Grand Alaska Part I: Nome & Utqiagvik (Barrow)

Part I of our Grand Alaska journey showcases some of the most thrilling birding on the continent, centered on the sweeping tundra and coastal lagoons of Nome and Utqiagvik—two of Alaska’s most iconic northern birding destinations. After a night in Anchorage, we fly to Nome, where the Bering Sea meets rolling tundra, willow-lined river basins, and rugged inland hills. Here, the influence of Siberia is unmistakable: Aleutian and Arctic terns feed in the surf, Bar-tailed Godwits gather along the Nome River mouth, and Eastern Yellow Wagtails hover over tundra mats. Inland, displaying Bluethroats add flashes of electric color, while Rock and Willow Ptarmigan forage along the roadsides. With luck, we may encounter the rare Bristle-thighed Curlew in its remote upland haunts.

Across the peninsula, the three roads radiating from Nome offer access to an extraordinary diversity of habitats, from alpine ridges with Northern Wheatear and Surfbird to Safety Sound’s rich wetlands, where loons, shorebirds, phalaropes, and jaegers concentrate. Muskox, Moose, and Brown Bear add further excitement to days already filled with striking scenery.

Then we travel even farther north to Utqiagvik, the northernmost community in the United States. Under nearly 24-hour daylight, the High Arctic comes alive. This is the best place in North America to see breeding King, Steller’s, and Spectacled Eiders, all in exquisite plumage. Tundra ponds shimmer with Red and Red-necked Phalaropes, while Dunlins, Pectoral Sandpipers, and occasionally Buff-breasted Sandpipers display across the flats. Snowy Owls and Pomarine Jaegers appear in good lemming years, and there is always the chance of Siberian vagrants that make this region legendary.

Excellent accommodations, internal flights, extended daylight, and dramatic landscapes combine to create an unforgettable Arctic birding experience.

Nome and Utqiagvik sit within a mosaic of Arctic tundra, coastal marshes, boreal thickets, and expansive lagoons—habitats shaped by freezing winds, continuous daylight, and the pulse of Bering Sea currents. Alpine ridges support Northern Wheatear and Rock Ptarmigan; vast tundra plains host breeding shorebirds, jaegers, and longspurs; and Safety Lagoon teems with loons, Brant, and thousands of sandpipers and phalaropes. In Utqiagvik, High Arctic tundra ponds attract King, Steller’s, and Spectacled Eiders, while Snowy Owls and Pomarine Jaegers roam in good lemming years. Muskox, Moose, and Brown Bear add to the region’s wild character, making it one of North America’s most distinctive birding landscapes.