Beautiful and rare with an enigmatic distribution, the McKay’s Buntings is the goal of this short excursion to Nome in late winter. This hardy songbird breeds only in the central Bering Sea on the isolated and inaccessible St. Matthew and Hall Islands. We occasionally encounter a migrating McKay’s Bunting on our spring trips to Gambell and the Pribilofs, but these sightings are unpredictable. So how does one go about finding this range-restricted species? The most reliable way to encounter a McKay’s Bunting is on its wintering grounds in western Alaska. There are two main wintering areas for McKay’s Buntings in Alaska: the coastal areas of the Seward Peninsula, and the Yukon-Kuskakwim Delta. The Seward Peninsula’s main hub is the city of Nome, one of Alaska’s most famous birding locations and an area that we know quite well from our several decades of spring tours.
On this short trip to Nome, don’t plan on spending much time tallying the bird list at night–we won’t see many other species. Our chances of finding McKay’s Bunting, however, are as good as they’ll ever be. We’re likely to encounter small flocks of McKay’s Buntings in and around the city, sometimes at feeders. With the lengthening days of late March, the photographic opportunities on this short trip are excellent. Muskox, Willow and Rock Ptarmigan, and a view of the northern lights are also possible on this trip.
We’ll fly into Nome on a morning flight from Anchorage on Day 1, and spend the day searching the Nome area for McKay’s Bunting and overnight at a local hotel. Day 2 is the reverse of the first day, with a return to Anchorage in the evening. There are just over 12 hours of daylight in Nome at this time of year. The tour cost includes round-trip airfare from Anchorage to Nome, lodging, transportation, and guiding in Nome. It does not include meals or any Anchorage costs. Price is based on double occupancy; single supplement is available.
This short trip to Nome is designed to fit perfectly as an extension to The Best of Early Spring in Alaska: Kodiak and Anchorage.
