AK - Bristle-thighed Curlew - 07/01

Bristle-thighed Curlew - Coffee Dome, Nome, Alaska. July 1st, 2012. Much anticipated highlight from our three day visit to Nome. The views were perhaps the best that we've had on any Birdfinders tour to Alaska. This bird simply flew towards our group and began foraging right in front of us! Digi-scoped shot using Canon Powershot A590 through Swarovski HD scope. JPS.

AK - Bar-tailed Godwits and Bristle-thighed Curlews - 06/20

Bar-tailed Godwits (L. l. baueri) - Nome, Alaska, June 20th, 2010.

Pale rump and upper tail distinctive.

Bristle-thighed Curlews - Nome, Alaska, June 20th, 2010.

So we were fortunate indeed to have a perfect morning for our attempt at seeing Bristle-thighed Curlews in Nome. My recollection from previous years suggested that we might have a wet, mosquito-ridden hike up Coffee Dome before we met with success, but this was far from true. The day was beautiful, a real stunner, cool and crisp with a light breeze keeping the mosquitoes at bay. As soon as we arrived, a Bristle-thighed Curlew could be heard from the road, a bird which we eventually tracked down along with numerous (Hudsonian) Whimbrels. Perhaps we didn't need to do the infamous hike up Coffee Dome but having driven so far on dirt roads (72 miles) we made the effort anyway. Not only did we find more Bristle-thighed Curlews but we were richly rewarded with a pair of Bar-tailed Godwits on territory, my first at this particular locality. We also shared the slopes with nearly 40 Long-tailed Jaegers and several American Golden Plovers. With Grizzly and Moose in the area too, if proved to be a stellar morning in the field, a day which evolved to be one of the best of the whole tour.

JPS

AK - Bristle-thighed Curlew - 06/20

Bristle-thighed Curlew - displaying, digi-bin shot (using Leica 8 x 42 bins and Canon Powershot A590) taken from Coffee Dome, Nome, Alaska. June 20th, 2010. Click to enlarge the image.

This year we had no problem finding Bristle-thighed Curlews in Nome. As we arrived to start the hike up Coffee Dome a male was already displaying and vocalizing over the road! In the event we needn't have done the hike but it was well worth it with a surprise near the top - more to come in a future post.

JPS

Bristle-thighed Curlew, Nome, AK - June 22nd

Rich rewards after the long drive along the Kougarok Road from Nome. We saw about three Bristle-thighed Curlews in this spot though only saw this bird reasonably well. Lots of other good birds on the tundra here including Sandhill Cranes, Short-eared Owls, American Golden Plover and Western Sandpiper.