SPITSBERGEN: 29 JUNE-7 JULY 2003

Trip Report by Tony Marr, Tour Leader

Summary

This was the sixth WildWings visit to Spitsbergen, and proved to be as successful as all the others. Every year is different, influenced by the weather and the position and state of the pack ice. This year the ice was well south, as we last found on our first trip in 1998, lying across the northern coast and preventing access to the north-facing fjords, . As in that year, we tried unsuccessfully to get round the north-west corner of the main island and had to head back south where the experienced members of our Oceanwide Expedition’s team enabled us to find the sought-after species of birds and mammals in the most southerly fjords. This year we were on board the smallest of Oceanwide’s Russian ships, the M.V. Grigoriy Mikheev, with some 38 passengers including our WildWings group of 12. In mainly fine, sunny, calm weather throughout the expedition, we found all the special birds such as King Eiders, Ptarmigan, Grey Phalaropes, Long-tailed Skuas, Ivory and Sabine’s Gulls, and Brunnich’s Guillemots and Little Auks in their tens of thousands. Mammals and cetaceans included three Polar Bears (one clambering about on some muddy moraine between two glaciers and a female with a tiny cub on a small island), 19 Walruses, seven Arctic Foxes, a Minke Whale, a dozen Bearded and about 100 Ringed Seals, ten Harp Seals, and well over 100 Reindeer of the small, short-legged Svalbard race.

We all met up at London’s Heathrow Airport for our afternoon flight to Oslo, where a quick change of planes saw us soon on the three-hour flight north to Longyearbyen, capital of the Svalbard Archipelago. Coming in over Spitsbergen in broad daylight soon after midnight, we saw many of the peaks of the pointed mountains from which it gets its name just showing above the low clouds. We landed on time, and were soon on the coach into town and to our guesthouse. A Glaucous Gull greeted us and Snow Buntings were singing as we made our way thankfully to bed after a very long day.

Early risers had Ptarmigan and Arctic Fox on the list even before breakfast, after which we went by coach to the pools by the camping site at the Airport where Grey Phalaropes are usually to be seen. We found them within minutes, and were dazzled by the brilliant red plumage of a pair and another female as they displayed and fed at very close range in bright sunshine. The photographers were kept very busy with these and Purple Sandpipers, Arctic Terns, and Long-tailed Ducks, while offshore we found a distant drake King Eider among all the Common Eider. We returned to the guesthouse for lunch, during which we watched hundreds of Little Auks whirring high over the mountain ridges above the town. After shopping in the town, we walked to the quay and boarded the Mikheev, anchored in the fjord, by Zodiac, for many their first experience of these sturdy, reliable inflatables which were to be our regular transport for all our landings in the next seven days. As we settled in to our cabins and found our way around the ship, from the deck we saw more King Eiders, bringing the day’s total up to six, a Bearded Seal, a pair of Red-throated Divers and a pair of Barnacle Geese with small young. Soon we were under way on our overnight journey to our first port of call, passing through flocks of Brunnich’s Guillemots, Little Auks and Puffins, and followed by dozens of the intriguing ‘Blue’ form of the Northern Fulmar. We carried out the mandatory lifeboat drill and then enjoyed our first dinner aboard as we headed north on a dull, misty evening.

We arrived before breakfast in similar weather at the mouth of Krossfjorden, where thousands of Little Auks were streaming out towards the sea on feeding flights. Sample counts indicated that about 30,000 passed in the hour before we anchored near the 14th July Glacier. After we attended a detailed briefing on landing procedures and the danger from Polar Bears, the Zodiacs were launched for a cruise along the low cliffs here. Two Razorbills were spotted among the hundreds of Brunnich’s Guillemots and several Puffins lining the ledges, and Pink-footed and Barnacle Geese shared space on the top of the cliffs with predatory Glaucous Gulls. A flock of 26 Pale-bellied Brent Geese passed over, while Black Guillemots and Arctic Skuas were watched from the Zodiacs. A landing on the shore was made between the glacier and the cliffs, and the botanists among us found a great selection of arctic flowers on the mountain slopes where Snow Buntings were nesting and a Reindeer was feeding.

During lunch the ship repositioned to Ny Alesund on the south shore of Kongsfjorden, recognised as the most northerly permanently-inhabited settlement in the world, and always a good landing for wildlife. The weather was still dull, but calm and mild, and we were soon watching a pair of Red-throated Divers and of Grey Phalaropes on a pool on the edge of town, where Long-tailed Duck and Purple Sandpipers mingled with dozens of Barnacle Geese and Common Eider. A lovely pure-white adult Ivory Gull flew in and settled on its regular feeding place, a wooden frame next to some dog kennels where seal skins are hung up to dry, on which the gull feeds. It was seen on and off during the afternoon, but finally gave in to the photographers who obtained close shots of it on top of the frame and surrounding fence poles. Glaucous Gulls and Snow Buntings were everywhere. As we left to rejoin the ship, a Great Skua flew in and settled briefly on the main pool to bring to a close a very successful landing.

But the day was not over. After a persistently dull day, our fearless Expedition Leader, James Fenton, spied some sunshine striking the distant mountains, and as we enjoyed dinner, the Captain took the ship into a narrow gorge called Lilliehookfjorden where we found the sun streaming down on to spectacular snow-capped mountains and a beautiful glacier, Lilliehookbreen, at its end. It was a magical evening, and everyone was up on deck to appreciate the warm sunshine and extraordinary scenery. There were no unusual birds here, but on the ice in front of the glacier we found our first Ringed Seal of the trip. Most of us retired to our cabins later than planned, unable to resist the beauty of the midnight sun, as the Mikheev turned and made its way back down the fjord. Reluctance to go to bed was a problem we were to meet almost every evening in the pristine arctic wilderness...

We awoke on a cold, dull but calm morning, to find the ship anchored off the Smeerenburg Glacier, after another overnight journey further northward. After our usual hearty cooked breakfast, we boarded the Zodiacs for an invigorating ride round the bay in front of the glacier, where a Bearded and a dozen Ringed Seals were sitting out on the fast ice against the shore, and Black and Brunnich’s Guillemots, Arctic Skuas, Arctic Terns and Common Eider were all to be seen. We headed back down Bjornfjord towards Amsterdamoya (Amsterdam Island) and after lunch visited the historic site of the Dutch whaling station at Smeerenburg. As often in this exposed place, it was bitterly cold as we scanned the pools and tundra for birds. We were to be rewarded with several species not to be seen again on the expedition, including two Sanderling and a beautiful adult Sabine’s Gull in almost complete immaculate summer plumage - only the yellow tip to the bill was lacking. Other waders seen included eight Ringed Plover, two Turnstones and the by-now familiar Purple Sandpipers. Half a dozen Arctic Skuas were joined for a few moments by a passing Great Skua, and the regular Barnacle Geese and Common Eiders were present in good numbers. The next landing, close by, was at the equally historic site of Virgohamna, site of more whaling activity but particularly significant as the launching site for several (unsuccessful) balloon attempts to reach the North Pole. Here we heard and then watched dozens of Little Auks in their nesting colonies high on the cliff ledges, their banshee laughter echoing across the valley between the mountains.

At a briefing and recap on our return to the ship, James announced that we were to head on northwards towards the pack ice which we could see on the horizon, to try to enter it, and determine whether we could continue on round the north-west corner of Spitsbergen. We skirted along the edge of the ice, close to the island of Fugelsongen, and stopped when dinner was served so as not to miss anything. Immediately after the meal, the Captain steered the Mikheev, with its ice-strengthened hull, into the ice. Soon a party of ten fast-moving Harp Seals and a lone Minke Whale were seen in a wide lead in the ice, and shortly afterwards the first two of nineteen Walruses were spotted hauled out on an ice floe. We moved forward to obtain closer views of a group of ten together, while thousands of Little Auks and hundreds of Brunnich’s Guillemots and Northern Fulmars streamed past. A decision was made to put Zodiacs in the water, to attempt to move closer to the Walruses with less disturbance, but soon the attempt had to be aborted when a wide lead steadily closed up. This caused difficulties in getting the passengers back to the ship’s gangway, and the Captain had to move the ship through the ice to clear a path for the Zodiacs. Once everyone was back on board, the ship started to move out of the ice, but even this proved difficult as the floes moved together and for a short period it seemed to be trapped. Eventually, well after midnight, we were free, and the Captain and Expedition Leader wisely decided to head back south again. There was no way we could get round to the north coast, and there was more chance of seeing Polar Bears, now our remaining major target species, in the southern fjords where they are regularly seen.

On our way south we called in to Kongsfjorden again, and enjoyed a marvellous morning landing at Blomstrand, opposite Ny Alesund. This is well-known as the only regular location in Spitsbergen for breeding Long-tailed Skuas, and is a good site for Ptarmigan. We quickly found both, and had great views and remarkable close photographic opportunities on a glorious warm, calm, sunny day. Coats, gloves and sweaters were peeled off as we enjoyed various walks from the site of the abandoned marble mine, another unsuccessful arctic enterprise, into the adjoining hills and over the tundra. A Red-throated Diver was seen distantly on its nest on a small pool, alongside Long-tailed Ducks, Arctic Terns and Barnacle Geese, and numerous plants and flowers were identified.

After lunch we made a landing at an unexplored site near the Willeberget Mountain in Krossfjorden, opposite the 14th July Glacier which we had visited a few days earlier. The most significant bird here was a Ruddy Turnstone which appeared to be breeding, flying round in an agitated fashion, calling, and returning several times to the same spot. We quickly moved away. On the nearby open tundra were Pink-footed and Barnacle Geese, and four broken Ptarmigan eggs were found. Arctic Skuas and Snow Buntings were also present, as at every landing - just how many thousands of each must there be in the whole archipelago? We returned to the ship and headed on southwards overnight.

We arrived in Bellsund in the early morning on another lovely sunny day. After breakfast, we cruised in our Zodiacs below the bird cliffs at Midterhuken, marvelling at the huge numbers of Brunnich’s Guillemots and Kittiwakes on the ledges from sea level way up to the top of the high cliffs. On the slopes above us were Barnacle and Pink-footed Geese, with Glaucous Gulls constantly patrolling the cliffs looking for unguarded eggs or chicks. We landed on a low headland where an Arctic Fox, marked with ear tags and a radio collar, ran off carrying, and then buried, a Barnacle Goose chick. A second one was seen further along the beach, from where five Reindeer and two pairs of Arctic Skuas were watched on the mountain slopes.

After lunch we landed at Kapp Toscana, the site of whaling activities in the past which were borne out by the piles of Beluga whalebones all along the beach, a very sad sight. We quickly moved away from this gruesome and regrettable reminder of our past, and walked for some distance along the edge of an area of tundra where some 20 Reindeer were grazing, including three small young. The usual Purple Sandpipers, Arctic Skuas, Pinkfooted and Barnacle Geese and Snow Buntings were to be seen, and at the end of the walk several people were lucky enough to spot an adult Pomarine Skua, with a full long tail, passing overhead and on out to sea out of sight. As we reached the shore at the end of the walk, an Arctic Fox was seen running off into some rocks, over 100 Common Eider were offshore, and on some floating ice floes were a Bearded Seal and half a dozen Ringed Seals. We ended this very satisfying day with a barbecue on the aft deck, which became surprisingly cold when the wind got up and caused most people to retire to the warmth of the bar. We sailed further on overnight towards the southernmost point of the expedition, wondering whether we would ever catch up with the elusive Polar Bears....

Polar Bear day - at last! We spent the day in Hornsund, a known location for bears, cruising the shores and visiting each glacier in turn, on yet another beautiful sunny day. The presence of at least six Ivory Gulls was indicative of the presence of bears, and it was not long before we found our first one, in late morning, clambering through an area of rough mud and rock formed by the moraine from one of the glaciers. This individual was quite dirty from its surroundings, and was watched from the ship, eventually climbing a nearby hillside and rolling in snowdrifts, presumably to clean up. Its huge footprints in the snow were clearly visible from a great distance as we sailed away.

Soon after lunch, a female with a small cub was spotted nearby on a small island, and again from the ship, through a telescope, we had good views of them lying down on the rocky side of a small hill. Unfortunately the cub lay so close to its mother that it could not be seen separately, and both were still lying on the ground, in a curved banana shape which looked yellowish against the dark hillside, as we headed off to our next destination. This was to Vestreburgerbukta, where the Mikheev sailed up to the fast ice near the glacier, on which were resting no fewer than 72 Ringed and 6 Bearded Seals. Most of these vanished down into ice-holes on our approach, to pop up later. Marvellous views and great photographic opportunities were obtained.

This memorable day ended with an after-dinner landing at a Polish weather station, behind which is a Little Auk colony. We walked past carpets of lovely flowers to the scree-covered slopes of the mountain behind, where some 5,000 of these engaging little birds, each not much larger than a Starling, entertained us for an hour or so with their maniacal laughing calls and impetuous whirring flight. For some people this experience was a highlight of the whole expedition and the ambition of a lifetime. A dozen Reindeer, from three tiny calves to two males with enormous antlers, were feeding on the tundra as we made our way back to the ship, satiated after a day of unforgettable wildlife experiences in lovely weather.

It was hard to believe, but our last day was even sunnier and warmer than any other, and without a breath of wind. We sailed out of early morning fog into the sunshine in Isfjord, intent on a landing at the impressive bird cliff at Alkhornet, but found another ship already there. So we sailed a short distance further on, and landed on an unknown stretch of tundra at Ymerbukta, where we saw more Pinkfeet and Barnacle Geese, Arctic Skuas, Reindeer and Snow Buntings. On such a perfect morning, many people were moved to sit down among the rocks on the tundra, on their own, and just drink in the spectacle and the silence of this arctic wonderland.

After lunch we made a successful landing at Alkhornet for the whole afternoon. It was very relaxing and satisfying in the warm sunshine, watching and hearing an Arctic Fox barking as he hunted below the bird cliffs; seeing at least 30 Reindeer at very close range; listening to the cacophony of sound from the Brunnich’s Guillemots and Kittiwakes high above us on the narrow ledges; seeing three young Glaucous Gull chicks in their nest on the cliff edge, guarded by their determined parents; and enjoying our last views of the special arctic birds, from Pink-footed and Barnacle Geese to Purple Sandpipers and Snow Buntings. We rejoined the ship, very reluctantly, and sailed back to Longyearbyen via the depressing, dilapidated Russian mining town of Barentsburg, where the dirt, squalor and rubbish were relieved by the sight of three lovely pristine white Ivory Gulls feeding at an outfall on the beach. We docked at 10.30 pm.

Two passengers took a midnight stroll into Longyearbyen where they saw, inter alia, another Ivory Gull, while later several of us at the Airport watched an Arctic Fox hunting and a Grey Phalarope on the pools while we enjoyed a coffee in the cafeteria there before our flight home which left at 4.40 am.

Our group came with high expectations after the success of all the previous trips. It is no exaggeration to say that those expectations were exceeded, and that they went home truly satisfied and longing to return one day to the spectacular high arctic, its lovely scenery and its unique wildlife.