Birding Norway tours:

Arctic Norway in summer

Atlantic Puffin Fratercula arctica Hornøya, Finnmark, July 2002 (c) Alf Tore Mjøs

In late June, all the regular breeding species, including the rare and late-arriving arctic warbler, should be present in Varanger and Pasvik. This 8-day birding trip will focus on the taiga forest in Pasvik and the birds of the Varanger Peninsula. At the height of the arctic breeding season, with the everpresent daylight, we will search the various habitats between the pine forest in Pasvik and the barren coast at Varanger for the most exclusive species the Norwegian arctic can offer. Travelling with Birding Norway will guarantee the most updated information possible to increase your chances of finding the most sought-after species.

Day 1-3: After a two and a half hour flight we arrive in Kirkenes around mid-day. We then head south for our destination at Svanvik in Pasvik. On route to Svanvik we stop to check some smaller lakes and several places along the river, day 1 should produce the first black-throated divers, goosanders, a good chance for smew etc. An easy afternoon of birding near Svanvik. The next day we explore more of the pine forest and bogs close to the national park, searching for breeding birds such as whooper swan, osprey, white-tailed eagle, capercaillie, willow grouse, common crane, spotted redshank, greenshank, wood sandpiper, jack snipe, broad-billed sandpiper, hawk owl, three-toed woodpecker, bohemian waxwing, siberian tit, siberian jay, great grey shrike, pine grosbeak and little bunting. With luck, these forests can also offer a chance meeting with great grey owl, hazel grouse, parrot crossbill, rustic bunting or even a brown bear. At day 3 we do some more birding in Pasvik after breakfast, before we head west towards the Varanger peninsula. We stop at the Neiden river delta to scan the large flocks of common eiders, goosanders and red-breasted mergansers, quite a few black-throated divers are always present here.

Day 4: After a night in Vardö, we drive west to Hamningberg through spectacular landscape, where the dramatic rock formations are mixed with large and shallow sandy bays. The scenery is always breathtaking, and completely different from anything you can experience elsewhere in the Nordic countries. We try some seawatching from Hamningberg and look for northern gannets, arctic-, long-tailed or with luck even a pomarine skua, we search the willows for arctic redpoll, while red-throated pipit and snow bunting should be easily found. Along the shore we check the flocks of thousands of gulls and hundreds of eiders and goosanders for the more rare king eider, steller's eider and glaucous gull. All the time while thousands of black-legged kittiwakes and often large numbers og northern fulmars are passing by, the noise of the kittiwakes fills the air as they cross over the narrow strip of land that connects the Hamningberg peninsula with the rest of Varanger.

Brünnich's Guillemot Uria lomvia Hornøya, Finnmark, July 2002 (c) Alf Tore Mjøs

Day 5: We start with visiting Hornöya, where razorbills, common-, brünnich's-, and black guillemots, atlantic puffins, european shag and black-legged kittiwakes can all be watched at a distance down to a few meters. The photo-opportunities are simply superb, so be sure to bring enough film! The island also has breeding meadow-, rock-, and red-throated pipits, in addition to thousands of gulls. Later we explore the coastline towards Vadsö, where we look at shorebirds such as dunlin, ruff, bar-tailed godwit, turnstone etc. Some of the best ponds here regularly hold more than 200 red-necked phalaropes. Ruffs are found in between large colonies of arctic terns, and breeding temminck's stint can be added to the list in case we haven't already found them somewhere else.

Day 6: Birding at the Varanger peninsula. Depending on our luck so far, we search for any target species that are missing (if any....). A possibility for taking a hike away from the coastline, to look for gyrfalcon, rock ptarmigan, purple sandpiper, dotterel, shore lark and long-tailed skua. Keep looking out for the "white rocks" - nowhere in Norway there is a better chance of finding a snowy owl.

Day 7: We move slowly from Vardö to Neiden, birding along the Varanger fjord. We stay overnight in Neiden, where our main target species is arctic warbler. Neiden often has a few species that reach their northern limits in this region. On our 2002 tour we found hedge accentor, common redstart, european robin, garden warbler and pied flycatcher, in addition to arctic warbler, short-eared owls and hawk owl.

Day 8: Birding at Neiden and Neiden river delta before returning to Kirkenes airport. Flight to Oslo.