Kamchatka eco tours, bear viewing, fishing, skiing, hiking and more

Shorebird Migration in Kamchatka

Witness one of the largest shorebird migrations on the East Asian flyway. Kamchatka’s West Coast is a vital staging and breeding area for many species of Charadriidae, with 50 species having been recorded, including the rare Spoon-billed Sandpiper. May 16-28 and May 26-June 1, 2010. 6-10 passengers. Field camp. Lead by Dr. Yuri Gerasimov. Groups from 6 to 10 guests.
Price per person from $4689 (6 clients) to $3106 (10 clients)

Staff: Dr. Yuri N. Gerasimov , Kamchatka Branch, Pacific Institute of Geography, Russian Academy of Science, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. Dr. Gerasimov speaks English. Camp will be served by a cook and camp help.

You are invited to witness one of the most important spring migrations on the East Asian flyway. Kamchatka is a crucial staging and breeding area for many species of Charadriidae, with 50 species having been recorded here. Join Dr. Gerasimov in surveying the 2010 spring migration of shorebirds at the Moroshechnaya River on the West Coast of Kamchatka.

The spring migration at the mouth of the Morosochnaya River offers a chance to see the Spoon-billed Sandpiper (Eurynorhynchus pygmaeus) shown to the right, other shorebirds, as well as thousands of ducks and gulls. According to studies by Dr. Gerasimov and others, the west coast of Kamchatka is a springtime staging area for approximately 200,000 shorebirds of at least 15 species.

Shorebirds (List for Kamchatka)

Besides shorebirds, along the shore during May about a half-million ducks (Green-Winged Teal Anas crecca, Eurasian Wigeon Anas Penelope, Pintail Anas acuta, Greater Scaup Aythya marila, Red-Breasted Merganser Mergus serrator), and more than 100,000 gulls (Common Black-Headed Gull Larus ridibundus, Slaty-Backed Gull Larus schistisagus, Mew Gull Larus canus, Common Tern Sterna hirundo, Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea , Aleutian Tern Sterna aleutica (S. camtschatica), over 10,000 Loons (Red-Throated Loon (Red-Throated Diver) Gavia stellata,) and others use this staging area. Dr. Gerasimov and his colleagues have been monitoring this migration since 1990 so birders will have great opportunities to see not only shorebirds.

Itinerary: Shorebird migration in Kamchatka

Day 1 Arrival in Kamchatka, double check gear and have a group meeting with your guide to discuss the trip and to answer questions about how you can help with the monitoring during the trip. Visit the nearby Aleutian Canada Goose breeding facility begun by Dr. Nikolai Nikolaevich Gerasimov, another leading Kamchatka ornithologist, who happens to be your guide’s father. Here you’ll learn about the successful partnership project between Dr. Gerasimov senior and colleagues at the US Fish & Wildlife Service and Japanese Wild Bird Society to reintroduce the Aleutian Canada Goose to its former range. Since they began over 20 years ago, they have released over 465 goslings to the wild and now these geese migrate each year between southern Kamchatka and the Kuril Is. and Japan. Dinner at your guest house in Yelizovo.

Day 2 Drive by bus to Esso. This is an unpaved gravel road. The bus will make stops along the way for you to stretch and to look for interesting birds along the many roadside streams and rivers, etc. The bus trip will take 10-12 hours if you stop en route and do some birding. Arrive in Esso and check into the Yuzhnaya Hotel. The rooms are standard double with 2 levels of rooms: standard double with shared bath, better room with private bath (2). Your cook will make dinner at the hotel for you. Explore Esso in the evening. Go for a dip in the hot springs fed pool at the hotel or in the public pool.

Day 3 Weather depending , fly by MI-8 helicopter about 55 minutes northwest to the mouth of the Moroshochnaya River. When the heli lands, unload your gear and once it departs, go for a walk along the shore with Dr. Gerasimov while the camp staff gets the camp set up. In case of non-flying weather the group will visit the Bystrinsky District Ethnographic Museum, the Bystrinsky Park Visitor Center, and can go for a walk in the woods near Esso, guided by park staff. Any additional hotel costs are not covered in this expedition price. Rooms run roughly 1800 to 2000 rubles/person per night.

Days 4-9 Birding with helicopter departure on Day 9 to Esso and departure to Yelizovo by bus.

Day 10 Tour of Yelizovo and Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, dinner at local restaurant (no host).

Day 11 Depart Kamchatka

Note: If we are able to run two expeditions back-to-back, there will be a savings on helicopters that will be divided between the groups’ participants. However at this time, the prices reflect the total costs for independent use of round trip helicopter services. Also if we sell a second tour, Dr. Gerasimov will remain at the Moroshechnaya River to await the second group. For those interested in staying for 2 tours, contact us for a quote.

Ask us about add-on tours if you’d like to spend more time in Kamchatka.

Camp accommodations:
2-person sleeping tents
1 dining and common yurt for enjoying meals together
Outhouse toilets
1 bathing station (tent) with water heated for simple bathing.
Generator for recharging batteries

Explore Kamchatka is an Alaska licensed tour company working with partners in Kamchatka for 10 years. As pioneers in Kamchatka ecotourism, Explore Kamchatka strives to offer responsible, fun, trips characterized with outstanding service. We are establishing this pioneer trip to assist Dr. Gerasimov’ s monitoring of shorebird and other waterbird migrations and nesting.

Included: All transport and accommodations in Kamchatka (twin share and shared bath), meals except where noted, English speaking guide ornithologist, use of tents, emergency search & rescue insurance, all visa support invitations and vouchers and other required permits.
Not included: sleeping bags and pads, binoculars or spotting scopes, airline tickets to/from Kamchatka.