The Kurils, the Commanders & Kamchatka

June 2007

Mark Beaman

It had been a very long time since our pioneering and ‘one-and-only' tour to the Kuril Islands, the Commander Islands and Kamchatka back in 1993, but it was wonderful to see that this part of the world remains, to a very large degree, an untouched and starkly beautiful wilderness. The alcids are surely the crowning avian glory of this part of the world. We saw no less than 13 species, all of those possible on this itinerary, including Common, Brünnich's, Pigeon and Spectacled Guillemots, Long-billed and Ancient Murrelets, Crested, Least, Parakeet and Rhinoceros Auklets, and Horned and Tufted Puffins. The star of stars, Whiskered Auklet, was seen by the thousand, and we even visited a colony and saw the birds just a few metres away! A great supporting cast of marine species included Pacific and Yellow-billed Divers, Laysan Albatross, Mottled Petrel, Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel, Temminck's and Red-faced Cormorants, Harlequin Duck, Stejneger's Scoter, Black-tailed, Kamchatka and Slaty-backed Gulls, Red-legged Kittiwake and Aleutian Tern. Landbirds also included some highly sought-after species, notably the extraordinary Steller's Sea Eagle, not to mention Falcated Duck, Rock Sandpiper, Latham's Snipe, Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker, Pechora Pipit, the gorgeous Japanese Robin, Rufous-tailed Robin, Siberian and Brown-headed Thrushes, Japanese Bush Warbler, Middendorff's and Sakhalin Grasshopper Warblers, Sakhalin Leaf Warbler, Narcissus Flycatcher, Long-tailed Rosefinch, Grey-bellied Bullfinch, and Grey and Rustic Buntings. A total of 149 bird species was recorded. We   also observed 16 species of mammal: seals and cetaceans were very well represented, the latter including Great Sperm Whale, Northern Minke Whale, Sei Whale, Fin Whale and Killer Whale!

Sakhalin, with its endless forested hills, lakes and farmlands looked much the same from the air as when I last visited, many years ago, but the huge new gas terminal near Korsakov could be seen from the aircraft windows as we began our descent after the long overnight flight from Moscow. Fork-tailed (or Pacific) Swifts and Black-backed Wagtails greeted us at the airport and we were soon on our way into the island's capital, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk (‘South Sakhalin'). In the city the main changes seemed to be in the copious, brightly advertized shops and nightclubs. Oil and gas money had come to town, but I was fascinated to see that the improvements only extended to the facades of the hotels. Behind the facade the rooms were almost as simple as in Soviet days and their aftermath!

We had more than two full days to explore the southern end of the island before the cruise started, so we were soon out in the forest trying to find birds. Unusually for Sakhalin, there was a heat wave on, so the woods were hot and still in mid-afternoon so we had to be content with just a few species, including some cracking male Narcissus Flycatchers, Japanese Tit, Oriental and Large-billed Crows, and Black-faced Bunting.

Next day we set out early for Zaliv Aniva, a huge bay at the southern end of Sakhalin. Our progress towards the coast came to an abrupt halt soon after I heard a Sakhalin Grasshopper Warbler (now split from Gray's Grasshopper Warbler) calling from some roadside herbage. (The call is so loud that it even penetrated our Russian bus!) It was a pretty uncooperative individual unfortunately, so views were very brief. We would just have to keep trying. The stop provided a great introduction to Sakhalin birds, however, with Oriental Turtle Dove, Oriental Cuckoo, Olive-backed Pipit, Brown-headed Thrush , the noisy Japanese Bush Warbler, Pallas's Leaf and Radde's Warblers, and Grey-capped Greenfinch all being seen. Nearer to the coast, we stopped at a river where a much more obliging Sakhalin Grasshopper Warbler performed for us and where Japanese Buzzard, Rufous-tailed Robin (for some), Black-browed Reed Warbler, male Russet Sparrow and four beautiful Long-tailed Rosefinches were other prime attractions.

At Zaliv Aniva most migrant shorebirds and wildfowl had long since gone on north, but we watched small numbers of Red-throated Divers and a single Black-throated Diver, as well as some 40 Stejneger's Scoters (split from Velvet) and many Black-tailed and Slaty-backed Gulls. In the grassy slacks behind the beach, Latham's Snipes were sitting on the telephone poles, from time to time carrying out their spectacular dive-bombing display flights, which included a loud, dive-bomber style ‘whoosh' as they plunged towards the ground. A few raptors included two Black-eared Kites and the first of six White-tailed Eagles we were to record today. Passerines included the very handsome Green-headed Wagtail, Siberian Stonechat and a number of Middendorff's Grasshopper Warblers, one of which gave us superb views. Later in the day we continued southwards to the Korsakov area where four Temminck's Cormorants and loads of Pelagic Cormorants frequented the rocky coastline and a total of 24 colourful, but at times surprisingly cryptic, Harlequin Ducks were to be seen. A first-summer Glaucous Gull was a lingering winter visitor. The Sea of Okhotsk has a virtually endemic, largely ice-dwelling seal, the Largha Seal, and we came across over 120 during our explorations today.

On our second full day we concentrated at first on the island's hill forests. Some of us set off early to look for nocturnal and crepuscular species. A pair of Ural Owls were heard but failed to show themselves, although Eurasian Woodcock was more obliging. As the light level increased the forest was full of birdsong, very different from yesterday afternoon, and we came across some very showy Rufous-tailed Robins singing from the tops of conifers, Northern Red-flanked Bluetail, Sakhalin Leaf Warbler and Grey-bellied Bullfinch. A male Siberian Thrush put on a great performance for us, but was pipped at the post by a lovely male Japanese Robin that we found singing in a small valley. Later in the day we explored a large coastal lagoon where a first-summer Kamchatka Gull was a welcome addition to the list, as were some rather distant Aleutian Terns. We also found an Alaska Wagtail here and a Whimbrel of the northeast Siberian form variegatus , which looked extremely like hudsonicus (Hudsonian Whimbrel) and perhaps should be lumped with that form when hudsonicus is treated as specifically distinct.

We did not have much time on our last morning, but as we had largely dipped on Grey Bunting to date (only Janice having spotted one yesterday) we tried climbing up one of the low mountains to a well known area for this species. The views were fantastic, but sadly the buntings were in skulking mode and only Mark and Werner saw any (three males between them). We were going to have to rely on the Kurils for this elusive species. Werner added to his tally by continuing to the summit and finding two Japanese Accentors.

By early afternoon we were aboard the Professor Khromov (called ‘Spirit of Enderby' by Heritage Expeditions, the cruise operators), a Russian research ship converted for adventure tourism, and getting to know the layout of our floating home for the next 13 days. By late afternoon we were heading out of the harbour and turning southwards to round the southeastern tip of Sakhalin, on our way to the distant Kuril Islands. Some new birds greeted us as we left, including Pacific Diver, a number of Short-tailed Shearwaters, Common Guillemot, a nice Spectacled Guillemot (a species endemic to the Sea of Okhotsk), a party of Crested Auklets, a lone Rhinoceros Auklet and a single Long-billed Murrelet. This latter was right beside the ship and provided good views to all those present at the time. Little were we to know that this was to be the only close sighting of the cruise!

The fabulous and unusual weather continued as we sailed towards the Kurils. Next day the sea was like glass and thousand upon thousand of Short-tailed Shearwaters were watched sailing over the surface or forming huge rafts, some of which we disturbed as we steamed southeastwards. Northern Fulmars were also common, although nothing like as numerous as the shearwaters. Most were of the rather dingy north Pacific dark morph, with only one pale morph recorded out of 500 birds seen (this very low ratio was to continue throughout the cruise). Pale grey, rather ghostly Fork-tailed Storm-Petrels were regularly to be seen and we also had a solitary Leach's Storm-Petrel, four Red-necked Phalaropes, small numbers of Ancient Murrelets, lots of Rhinoceros Auklets and the first of many Tufted Puffins. A migrant Siberian Rubythroat female even landed on the ship during the crossing. Eventually the looming volcanoes of Ostrov Iturup hove into view and as we approached this large island we learned that we would have time to visit the flooded caldera at Livinya Past (the ‘Lion's Mouth' in Russian), which turned out to be a scenic treat. After passing some seabird-thronged islets at the mouth, the Khromov steamed right into the spectacular, steep-sided caldera, covered in grass, scrub and low trees. A strong ‘catabatic' wind was blowing, but as we reached a more sheltered part of the caldera this diminished and we were even able to set up our ‘scopes on the deck when four Brown Bears were sighted foraging near to the shore. They looked huge! Must have been as big as many ‘grizzlies' in North America.

It was foggy next morning and it was impossible to see anything of Ostrov Kunashir, although Rodney Russ the Expedition Leader assured us we were anchored not far offshore! This was our first chance to use the zodiac and naiad inflatables, and the calm sea made it all too easy getting down the gangway and into the boats. We all followed the lead boat (with the GPS) through the fog and then, all of a sudden, there was the grassy coastline and a Russian staff member from the Zapovednika Kurilskiy (Kuril Nature Reserve) waiting for us. We waited about on the beach, where a migrant Grey-tailed Tattler and a nice male Siberian Rubythroat were found, in the hope the fog would lift, as Kunashir is prime bear country. Luckily the weather gradually cleared and before too long we set off on a hike through the attractive mixed forest. Here we found Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker (surprisingly missed on Sakhalin), Asian Brown Flycatcher and, for some, Grey-streaked Flycatcher and Eastern Crowned Warbler. White-tailed Eagles were quite common and we enjoyed some splendid views of these huge birds.

During the afternoon we explored another area where a Crested Kingfisher and a pair of Bull-headed Shrikes were the best finds. We also admired the huge metal dustbins put up (and used earlier in the season) by nesting Blakiston's Fish Owls, but sadly the reserve staff did not know where the owls were roosting in June. As we sailed back towards Iturup we came across both Pomarine and Arctic (or Parasitic) Skuas. Brünnich's Guillemot and Horned Puffin.

We spent a full day exploring Iturup, which is one of the few inhabited islands in the Kurils. Our landing beach at Kurilsk turned up another first-summer Kamchatka Gull and a very scary-looking local guide (what hair!), while the town hosted Russet Sparrows. A visit to a very scenic bay below a huge conical volcano provided chances to watch some very nice Spectacled Guillemots and tempt out a Japanese Robin (we saw two and heard plenty more on this island). Brown-headed Thrushes were more obliging on Iturup than they had been on Sakhalin and we also saw (and heard) our only Lanceolated Warblers here. After lunch at the village of Reydovo, we visited a local headland which I felt sure the local guide chose because it overlooked the port and a large fish factory bedecked in a huge banner proclaiming ‘The Kurils are Russian Land!' The issue of the Japanese claim to the southern Kurils is clearly strongly felt on both sides of the debate! An overshooting Asian House Martin was a surprise at this location.

The day's highlight was undoubtedly the chance to bathe in a geothermally-heated river in the volcanic highlands. After a scenic ride by ‘truck-bus' (only the Russians could create such utilitarian but effective monsters) into the mountains, with fantastic views of many of Iturup's volcanic peaks, we walked down to the river, finding a number of Arctic Warblers en route. Down at the river several groups of Russians were already enjoying the steaming, sulphurous waters and, of course, beer and vodka. No Russian picnic would be the same without the latter. Most of us joined in the bathing and enjoyed the hot bath temperatures! It was all very relaxing after the hot walk down (yes, the heat wave continued unabated). On the way back some of us saw a couple of Grey Buntings. Of course, in the way of things in Russia, one of the truck-buses broke down for a time, but was soon fixed by those endlessly resourceful Siberians.

A very scenic landing on Ostrov Urup allowed those who wished to climb up onto a high headland that gave fantastic panoramic views across the island and its volcanoes. Of course there was the little matter of the tumbled timber behind the beach which, once hidden in the lush Middendorff's-haunted herbage, was a pretty effective barrier to human progression! Out in the Bay, a couple of Red-faced Cormorants, some Black Scoters and a lone Sea Otter were fishing.

We had sighted three Great Sperm Whales, plus a Yellow-billed Diver that flew right over the ship (!), before landing at Zaliv Natalii on Urup, but during the crossing to Ostrov Chirpoy we came across a further 19 sperm whales, making 22 in total for the day. Some of the sightings were really close, others much more distant, as we crossed what must truly be the ‘Sperm Whale Alley' of the planet. After a time we could work out roughly when the whales would dive again after a long series of blows, raising their huge tail flukes vertically into the air before they plunged down again into the deeps in search of squid. Our first five Laysan Albatrosses paid the ship a visit as we steamed northwards, the first of many of these graceful birds.

In the early evening we landed on Ostrov Chirpoy where sea mammals were present in good numbers, including 15 Northern Sea-Lions, five Sea Otters and a few Harbour Seals. Red-faced Cormorants were common here (and would be seen just about everywhere from now on) and amongst the many alcids (Tufted Puffins and Brünnich's Guillemots were the most numerous species) we came across plenty of Pigeon Guillemots of the interesting race snowi , which wholly or largely lacks the white wing patch, and, further offshore, our first Whiskered Auklets.

Our first landing on Simushir produced a Eurasian Osprey and the first Glaucous-winged Gull of the cruise, but this was just a forerunner for the main event, a landing in the old Russian submarine base at Bukhta Broutona, another flooded caldera, this time with a narrow entrance, at the north end of the island. Fog enveloped the island as we slowed down to load the inflatables well offshore (it was too deep to anchor), but as we made our way towards land the fog lifted and the entrance to the base was visible. A small freighter was wrecked beside the narrow entrance, which apparently was a tricky one for a submarine to negotiate while submerged! Inside the sky was clear and the buildings of the base could be discerned, while a Red-necked Grebe was disturbed from the calm waters. We landed at some ruined piers and explored the ruined buildings and then the deciduous and pine scrub that clothed the interior of the island. Here, at last, everyone who wanted caught up on Grey Bunting and we also came across our first Buff-bellied Pipits. Siberian Rubythroats and Arctic Warblers were both very common, singing from old lampposts and the sides of buildings as well as from more traditional perches. Much less expected were six Spotted Nutcrackers, which seemed rather out of place on a scrub-covered volcanic island! The dwarf Siberian Stone Pines must give them enough sustenance.

In total contrast to the well-vegetated islands further south, our next stop was at Yankicha, a small island in the Ushishir group. The weather had well and truly changed now, and cold air and fog became the order of the day. We could tell we were in for a wonderful experience though as thousands and thousands of Crested Auklets, and smaller numbers of Whiskered Auklets, streamed past the anchored ship from first light onwards, chuckling noisily (the Cresteds in particular reminded me of sandgrouse). Luckily the access to the alcid colony on Yankicha was via the sheltered side of the island and soon we were inside yet another flooded caldera. Here the air was full of noise and the volume rose as we approached the far side of the lagoon. We were able to pull up and tie the inflatables onto the rocks at the base of a steep slope where tens of thousands of Crested Auklets were nesting (we estimated 100,000 at this island!), joined by a couple of thousand Whiskered Auklets! Seeing the latter at all is an achievement, but to see so many, and at such close range, was truly extraordinary. The nearest birds, settled on the boulders and grassy slopes, were just a few metres from us. From time to time a marauding gull caused a panic amongst the auklets and a mighty roar arose as many thousand took to the air at once. As time passed, and the danger eased, they progressively alighted until the slope was black with little black birds with strange head plumes and brightly-coloured bills. Wow! This was one of the greatest seabird spectacles I have ever witnessed!

Arctic Foxes were present here, clearly feeding on the auklet eggs or hapless adults (we saw several fall to the ground after mid-air collisions, although they seemed to recover). They were so tame that they stood on the shore right by the boats and even came forward to try and gnaw on the mooring ropes! You could see how they became a nuisance in the Commanders after Bering's ship was wrecked, fearlessly eating the bodies of the dead crew members and even trying to bite fingers and toes from living people! After enjoying the colony to the full we sailed over to an area of vulcanological activity where sulphur vents were spewing forth gases and where the ground was coloured yellow by the emissions. Our exit from the caldera was not quite so easy, however, as the tide had dropped and most of those in the naiads, which have a keel, had to ‘volunteer' to wade ashore and then walk along the coast until deeper water was reached!

All too soon it was time to leave fabulous Yankicha, but as we sailed northwards the tidal races were full of Whiskered Auklets (we estimated some 5000 in total!) and we even encountered a male Ribbon Seal. We finished off the day at Ostrov Matua where the Japanese built a large military base after they occupied the northern Kurils during the Second World War (it is said they murdered the Chinese slave labourers that built the place). The Russians had used it after re-occupying the islands at the end of the war, but now the buildings and the old radar equipment for the airfield stood long-abandoned. Offshore, Ancient Murrelets were positively numerous.

An early morning cruise below the bird-thronged cliffs at Ostrov Ekarma was most impressive and as well as huge numbers of fulmars and auks, we enjoyed great views of a pair of Peregrines of the large form japonensis . Indeed until we got better looks I was wondering if they were Gyrfalcons! Not far off the cliffs a Northern Minke Whale made its way past us. Later in the day we landed on Ostrov Kharimkotan, although nothing of particular note was found. As we left Kharimkotan behind Leach's Storm-Petrels became quite common and we also came across another Great Sperm Whale rolling on the surface.

We landed next at Bukhta Krasheninnikova at the southwestern end of Ostrov Paramushir. A Grey Bunting male performed well for us here and we watched another large Peregrine, while four smart Long-tailed Ducks were swimming in the shallows. As we sailed out of the bay eight Killer Whales were making their way through the area, the huge dorsal fins of the males being visible from long distances. As we sailed further north the low clouds lifted and most of the spectacular volcanic cone on Ostrov Atlasova, the highest peak in the Kurils, came into view. Another landing followed, reputedly at an old gulag for female prisoners.

We woke up to an unwelcome surprise. A large storm was approaching Kamchatka from the south and the wind was howling out of the north, turning the up-until-now calm seas into an ocean of white caps. Worse still the howling norther had set us back so far in the night that our planned cruise in the fjords of southern Kamchatka was cancelled, and with it the chance to see more Brown Bears and in particular Long-billed Murrelets, which are common close to the coastline. Instead we were to head straight for the Commander Islands, and it was to be slow progress against the wind. Still, Laysan Albatrosses were to be a frequent sight during the crossing and we counted an amazing total of 133 Mottled petrels (a species that spends the southern winter in the North Pacific). The following day, as the wind moderated a little, we sighted two huge Fin Whales and a Sei Whale, as well as 14 Dall's Porpoises (our best count to date).

The low cloud and rain was still with us by the time we reached Ostrov Beringa in the Komandorskiy (or Commander) islands, named after Vitus Bering who was wrecked here in 1741 on his way back from an exploration of the Alaskan coast. We landed at the rather bleak little settlement of Nikolskoye, complete with bust of Bering and a tiny, well-kept museum. Glaucous-winged Gulls were suddenly the dominant species and Rock Sandpipers fed amongst the piles of seaweed, allowing a very close approach. Snow Buntings were nesting in the village and at the river mouth an adult Red-legged Kittiwake could be seen with a resting gull flock. Further inland we came across displaying Pechora Pipits and numerous Lapland Longspurs in their smart breeding dress. All too soon it was time to head back to the ship, but not before admiring some lovely Mongolian Plovers in full breeding plumage.

We spent the afternoon sailing around an offshore island and the northwestern cape of Beringa. Here we encountered good numbers of dainty little Red-legged Kittiwakes and, in spite of the swell, we even managed to get close enough for good photographs. Parakeet Auklets are rather sparse as a breeding bird around the northern end of Beringa, but, with persistence, we eventually record a total of 14. A huge Northern Fur-Seal colony at the northwestern tip of the island must have held around 1000 individuals!

At last we came to the Kamchatka coast, but how sad and frustrating it was to have the cloud level only a few hundred metres above the sea, and all the panoply of Kamchatka's huge, snow-capped volcanoes lost in the murk! Six Pomarine Skuas passed the ship before we came close to land. Here we explored far up the Zhupanovo River with the inflatables, looking in particular for that mega-raptor, the marvellous Steller's Sea Eagle. And we were not to be disappointed. Almost as soon as we arrived at the river mouth we saw a couple of adults and then, over the course of our visit, a further eight of these mighty creatures, including both adults and immatures. We came across several nests and some adults perched in trees right at the river's edge, while others flew right over the boats. An amazing experience!

One of the most curious sights of this unusual zodiac cruise were the Harbour Seals gathered on the sandbanks well upstream, presumably attracted by the salmon run. Along the wooded banks we found Common Rosefinches and a smart Rustic Bunting. Back at the river mouth, a superb drake Falcated Duck, two Long--toed Stints, two Far Eastern Curlews, a couple of East Siberian Wagtails and a distant Brown Bear were some of the final highlights, while as we sailed south along the spectacular coastline a small number of Least Auklets were a welcome bonus, right at the southern edge of the breeding range.

We finished off this highly memorable journey at the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, where five Aleutian Terns were fishing in the huge natural harbour. It was all very sad to leave the ship and in particular all those characters amongst the ship's crew and the expedition staff. They had really made this a very special expedition for all of us.