West Greenland - Bowheads, Icefjords & Glaciers

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Elvin Greene
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Hampshire SO24 0NG England T: +44 (0)1962

1 West Greenland - Bowheads, Icefjords & Glaciers Naturetrek Tour Report May 2014 Colourful houses by Susan Haimes Bowhead Whales by Colin Dixon Iceberg by Susan Haimes Buff-belied Pipit by Colin Dixon Report compiled by Andy Smith Images courtesy of Susan Haimes & Colin Dixon Naturetrek Cheriton Mill Cheriton Alresford Hampshire SO24 0NG England T: +44 (0) F: +44 (0) E: info@naturetrek.co.uk W:

2 Tour Report West Greenland - Bowheads, Icefjords & Glaciers Tour Leader: Andy Smith Participants: Anne Beaufoy George Reekie Keith Wilson-Davis Lilian Wilson-Davis Sue Haimes Stephanie Sandiford Colin Dixon Trevor Dant Sue Gray Charlie Gray Jane Davies Terry Saville Paul Chipperfield Day 0 Wednesday 21st May Depart to Greenland from UK, via Copenhagen Day 1 Thursday 22nd May We arrived in Aasiaat, western Greenland via Kangerlussuaq and our overnight stop in Copenhagen at around 11.30am local time. It was sunny with scattered cloud but cold with a keen breeze. Most of us walked the three kilometres from the airstrip to the town and harbour. Lots of Snow Buntings and several Greenland Wheatears were seen along the roadside plus Iceland and Glaucous Gulls along the shore. Particularly noteworthy was a summer plumage Buff-bellied Pipit pottering around a snow-free marshy pond. The town seemed to be a fairly typical arctic settlement: multi-coloured buildings, melting snow, chained huskies etc. The people were all Inuits. Seal meat, cod and lumpfish on sale in an open-air market. A surrounding landscape of low, rocky hills, snow patches and rocky outcrops with the snow only recently thawed and no green visible in the freshly exposed vegetation completed the picture. We hung around town until late afternoon when we were able to transfer to the Rembrandt, find our cabins and settle in. After introductions and a safety drill we finally got under way at around 6.30pm. There was lots of bird activity as we proceeded through a maze of small low islands and icebergs. Black Guillemots, masses of Arctic Terns (very noisy, courting on the islands etc), lots of Glaucous Gulls (mostly second year birds), rather fewer Iceland Gulls, some Long-tailed Ducks and flocks of distant Eider (including at least a few Kings), a few Canada Geese and one Red-throated Diver. After dinner some Fulmars and Red-necked Phalaropes feeding on the surface of the sea led us to a superb Humpback Whale that we followed for a good while as it dived and surfaced time and again, actively feeding. It was cold up on deck1 One pale adult Arctic Skua was a last good bird as the sun dipped towards the horizon. Naturetrek August 14 1

3 West Greenland - Bowheads, Icefjords & Glaciers Tour Report Day 2 Friday 23rd May Out on deck at 6.30 am we were anchored amongst a group of low islands near Qeqertavaq. It was still with scattered cloud and some sunny breaks and the usual few birds about. After breakfast we weighed anchor and transferred the short distance north-east to Gronne Island and went ashore in the zodiacs. By now it was overcast and cold. Gronne is a low-lying tundra island, with partial snow cover, crowberry, dwarf birch and willow, lichens and moss plus some clumps of just starting saxifrage. We saw Snow Buntings (with crowberryred stained faces), Wheatears and Redpolls, masses of Arctic Terns, Iceland and Glaucous Gulls, Black Guillemots offshore, a few Long-tailed Ducks and six lovely Red-necked Phalaropes feeding in a little cove just below us. We were back on board the Rembrandt by 1.30pm. Lunch was had and then we cruised back to Aasiaat to collect some other passengers delayed by visa difficulties. The wind picked up from the north-west so it was very cold up on deck but we found our first Bowhead Whales (a pair with a third animal close by) and then a distant Humpback. We hung around with the Bowheads for some time and had the opportunity to appreciate their huge size and their distinctive shape and blow. The wind continued to freshen as we proceeded. Two more Humpbacks were seen by some hardy observers still up on deck, one of which did a full breach. We ate dinner then set off across Disko Bay towards Disko Island itself. Rough sea conditions meant most people retired to their cabins bed was certainly the best place to be. Day 3 Saturday 24th May Overcast, some blue-sky breaks, NW breeze in the afternoon. Cold all day We weighed anchor and left Laksebugt, south-west Disko Island after breakfast and spent the day lazily cruising north-west along the south-west coast of Disko Island. We passed the ice-filled mouth of Disko Fjord, the massive flat-topped mass of Qeqertaq Island (huge fluted basalt cliffs with deep talus slopes at their base and masses of Fulmars nesting on the highest tops very impressive; like clouds of white flies), and so slowly along the coast towards Mellemfjord. We returned under partial sail in the evening. We had fabulous encounters with Bowheads at various points during the day. A scattering of perhaps six animals in the morning included one large adult that was surface feeding and allowed a very close approach from us. Eventually, so intent was it on its feeding, that it began swimming straight towards us apparently oblivious to the ship, head-on and snout out of the water and only at the last possible moment shallow-dived with a surprised snort and passed just under the bow acutely starboard to port wow! In the late afternoon we found six or seven more and had good views of two particularly as they dived their leisurely way across the seascape with a backdrop of majestic icebergs and the stupendous snow-streaked basalt slopes of Disko Island. Bird variety was limited to thousands of Fulmars (including great rafts all tight together feeding on small items on the on the surface of the sea copepods perhaps? and all clattering away at the ship s slow, quiet approach), plus some flocks of Eider, lots of Kittiwakes, several Brunnich s Guillemots, good numbers of Black Guillemots, dozens of Iceland Gulls, a few Glaucous and one group of four Red-necked Phalaropes. A day of Bowheads really! 2 Naturetrek August 14

4 West Greenland - Bowheads, Icefjords & Glaciers Tour Report Day 4 Sunday 25th May Sunny with scattered cloud. Still in the morning; NW breeze in the afternoon. Mild in the sun; cold in the wind We landed at Laksebugt in the morning. A wide open glacial valley flanked by steep, flat-topped mountains. Tundra with snow patches and newly uncovered vegetation, snow-streaked black mountains, blue sea with icebergs very nice indeed! Snow Buntings along the shore; Lapland Buntings singing and song-flighting everywhere; masses of Canada Geese plus several smart Snow Geese and a few White-fronts holding station across the tundra; 50 or so Long-tailed Duck out amongst the ice on the sea and three Arctic Foxes pottering around amongst the geese, up to no good fantastic! Some of us went for a decent walk up the wide, gently sloping valley floor and came across a pair of Purple Sandpipers on a wet area, the male singing a wild and evocative sound. A really special few hours this! Back on board for lunch and then we had a slow cruise south-east along the coast under sail and enjoyed wonderful Bowhead action in the early stages. Four animals were actively feeding in Laksebugt, so lovely views were had in the calm blue-sky conditions. One took a rest at the surface for a while and drifted to within 50 metres of the ship; a huge, great, black bulk. We could hear its steady breathing as it lay there. Finally it stuck its awesome head out of the water and then, rest over, fluked beautifully as it dived lovely! Our slow cruise down the coast was largely uneventful save for the inevitable Fulmars and a few wary Harp Seals. We arrived at Qeqertarsuaq in the early evening, anchored in the sheltered harbour and enjoyed a barbeque dinner on deck. Day 5 Monday 26th May Sunny with scattered cloud, still/gentle breeze, mild We had a morning tour of Qeqertarsuaq town and a walk out to the headland. Lapland and Snow Buntings, Redpolls, Ravens, Iceland and Glaucous Gulls, Canada and White-fronted Geese were the town s birds. Lunch was back on board and then away. We enjoyed a nice close encounter with a big Bowhead a little way out to sea in lovely calm, sunny conditions and then had a late afternoon zodiac cruise amongst the icebergs beneath the impressive columnar basalt formations at Kuannit. From here we cruised around the south-east corner of Disko Island. Calm sea, blue sky, icebergs and dramatic mountains inland all very pleasant. A late evening flurry of wildlife brought over 70 Brunnich s Guillemots in small bands scattered across the sea, several Black Guillemots and Kittiwakes, two pairs of Red-necked Phalaropes, good numbers of Glaucous and Iceland Gulls, the usual hordes of Fulmars and four single Harp Seals. Day 7 Tuesday 27th May Sunny, still and mild We awoke at our new anchorage in Pakitsoq fjord on the mainland: a broad, sheltered inlet surrounded by impressive snow-streaked hills and mountains. A distant adult Pomarine Skua with full spoons made its way across the bay harrying Kittiwakes. We went ashore after breakfast, most taking a pleasant hike inland up into the hilly tundra hinterland. Naturetrek August 14 3

5 West Greenland - Bowheads, Icefjords & Glaciers Tour Report Great views out across the bay and inland up to the edge of the ice sheet only 10 or 15 kilometres away. Wildlife included Snow and Lapland Buntings, a few Redpolls and Ravens, Iceland Gulls, a glimpse of an Arctic Fox and two lovely snow-white Arctic Hares that posed beautifully amongst the dark rocks. Back on board for lunch and then out in the zodiacs mid-afternoon for a brief landing on a picturesque headland and then a cruise around part of the fjord shore, culminating in a Kittiwake and Iceland Gull nesting cliff. Eiders and Black Guillemots were out on the water, and some Mallards overhead with a couple of Pintail in tow completed the picture. At around 6ish the Rembrandt headed out of the fjord and away down the coast towards Illulissat. There was a calm sea and a blue sky. A short spell on deck pre-dinner produced the usual Fulmars plus four Skuas loafing on a tiny ice flow: two Pomarine and two Long-tailed very nice! Then just on the stroke of dinner a Humpback was sighted and everyone rushed up on deck. We had great views of the animal as it shallow-dived all around us. Then there were two more, a female with a half size calf loafing at the surface. We watched them for 40 minutes or so before going below to eat. Post dinner the mother and calf were still there, at times only 70 metres distant, loafing at the surface, rolling etc. A lovely encounter in the calm, sunny conditions! Late on we neared Illulisset and proceeded slowly, negotiating the dense icebergs and brash ice that choked the approach to the harbour. Day 8 Wednesday 28th May Sunny, NW breeze, mild in the sun, cold in the wind We had a morning in Illulisset with a walk out to Holms Bakke viewpoint to look out over the mouth of the famous ice fjord. A very impressive view indeed with the sea choked to the horizon with pack-ice and bergs of all sizes an ice log jam created by an undersea terminal moraine. Birds included Lapland and Snow Buntings, Redpolls, Wheatears, Ravens and seven lovely Red-necked Phalaropes spinning away on a tiny pond in a vacant lot in the town. We left Illulisset at lunchtime, re-negotiated the pack ice and reached open water around 2.30pm. From here it was a long steam back to Aasiaat through the afternoon and evening. More blue sky, strong sun and a calm sea. The journey was interrupted by two separate Bowheads, both of which showed well, plus the usual range of birds including 150+ Brunnich s Guillemots and in the final stages several Long-tailed Ducks and hundreds of Arctic Terns. Day 9 Thursday 29th May Breakfast was on board then we had a vehicle shuttle to Aasiaat airport. Birds seen were; Mallards, Iceland Gulls, Arctic Terns, Ringed Plovers (two by a pool by the airport), Ravens and Snow Buntings. Then we had a great little flight down to Kangerlussuaq with wonderful views of the landscape below followed by a quick transfer onto the big red Air Greenland airbus. It was calm, sunny and pleasantly warm outside as we boarded the aeroplane and said goodbye to Greenland, a flyover White-tailed Eagle was a last very good bird for a lucky few. A few hours later we landed safely back in Copenhagen, our arctic adventure over Acknowledgements Thanks to all the crew of the Rembrandt van Rijn for making helping to make our trip to Greenland so enjoyable. Thanks also to all members of the group for their part in a memorable adventure. 4 Naturetrek August 14

6 Tour Report West Greenland - Bowheads, Icefjords & Glaciers Species List Birds May Common name Scientific name Red-throated Diver Gavia stellata Northern Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 's Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo Greenland White-fr. Goose Anser albifrons Canada Goose Branta canadensis Snow Goose Chen caerulescens 16 7 Goose sp. Anser/Branta sp Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Pintail Anas acuta 2 10 Common Eider Somateria mollissima King Eider Somateria spectabilis Eider sp. Somateria sp Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla 1 16 Rock Ptarmigan Lagopus mutus 2h 17 Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula Purple Sandpiper Calidris maritima Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus Pomarine Skua Stercorarius pomarina 3 21 Arctic Skua Stercorarius parasiticus Long-tailed Skua Stercorarius longicaudus 2 23 Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus Glaucous Gull Larus hyperboreus Iceland Gull Larus glaucoides Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla 's 27 Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea 's 5 28 Brunnich's Guillemot Uria lomvia Black Guillemot Cepphus grylle Atlantic Puffin Fratercula arctica Buff-bellied Pipit Anthus rubescens 1 32 Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe Common Raven Corvus corax Greenland Redpoll Carduelis fammae rostrata Lapland Bunting Calcarius lapponicus Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis Mammals 1 Arctic Fox Alopex lagopus Arctic Hare Lepus arcticus 2 3 Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae Bowhead Whale Balaena mysticetus Harp Seal Phoca groenlandica Receive our e-newsletter Join the Naturetrek ing list.visit to sign up. Naturetrek Facebook Participants of Naturetrek tours can remain in touch after the holiday and share photos, comments and future travel plans. The Naturetrek Facebook page is now live; do please pay us a visit! Naturetrek August 14 1

West Greenland - Bowheads & Icebergs!

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