands of Brunnich’s Guillemots and Kittiwakes nesting on small ledges high up on the ‘horn’ ‘s cliff-face; and the occasional distinctive whiff of guano in the air. An Arctic Fox was watching us, and Svalbard Reindeer were ignoring us, as we threaded our way among boulders and pools where Pinkfooted and Barnacle Geese were nesting. Snow Buntings sang and Purple Sandpipers called around us. It was a perfect introduction to the prolific wildlife of Svalbard.

After an excellent lunch while the ship moved further up the coast, we landed for the afternoon excursion at Poolepynten, where from the ship we could see a tightly-packed group of 25 or so Walrus on the shore. Local regulations limit visitors to 50 on shore at a time, so the passengers were divided into two groups for the slow and careful approach to these remarkable beasts. Great views and photographic opportunities were obtained on a lovely still afternoon, with a lot of other wildlife to appreciate. Lovely summer-plumage Grey Phalaropes (aptly named ‘Red Phalaropes’ in America), Purple Sandpipers, one Sanderling, at least seven Red-throated Divers (one on a nest), Arctic Skuas and Arctic Terns were the highlights. The snow-covered mountains were reflected in the mirror-like surface of the lagoon as we reluctantly climbed into the Zodiacs to return to the ship, ready for dinner and an overnight voyage northwards to our next destination.

Wednesday 23rd June

Up at the north-western corner of Spitsbergen we found another world; a world of ice, snow and strong, bitterly cold wind. From the ship we watched an Arctic Fox quartering the snow-covered ground, and three Bearded Seals were spotted in the water. It was cloudy and sleeting as we were Zodiaced ashore after breakfast to a landing at Smeerenburg, or ‘Blubber Town’, the site of an old whaling station. We were again offered three paces of walk, and our group again chose the leisurely one. There were not many birds to be seen, as the lagoons behind the beach were mostly still frozen and progress was slow. One so-called faster group returned hot and exhausted after fighting their way through quite deep snow and constantly dropping into buried holes and gullies up to the tops of their legs.

During lunch the ship started to reposition to the north again, when a Polar Bear was seen from the bridge, walking along the shore quite close on the starboard side. The Captain turned the Ioffe , an announcement was made just as lunch was finishing, and everybody was treated to a good view of this large impressive animal, not white but yellowish against the snow and ice. Our first bear, and it was only the second day; we later heard that the previous trip, the first of the season, had not seen their first one until about the second day before the end of their voyage.

Now on a real high, we were ready for the next excitement, an afternoon landing at a colony of Little Auks on Fuglesongen, or ‘Birdsong Island’. After a difficult walk across slippery rocks and a short climb up on to the raised beach, we trekked through the snow to the rocky hillside where the birds breed. For a couple of hours or so, we sat and watched and listened to these tiny auks whirring back and forth between the island and the sea. They would remain calm and confiding on land until their Public Enemy No 1, the rapacious Glaucous Gull, passed over, when the whole colony would panic and fly off, returning soon to sit up on the rocks around us. It was a memorable afternoon, enhanced by the majestic scenery of mountains and glaciers around us.

Back on the ship, we watched from the bridge as we headed round the north-western tip of Spitsbergen and continued eastwards on a cloudy but bright evening towards our next exciting destination, Hinlopen Strait, which divides Spitsbergen on its eastern side from the other islands of the Svalbard Archipelago.

Thursday 24th June

The ‘Auk Mountain’ of Alkefjellet is another exposed, windy and cold place, and our post-breakfast two-hour Zodiac cruise beneath the cliffs was an ordeal for some people, particularly for their hands and feet. However, it was worth it for the exceptional views of tens of thousands of breeding Brunnich’s Guillemots on the ledges just above us, and for the amazing vitality, energy, noise and smell created by these birds. Unfortunately we did not have the time (or the inclination!) to count the birds, but estimates of around 60,000 breeding pairs have been made in the past. Squabbles and fights broke out among the birds, and two on the water near the Zodiacs seemed determined to kill each other. As well as the guillemots, we encountered breeding Kittiwakes, predatory Glaucous Gulls (one eating a dead Kittiwake on the water), Barnacle Geese high up on the grassy slopes and a few Great and Arctic Skuas offshore.

In improving weather, we headed eastwards across Hinlopen Strait and into the photogenic Wahlenbergfjorden, where the sun was out and the wind had abated. From the ship we spied a distant Polar Bear sleeping out on the fast ice, several Ringed and a single Bearded Seal, and plenty of auks, Fulmars and Kittiwakes were on the move. An inspiring two-hour Zodiac cruise through breathtaking icescapes required constant changes of course to find open water. Overhead passed a lovely pure white Ivory Gull, gleaming in the intense sunlight, while Arctic Terns, some harried by parasitic Arctic
Skuas, flew over small groups of Black Guillemots on the sea, showing their red legs and feet when they flew. It was a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon, and actually felt warm after the morning’s cold and rather uncomfortable experience.

Soon it was time to once more climb back up the gangway and rejoin the Ioffe. While many passengers joined the bar’s Happy Hour, most of our group were up on the bridge or out on the open decks to appreciate the gorgeous scenery and unfailingly interesting wildlife as we rejoined Hinlopen Strait and headed northwards back to the open sea. At dinner our Expedition Leader told us that he had heard a report that several Polar Bears had been seen around a dead whale in a bay on the north-west coast, and early tomorrow morning he proposed to try to locate it. An early night was called for!

Friday 25th June

Fair Haven was our destination, reached on a cloudy and inhospitable morning, but the conditions were ignored when we found a female Polar Bear with two small cubs asleep on the nearby shore. After a quick cup of tea or coffee and a pastry, we embarked in the Zodiacs to search for the whale carcass. It was not long before it was located, and eight Zodiacs with nearly all 72 passengers on board sped into the small bay – to find bears lying or walking on the snow all around. It was an extraordinary sight, the total being eventually agreed as ten in view at once. There were three females each with a tiny cub, and four single animals, probably all males, of differing size and bulk. Some were down by the water’s edge close to the carcass, jockeying with each other to get to the meat below the water, whilst others were lying or sleeping in the deep snow on the slopes above.

For nearly two hours we enjoyed the compelling and unforgettable sight of Polar Bears living out their survival strategies in this harsh climate. Frequent altercations, growling spats and occasional physical contact were observed as they all tried to satisfy their hunger, and that of their cubs. It was a show like no other, and we appreciated how lucky and privileged we were. The drivers behaved with commendable caution and respect for the bears, allowing us to observe and to photograph from a close yet entirely safe distance without in any way disturbing them.

Eventually hunger affected us as well as the bears, and it was time to return to the ship for a huge mid-morning brunch. As to be expected, the conversation levels were higher than ever, and when the Expedition Leader walked in, he was greeted by a thoroughly justified and vigorous round of applause! His stock increased even further when he announced that we were now sailing out of Fair Haven and heading due north to find the pack ice.

After some four or five hours of sailing, the southern edge of the ice loomed out of the fog. We wasted no time in joining the Zodiacs for an exhilarating hour and a half sailing among the icefloes, even carefully and singly stepping on to a more substantial one for a minute or two each. A toast was offered to the Arctic as we recorded our position as being at 80 degrees 39 minutes north; only 561 nautical miles from the North Pole! It was an eerie experience, with the fog and complete lack of wind adding to the atmosphere and the Ioffe looking like a ghost ship in the distance.

We were told that it would be all downhill after this, as we retraced our route to the north coast of Spitsbergen during the evening and prepared to land in the morning in Liefdefjorden, a legendary refuge for wildlife. Another early night was called for, although we heard in the morning that some late-night carousers staggering out of the bar very late (or was it early?) had reportedly seen some Belugas. We had to presume that they were in the sea… the Belugas, that is, not the passengers.

Saturday 26th June

An early WildWings riser spotted a Polar Bear on the shore as we sailed into Liefdefjorden before breakfast. Sunshine soon gave way to fog as we entered drifting ice, and our Zodiac cruise again took on an unreal atmosphere, shapes growing and shrinking before our eyes. After watching a variety of birds near the ship, we sped off towards the Monaco Glacier where an adult creamy-white Beluga with a dark brown calf was swimming and diving along the edge of the fast ice. While we were drinking this in, a flock of King Eider was spotted in the distance sitting on the ice, so the two Zodiacs with the birders on board slowly headed over towards them. The remarkable total of some 60 in one long line exceeded the total seen on all previous WildWings trips! It was a photographer’s dream, and soon shutters were clicking and video recorders whirring.

Heady stuff, all this, as we returned to the ship for lunch and proceeded in an easterly direction into Woodfjorden and on down to an afternoon landing. The birders enjoyed their usual leisurely stroll along a peaceful beach where we found Turnstones obviously breeding, the only Pale-bellied Brent Goose of the trip, and the usual Purple Sandpipers, Arctic Terns and Arctic Skuas, Glaucous Gulls, and two lovely pairs of Long-tailed Duck.

We ended this unforgettable day with a barbecue on the rear deck as we slowly sailed back to the open sea in sunshine and light winds, surrounded by the pointed mountains and icy wilderness of this magnificent island. Three Minke Whales were seen as we were leaving Woodfjorden and heading back round the north-west of Spitsbergen.

Sunday 27th June

Our last full day was spent wisely, adding more rewarding experiences to our trip. In the morning we Zodiac-cruised at the 14th July Glacier, where dozens of Atlantic Puffins, the regular lone Razorbill on the cliff ledges with the Brunnich’s Guillemots, and an Arctic Fox stalking Pinkfooted Geese were the wildlife highlights. Barnacle Geese with goslings and several Reindeer were on the slopes above the bay, and we sailed towards (but not too close to) the glacier to appreciate its size, height and coldness.

During lunch we sailed round to the community of Ny Alesund, claimed to be the northernmost ‘town’ in the world. Here we enjoyed watching a Red-throated Diver on a nest, the regular Ivory Gull feeding on seal skins hanging up by the dog kennels, and a variety of other birds including a Dunlin, more Arctic Skuas and Snow Buntings. The frustrating sighting of what must have been a Lesser Yellowlegs, a vagrant from America, is described in the summary at the beginning of this report. Several of our group saw a lovely adult Long-tailed Skua from the ship as we sailed away, now sadly heading back to Longyearbyen and the end of our trip.

Monday 28th June

With no fewer than ten ships reported to be arriving in port today, we drew the short straw and had to anchor in the bay offshore. This necessitated a Zodiac ride to the quay for us and our luggage, but it was a still, sunny morning and it was no problem. A coach took us into town, where many of us walked along the shore road to the dog kennels for a couple of hours. Just as at Ny Alesund, there was an Ivory Gull hanging around the cages, looking no doubt for seal meat. Almost as interesting for some people were the scores of Eider ducks on nests, some with newly-hatched ducklings, between and around the two main blocks of kennels. Every year they nest here to take advantage of the protection from Arctic Foxes provided by the presence of the dogs close by. Three Long-tailed Duck and a Eurasian Wigeon were nearby, along with half a dozen Dunlin, and an Arctic Skua on a pool devouring a dead Eider duckling.

The coach took us up to the airport in the early afternoon on this lovely clear, sunny and warm day, ready for our flight back to Oslo and on to London. Those of us with a window seat were able to appreciate even more the clarity when our obliging SAS Captain took the aircraft low over the mountains along the west coast of Spitsbergen, and gave us an astonishing view of the scenery as we headed south and left behind our indelible memories of this remote wilderness. The flights were on time, and by 10.00 pm BST we were in the terminal building at Heathrow after a wonderful trip.

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Summary

On a personal note, I can say that this 12th WildWings trip to Spitsbergen exceeded all the others in every respect. The wildlife sightings included some exceptional ones, particularly of course the gathering of 10 Polar Bears at the whale carcass and the flock of 60+ King Eider. A combination of these, together with good weather, a superb ship with great food and drink, an enthusiastic and energetic Expedition Leader and his Team, and a rewarding itinerary, contributed to our expectations being exceeded. Our group was very compatible, and a pleasure to lead. And no, I haven’t said that about all of them!

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Footnote

It proved to be the perfect trip on which to end my seventeen years of working for WildWings. My grateful thanks are due to this group for making our tour so enjoyable; to John Brodie-Good for giving me so many opportunities to see the world; and to his team in Bristol for all their support and help to me over all these years. A memorable swansong for me….