Grand Alaska Part II: Nome Pre-Trip

At the far western edge of the continent, where North America leans toward Siberia, Nome offers one of Alaska’s richest and most exhilarating birding experiences. The Seward Peninsula’s open tundra, willowed drainages, coastal lagoons, and rolling foothills create a vast mosaic of breeding habitats alive with birds displaying, nesting, and defending territories at the height of the Arctic spring.

Our four full days in Nome focus on three legendary roads—Council, Kougarok, and Teller—each providing a window into this remarkable frontier. Along these routes, Bar-tailed Godwits cry sharply from the tundra, Eastern Yellow Wagtails flutter above sedge meadows, and Arctic Warblers sing insistently from willow tangles. Aleutian Terns thread the edges of Safety Lagoon, Long-tailed Jaegers patrol wide-open country, and Willow and Rock ptarmigan often forage calmly at roadside. Bluethroats, among the most extraordinary of Nome’s breeders, may erupt into sky-dancing display flights against lingering patches of snow.

A special effort is made to search for the elusive Bristle-thighed Curlew—a species birders dream about—while always keeping an eye out for Old World surprises. Nome’s position along the Bering Sea Strait brings with it the possibility of Siberian vagrants, from Red-necked Stint and Slaty-backed Gull to occasional showstoppers like Whooper Swan or Ivory Gull. The shorebird spectacle alone is unforgettable, with Red-necked Phalaropes spinning on tundra pools and golden-plovers shimmering in the low light.

Mammal viewing is equally rewarding. Musk Ox herds roam the hillsides, Moose graze along riparian stretches, and Grizzly Bears may appear on distant slopes. Through it all, the immense, windswept beauty of the Seward Peninsula forms a backdrop as dramatic as the wildlife itself.

The Nome region spans a sweeping Arctic landscape where coastal lagoons meet vast tundra plateaus and braided rivers lace through willow-filled valleys. Safety Sound and nearby shorelines nurture loons, phalaropes, terns, and migrating waterfowl. Inland, the open tundra supports nesting shorebirds, ptarmigan, jaegers, and iconic Eurasian-influenced breeders like Bluethroat and Eastern Yellow Wagtail. Willow thickets host Arctic Warblers, Redpolls, and Northern Shrikes, while rocky hills harbor Gyrfalcons and raptors surveying the immense terrain. Musk Ox, Moose, and occasional Grizzly Bears roam freely across this wild frontier. Nome’s ecosystems blend Arctic, sub-Arctic, and Old World elements into one of North America’s most distinctive birding environments.