Stabbursdalen National Park and Valdak Norway
The northernmost national park in Norway this is a true wilderness consisting of a broad valley at the head of Porsanger Fjord. Through this valley runs the Stabburselva River, wide and slow in parts and rushing through ravines in others. However, the most notable feature of the park is the world's most northerly pine forest which covers about 1000ha on the more sheltered valley sides. The trees here are very slow-growing and some may be 500 years old.
The birdlife of the park includes Three-toed Woodpecker, Common Goldeneye and Goosander, and Common Redstart nesting in the tree-holes of the forest and there are Brambling and Common Redstart, Western Capercaillie and Hazel Grouse, Siberian Jay and Bohemian Waxwing. In the more open areas there are Lapland and Little Buntings and raptors include Merlin and Osprey. Long-tailed Skua may be present in summer in good rodent years. The Valdak marshes are situated at the outlet of the Stabburselva River into Porsanger Fjord and this area of mudflats and saltmarsh is a nature reserve and Ramsar Site. There are breeding Common Eider and Arctic Tern but it is more important as a passage site, particularly in spring when Lesser White-fronted Goose is regular. The area is also important for moulting Velvet Scoter and Common Eider. Elk and Reindeer, Wolverine and Arctic Fox occur in the park. There is no accommodation within the park but there are huts and a campsite just outside at Stabbursnes. The park is reached by a small road off the main E6 Porsanger Fjord road 2 km south of the bridge over the Stabburselva.
Birds
Birds you can see here include:
Black-throated Diver, Taiga Bean Goose, Lesser White-fronted Goose, Eurasian Wigeon, Gadwall, Common Teal, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Garganey, Northern Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Common Eider, King Eider, Common Scoter, Velvet Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Common Goldeneye, Goosander, Red-breasted Merganser, White-tailed Eagle, Rough-legged Buzzard, Golden Eagle, Osprey, Merlin, Gyr Falcon, Peregrine Falcon, Hazel Grouse, Willow Grouse, Capercaillie, Northern Lapwing, Red Knot, Temminck's Stint, Dunlin, Ruff, Common Snipe, Black-tailed Godwit, Bar-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Eurasian Curlew, Common Redshank, Greenshank, Wood Sandpiper, Long-tailed Skua, scarce and irregular), Arctic Tern, Short-eared Owl, Three-toed Woodpecker, Bohemian Waxwing, Common Redstart, Pied Flycatcher, Willow Tit, Siberian Tit, Great Grey Shrike, Siberian Jay, Brambling, Pine Grosbeak, Lapland Bunting, Little Bunting
Content and images originally posted by Steve
