Alaska, St. Paul Island Birding Pribilof Island Wildlife Viewing

St. Paul Island, one of the most spectacular places in Alaska, has been delighting visitors for many decades with its colonies of seabirds, northern fur seal rookeries, reindeer herd, fox, and wildflowers. The Aleut people of St. Paul Island are friendly and welcoming. Many of the island's scenic wonders and its avifauna, marine and terrestrial mammals, and flora may be seen during a three-day visit.

St. Paul Island, which is more than 300 thousand years old, is one of several that make up the Pribilof Islands, so named by the Russian navigator, Gavriel Pribylov, in 1787. The over 40 square mile island in the middle of the Bering Sea lies 750 miles west of Anchorage. It is roughly 250 miles north of the east central Aleutians, 300 miles from Alaska's west coast, and only 500 miles east of Siberia.

With a sub-Arctic maritime climate, the weather on St. Paul Island is cool year round. Mean temperatures vary from 19 to 51 degrees Fahrenheit. There is an annual rainfall of 25 inches and 56 inches of snow.

Carved by wind and wave, the island captivates the senses. There are towering, rocky cliffs rising from the sea, beaches of sand the color of charcoal and green tea, rolling hills, and sharp peaks and craggy outcroppings of primarily olivine basalt rock rising toward the sky. Many of the shores are stacked with a blend of pebbles, rocks, and boulders of incredible variety.

About the tour
Our guides are dedicated, experienced, and knowledgeable. They'll introduce you to the many unique features of St. Paul Island, including the avifauna and, depending upon the time of your visit, marine and terrestrial mammals. No less than 248 species of birds have been recorded on the island. In spring, many rare birds, including Siberian vagrants, may be spotted on the island. Select the birding alert link to sample weekly sightings through the course of a season.

One of the most notable sights on the island are the northern fur seal rookeries. In late May, the male seals arrive and stake out their territory in preparation for the arrival of the females. On June 1, the rookeries are closed and remain off limits until mid-October . Thereafter, these magnificent marine mammals may be viewed, by permit, from blinds at two rookeries.

Harbor Seals breed on Otter Island, several miles southwest of St. Paul Island, but nonetheless are often seen off St. Paul shores. Occasionally, Steller sea lions haul out on St. Paul, but usually take refuge in the rookery at Walrus Island, some 10 miles northeast of St. Paul. On extremely rare occasions, Grey whales, Orcas, and walrus are observed offshore. A large herd of reindeer roam the island. Of domesticated Russian stock, the reindeer were introduced to the island in 1911. In spring, with the greening of the island, wildflowers begin to decorate the meritime tundra landscape. There are more than 100 species of wildflowers, from the Arctic lupine, with its bluish-purple blossoms, to the glowing yellow Alaska poppy, that can be viewed.

Accommodation
The King Eider Hotel offers European-style accommodations with a friendly Alaskan atmosphere. Each room has a sink; some have twin beds, others have double beds. Each floor is equipped with bathing and other facilities.