Arbu
Well-known member
Thought I'd write a quick report for my recent trip to Kamchatka. I had a few days around Petropavlovsk and then went hiking as part of a group for 15 days around the Kluchevskaya Sopka group of volcanoes further north.
It seems that there is a terrible problem with the trapping of Gyrfalcons in Kamchatka for export to Gulf States, so I'll omit mention of any sightings of them.
A lot of the birds around Petropavlovsk are familiar to UK birders with Great and Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers, Black-headed Gulls and a Reed Bunting. But harder searching, particularly in the woods, reveals the more interesting ones such as a Siberian Rubythroat, Rustic Buntings, Pechora Pipits and what I think was a Dark-sided Flycatcher (see photo). Also lots of Red-breasted/Taiga Flycatchers and Arctic Warblers.
I took the boat trip out on Avacha Bay and beyond to Starichkov Island outside the bay. Plenty of Ancient Murrelets, Pigeon Guillemots,Common and Brunnich's Guillemots and a single Spectacled Guillemot. Also both Red-faced and Pelagic Cormorants, Harlequin Ducks and Kittiwakes. Two Steller's Sea-eagles roosting on cliffs in the bay and two immature ones on a nest by Starikhov Island were the birds of the trip. A single Red-throated Diver flying over.
During the hike further north Buff-bellied Pipits were abundant as were Snow Buntings. We saw a number of Snow Buntings following a fox around, presumably after scraps. Lapland Buntings were also common. Loads of cuckoos at the lower altitudes, but from the calls it sounded as if all were Common rather than Oriental. We saw a single White-tailed Sea-eagle overhead, one Rough-legged Buzzard, occasional Golden Eagles and I think another Steller's Sea-eagle disappearing into the mist. I also saw a Lesser Sand-Plover with chicks and a couple of Asian Rosy Finch fleetingly.
So definitely some interesting birds, although I went primarily to see the volcanoes, which are stunning. I suppose the best birding in Kamchatka is in the Commander Islands. I looked into going there, and there are flights, but apparently they can be delayed for as much as a week so it wasn't feasible to go there on this trip, but maybe next time.
Hope that's of interest. Full list below.
Willow Ptarmigan
Mallard
Tufted Duck
Harlequin Duck
Red-throated Loon
Pelagic Cormorant
Red-faced Cormorant
Peregrine Falcon
White-tailed Eagle
Steller's Sea-eagle
Eurasian Sparrowhawk
Northern Goshawk
Rough-legged Hawk
Golden Eagle
Lesser Sand Plover
Mew Gull
Slaty-backed Gull
Black-headed Gull
Black-legged Kittiwake
Common Tern
Common Guillemot
Thick-billed Guillemot
Pigeon Guillemot
Spectacled Guillemot
Ancient Murrelet
Horned Puffin
Tufted Puffin
Rock Pigeon
Common Cuckoo
Fork-tailed Swift
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Carrion Crow
Common Raven
Willow Tit
Sand Martin
Barn Swallow
Eurasian Skylark
Middendorff's Grasshopper-warbler
Arctic Warbler
Wood Nuthatch
Eyebrowed Thrush
Dusky Thrush
Siberian Rubythroat
Bluethroat
Dark-sided Flycatcher
Taiga Flycatcher
Eurasian Tree Sparrow
White Wagtail
Yellow Wagtail
Olive-backed Pipit
Pechora Pipit
American Pipit
Brambling
Grey-capped Greenfinch
Asian Rosy-finch
Pine Grosbeak
Rustic Bunting
Reed Bunting
Lapland Longspur
Snow Bunting
It seems that there is a terrible problem with the trapping of Gyrfalcons in Kamchatka for export to Gulf States, so I'll omit mention of any sightings of them.
A lot of the birds around Petropavlovsk are familiar to UK birders with Great and Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers, Black-headed Gulls and a Reed Bunting. But harder searching, particularly in the woods, reveals the more interesting ones such as a Siberian Rubythroat, Rustic Buntings, Pechora Pipits and what I think was a Dark-sided Flycatcher (see photo). Also lots of Red-breasted/Taiga Flycatchers and Arctic Warblers.
I took the boat trip out on Avacha Bay and beyond to Starichkov Island outside the bay. Plenty of Ancient Murrelets, Pigeon Guillemots,Common and Brunnich's Guillemots and a single Spectacled Guillemot. Also both Red-faced and Pelagic Cormorants, Harlequin Ducks and Kittiwakes. Two Steller's Sea-eagles roosting on cliffs in the bay and two immature ones on a nest by Starikhov Island were the birds of the trip. A single Red-throated Diver flying over.
During the hike further north Buff-bellied Pipits were abundant as were Snow Buntings. We saw a number of Snow Buntings following a fox around, presumably after scraps. Lapland Buntings were also common. Loads of cuckoos at the lower altitudes, but from the calls it sounded as if all were Common rather than Oriental. We saw a single White-tailed Sea-eagle overhead, one Rough-legged Buzzard, occasional Golden Eagles and I think another Steller's Sea-eagle disappearing into the mist. I also saw a Lesser Sand-Plover with chicks and a couple of Asian Rosy Finch fleetingly.
So definitely some interesting birds, although I went primarily to see the volcanoes, which are stunning. I suppose the best birding in Kamchatka is in the Commander Islands. I looked into going there, and there are flights, but apparently they can be delayed for as much as a week so it wasn't feasible to go there on this trip, but maybe next time.
Hope that's of interest. Full list below.
Willow Ptarmigan
Mallard
Tufted Duck
Harlequin Duck
Red-throated Loon
Pelagic Cormorant
Red-faced Cormorant
Peregrine Falcon
White-tailed Eagle
Steller's Sea-eagle
Eurasian Sparrowhawk
Northern Goshawk
Rough-legged Hawk
Golden Eagle
Lesser Sand Plover
Mew Gull
Slaty-backed Gull
Black-headed Gull
Black-legged Kittiwake
Common Tern
Common Guillemot
Thick-billed Guillemot
Pigeon Guillemot
Spectacled Guillemot
Ancient Murrelet
Horned Puffin
Tufted Puffin
Rock Pigeon
Common Cuckoo
Fork-tailed Swift
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Carrion Crow
Common Raven
Willow Tit
Sand Martin
Barn Swallow
Eurasian Skylark
Middendorff's Grasshopper-warbler
Arctic Warbler
Wood Nuthatch
Eyebrowed Thrush
Dusky Thrush
Siberian Rubythroat
Bluethroat
Dark-sided Flycatcher
Taiga Flycatcher
Eurasian Tree Sparrow
White Wagtail
Yellow Wagtail
Olive-backed Pipit
Pechora Pipit
American Pipit
Brambling
Grey-capped Greenfinch
Asian Rosy-finch
Pine Grosbeak
Rustic Bunting
Reed Bunting
Lapland Longspur
Snow Bunting
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