Grand Alaska Part II: Nome Pre-Trip - June 2026
Dates: June 11-16, 2026
Leaders: Barry Zimmer & Erik Bruhnke
E-bird
Total Species: 103 birds
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Overall Summary
The best day ever! I have led Alaska tours for nearly 40 years now, and I can honestly say that our full day on the Teller Road was the single best day I have ever experienced in Alaska!
Our morning began with a steady stream of Willow Ptarmigan along the roadsides—many at almost arm's length (we would tally a staggering 89 for the day), along with herds of prehistoric-looking Musk Ox. A Short-eared Owl was spotted floating over the tundra with its slow-motion, moth-like flight. At the Sinuk River, we paused for a Wandering Tattler on a gravel bar and an American Beaver (always a crowd pleaser!) cruising along near the bridge. Stunning Pacific Golden-Plovers in their full breeding attire dotted the moist tundra, and Long-tailed Jaegers patrolled the airways. An Eastern Yellow Wagtail (increasingly uncommon here) appeared in a roadside ditch and allowed good views.
Then, I spotted some commotion some distance up ahead on the road. A pair of Bar-tailed Godwits (a bird we hadn't seen well yet) were joined by some jaegers and ptarmigan, and all seemed agitated. The godwits took off and started flying east, and I followed them in my binoculars to see where they might land. Just then, Roe said, "There's a mammal beneath the godwits." I panned down, and there, loping over the tundra, was the nearly mythical mammal of my dreams for 40 years—a Wolverine! I started screaming, and we quickly emptied the van. We had about a one-minute window where the animal was in view with a host of birds in pursuit. It was at some distance, but the conditions were good. This was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience!
Continuing on our way, and riding the high of the Wolverine, Erik and I simultaneously spotted a small songbird with a rusty-orange tail floating across the road—Bluethroat! The bird landed on a pole right next to the road, singing its heart out. We got out of the van and enjoyed spectacular views of this most iconic bird of any Alaska tour! Looking around, we realized there were three males all skylarking in the same area! What crazy sort of luck was this?
Moments later, we had finally reached the destination of our first planned stop of the morning (!), a high rocky dome at mile 34. Cruising along looking for Rock Ptarmigan, we encountered a displaying male Northern Wheatear right over our heads, a stunning male Snow Bunting, and several dazzling American Golden-Plovers in breeding plumage.
It was time for lunch, so we pulled over at the entrance to Woolly Lagoon to have our sandwiches. We had no sooner stopped than a fabulous White Wagtail landed within fifteen feet of our van! Our luck was truly outrageous.
We still needed Rock Ptarmigan, so we opted to continue farther along the road toward the village of Teller. Cruising slowly through an area where we had success in the past, a male Rock Ptarmigan was spotted on the right. We got out and found two males in the same area and enjoyed prolonged scope studies. Under normal circumstances, we would not have continued farther on this road, but we had tallied literally all of our targets and more, so we decided to explore farther out. That's when the unthinkable occurred!
I was busy adding to our ptarmigan tally when Marv called out from the back, "There's a puffin on the tundra!" Impossible—we were twenty miles from the ocean. We backed up and there, inexplicably, mostly hidden by brush, was the head of a spectacular Tufted Puffin peeking over the bushes. After getting scope views and some photos, we realized the predicament this bird was in. It was incapable of taking off on the tundra. It had no food or water. Predators were around. He was facing certain death. This was a job for the Puffin Rescue Squad! We captured the bird, placed it in a cardboard box, and immediately turned around and drove the 50 miles back to Nome. Along the way, our puffin scratched around and fussed a little inside the box. I said we had to name him, and Erik came up with the appropriate choice of "Teller."
On the beach by the Nome harbor, we released Teller. At first, he looked surprised by the sight of the Bering Sea in front of him, but then he flapped his wings as if to say goodbye and waddled into the surf. I don't think there was a dry eye in the group as Teller paddled his way out to sea! Best day ever!
And this was just one day of our amazing Nome adventure. Highlights from other days included a male King Eider, three Surfbirds working a wrack line with an unprecedented 43 stunning Sabine's Gulls, a vagrant Red-necked Stint, all five loon species, including a pair of Yellow-billed Loons with a nest at point-blank range on Salmon Lake, Aleutian Terns, ten Gyrfalcons (three nests!), Northern Shrike, many Arctic Warblers, an American Dipper, tons of redpolls, and dapper, breeding-plumaged Lapland Longspurs, among many others. All this with generally wonderful weather throughout our stay!
With its combination of western Alaskan specialties, northern tundra specialists, breeding-plumaged birds that look so different from how we typically see them in the Lower 48, and possible Asiatic strays, Nome birding is simply awesome. The mammal viewing, expansive scenery, and true wilderness feel only add to the appeal. Our Nome trip was spectacularly successful! I can't wait to get back!
Day-by-Day Summary
June 11 - Arrival in Anchorage; brief pre dinner birding around Lake Hood & Lake Spenard (14 species)
June 12 – Morning flight to Nome; area near Nome airport & cemetery, Teller Road to MP 15, Council Road to MP 10 (50 species; 56 total). White Wagtail, Northern Shrike & Musk Ox within ten minutes of arrival
June 13 – Teller Road to MP 50; Kougarok Road to MP 16; late evening run to Snake River (53 species; 72 total). Best birding day ever in Alaska for me. Highighted by Wolverine, displaying Bluethroats, a Tufted Puffin in the tundra, abundant ptarmigan, Northen Wheatear
June 14 – Council Road to MP 58; Council Road to MP 18; post dinner option to Nome River Mouth & Nome dump (64 species; 93 total). Two active Gyrfalcon nests, Arctic Loon, tons of Sabine's Gulls, and male King Eider; late night discovery or Red-necked Stint!
June 15 – Kougarok Road to MP 72.5 (Curlew Mountain) (48 species; 97 total). Yellow-billed Loons close on a nest was the show stealer today!
June 16 – Morning flight from Nome to Anchorage; brief afternoon birding around Lake Spenard & Lake Hood, Lion’s Club Park and North Woods Park (18 species; 102 total)
Wildlife Seen:
MAMMALS:
Arctic Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus parryii)---eighteen total with many good views
American Beaver (Castor canadensis)---one along the Sinuk River and another on the Kougarok Road for some Vole species---being caught by Long-tailed Jaegers
North American Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) crossing the KOugarok Road; excellent studies
Snowshoe Hare (Lepus americanus)-----sixteen along the Kougarok Road; generally uncommon here, but cyclic
Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes)---four total with multiple good views
Spotted Seal (Phoca largha)---three total
Wolverine (Gulo gulo)---after 40 years of dreaming about seeing one of these incredible mammals, it finally came true along the Teller Road; it was being bombed by Long-tailed Jaegers and Bar-tailed Godwits; spotted initially by Roe; this species is rarely seen by anyone, anywhere in North America; INCREDIBLE!!!!!
Moose (Alcas alces)---a total of five seen, including a close mother with two calves
Musk Ox (Ovibos moscatus)--- superb views of these magnificent animals; 98 or more total, including many adorable babies; just awesome!
Total species – 10
BUTTERFLIES:
Mustard White
Old world Swallowtail Alpine species
Total species – 3