Aleutian tern, Sterna aleutica
Photo: Robert E Gill, Jr.

Dusky Thrush. Tsukuba, Japan, 2007
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tsugumi1.JPG

The Dusky Thrush, Turdus eunomus, is a member of the thrush family Turdidae which breeds eastwards from central Siberia. It is closely related to the more southerly breeding Naumann's Thrush, Turdus. naumanni; the two have often been regarded as conspecific. This species breeds in open woodland areas, but unlike Naumann's Thrush, Turdus naumanni, , Dusky Thrush is more tolerant of mountainous and tundra-edge habitats. This species is strongly migratory, wintering south to southeast Asia, principally in China and neighbouring countries. It is a rare vagrant to western Europe. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dusky_Thrush

Lapland Bunting, Calcarius lapponicus


Lapland Bunting, Calcarius lapponicus
Courtesy: USFWS


© http://www.ecosystema.ru/

The Lapland Longspur or Lapland Bunting, Calcarius lapponicus, is a passerine bird in the longspur family Calcariidae, a group separated by most modern authors from the Fringillidae (Old World finches). It breeds across Arctic Europe and Asia and in Canada and the northernmost USA. It is migratory, wintering in the Russian steppes, the southern USA, Northern Scandinavian arctic areas and down to coastal Southern Sweden, Denmark and Great Britain. The Lapland Longspur is a robust bird, with a thick yellow seed-eater's bill. The summer male has a black head and throat, white eyestripe, chestnut nape, white underparts, and a heavily streaked black-grey back. It breeds in wet areas with birch or willow, and or bare mountains, and winters on cultivated land or coasts. The bird is often seen close to the tree line, and likes to feed in mixed-species flocks in winter. Its natural food consists of insects when feeding young, and otherwise seeds. The nest is on the ground. 2-4 eggs are laid.

  
Lapland Longspur, Plectrophenax nivalis
© www.ecosystema.ru/

Wedged between Bering and Chukchi Seas, Chukotka (Chukchi Peninsula)
is one of the most interesting places in the North.


Ringed seal, Ph. hispida hispida, and bearded seals, off Chukotka.
.
It has the highest biodiversity in the Arctic, both on land and in the sea.
Some marine mammals occur in huge numbers here.

Polar bears, Ursus maritimus, are common on the mainland in winter, but very rare in summer.

Left:
Polar bear summering on a
mountaintop, Egvenkinot, Chukotka. .

Right:
Polar bear summering on a
mountaintop, Egvenkinot.

Spotted seal is very common in southern Chukotka

The Spotted seal prefers protected bays and river mouths.

Coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch

   

Drawing of male ocean phase Coho and freshwater phase Coho (silver) salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) (USFG)

The Coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch, is a species of anadromous fish in the salmon family. Coho salmon are also known as silver salmon or "silvers". It is the state animal of Chiba, Japan. During their ocean phase, Coho have silver sides and dark blue backs. During their spawning phase, the jaws and teeth of the coho become hooked. They develop bright red sides, bluish green heads and backs, dark bellies and dark spots on their backs after they go in to fresh water.

Ping Salmon , Oncorhynchus gorbuscha
© www.ecosystema.ru/


Drawing of a Pink salmon
Courtesy: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Pink salmon or Humpback salmon, Oncorhynchus gorbuscha, is a species of anadromous fish in the salmon family. It is the smallest and most abundant of the Pacific salmon. In the ocean, pink salmon are bright silver fish. After returning to their spawning stream, their coloring changes to pale grey on the butt with yellowish white belly (although some turn an overall dull green color). During their spawning migration, males develop a pronounced humped back, hence their nickname "humpies". Pink salmon average 2.2 kg in weight. The maximum recorded size was 76 cm and 6.8 kg. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pink_salmon

Sockeye salmon or Red Salmon, Oncorhynchus nerka
© www.ecosystema.ru/

Sockeye salmon, Oncorhynchus nerka, also called red salmon or blueback salmon in the USA, is an anadromous species of salmon found in the Northern Pacific Ocean and rivers discharging into it. There are also completely landlocked populations of the same species, which are known as kokanee or "silver trout." Sockeye salmon is the third most common Pacific salmon species. Its name in Halkomelem, the language of the indigenous people along the lower reaches of the Fraser River (one of British Columbia's many native Coast Salish languages). Suk-kegh means red fish. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sockeye_salmon

Chum Salmon, Oncorhynchus keta
Photo: David Sepp, NOAA

The Chum or Keta salmon, Oncorhynchus keta, is a species of anadromous fish in the salmon family. It is a Pacific salmon, and may also be known as dog salmon or Keta salmon, and is often marketed under the name Silverbrite salmon . The name Chum salmon comes from the Chinook Jargon term tzum, meaning "spotted" or "marked", while "Keta" comes from the Evenki language of Eastern Siberia via Russian. They have an ocean coloration of silvery blue green. When adults are near spawning, they have purple blotchy streaks near the caudal fin. Spawning males typically grow an elongated snout or kype and have enlarged teeth. Some researchers speculate these characteristics are used to compete for mates. Most Chum salmon spawn in small streams and intertidal zones. Some Chum travel more than 3,200 km (2,000 mi) up the Yukon River. The female lays eggs in the redd, the male sprays sperm on the eggs, and the female covers the eggs with gravel. The female can lay up to 4000 eggs. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chum_salmon

Pelagic Cormorant, Phalacrocorax pelagicus,


Pelagic Cormorant on a nest with chicks that are about four weeks old, in San Luis Obispo, California,
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Phalacrocorax_pelagicus_-San_Luis_Obispo,_California,_USA_-nest-8_(3).jpg

The Pelagic Cormorant, Phalacrocorax pelagicus, also known as Baird's Cormorant, is a small member of the cormorant family Phalacrocoracidae. Analogous to other smallish cormorants, it is also called Pelagic Shag occasionally. This seabird lives along the coasts of the northern Pacific; during winter it can also be found in the open ocean. The Pelagic Cormorant (Phalacrocorax pelagicus), also known as Baird's Cormorant, is a small member of the cormorant family Phalacrocoracidae. Analogous to other smallish cormorants, it is also called Pelagic Shag occasionally. This seabird lives along the coasts of the northern Pacific; during winter it can also be found in the open ocean. Presently, many authors favor splitting up the "wastebin genus" Phalacrocorax. In this case, the Pelagic Cormorant would probably be placed in Compsohalieus. On land, Pelagic Cormorants are rather clumsy and walk with the high-stepped waddling gait typical for all Sulae except darters; after landing they often scratch the ground, as is typical for cormorants. When they feel threatened, they will dart the bills at the intruder, and shake their heads and make a gargling noise. This bird forages by swimming to locate prey, then diving and going after it underwater, propelled by its feet and steering with the wings. It can dive as deep as 100 ft (30 m) to feed on or near the seafloor. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pelagic_Cormorant

Long-tailed Duck or Oldsquaw, Clangula hyemalis


Think we were just out a little to early to get a picture of the chicks.
Havelle, Clangula hyemalis
© www.ecosystema.ru/

The Long-tailed Duck or Oldsquaw, Clangula hyemalis, is a medium-sized sea duck. It is the only living member of its genus, Clangula; this was formerly used for the goldeneyes, with the Long-tailed Duck being placed in Harelda. Adults have white underparts, though the rest of the plumage goes through a complex moulting process. The male has a long pointed tail (10 to 15 cm) and a dark grey bill crossed by a pink band. In winter, the male has a dark cheek patch on a mainly white head and neck, a dark breast and mostly white body. In summer, the male is dark on the head, neck and back with a white cheek patch.

The Long-tailed Duck.
Foto: B. Frantzen/Norsk Polarinstitutt

Their breeding habitat is in tundra pools and marshes, but also along sea coasts and in large mountain lakes in the North Atlantic region, Alaska, northern Canada, northern Europe and Russia. The nest is located on the ground near water; The Long-tailed Duck breeds often in or near Arctic Tern colonies, and benefit of the terns defenceabilities for the Arctic fox, Gulls and Skuas. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long-tailed_Duck

Arctic Lemming , Dicrostonyx torquatus


Arctic Lemming , Dicrostonyx torquatus
© http://www.ecosystema.ru/

The Arctic Lemming, Dicrostonyx torquatus is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found only in The Arctic Biomes in Russia and Canada. Inhabits arctic and subarctic tundra and forest-tundra with small Salix spp. bushes. Lives in colonies with simple burrows along feeding routes; nesting and seed storage chambers used collectively. Activity is multiphase and may occur around the clock. Feeds on shoots and leaves of willows and birches, and vegetation and berries of cloudberry, great bilberry and other species. Litters 2-3 times a year with 5-6 young each time. A migratory species. Source: Tsytsulina, K., Formozov, N. & Sheftel, B. 2008. Dicrostonyx torquatus. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 24 February 2012.

Sandhill crane, Grus canadensis   

Greater White-fronted Goose, Anser albifrons

Sibirian brown lemming
Lemmus sibiricus,
Pohodsk, Yakutia

Woodlemming, Myopus schisticolor © http://www.ecosystema.ru/

Long-tailed Skua,
Pevek.

Parasitic Skua or Arctic Jaeger are amongst the most common birds of prey
on the arctic tundra.
There are three species:
Stercorarius parasiticus, Arctic Skua / Parasitic Jaeger
Stercorarius longicaudus, Long-tailed Skua / Jaeger
Stercorarius pomarinus, Pomarine Skua / Jaeger

Pomarine Skua
Kapp Schmidt.

Photo: S.L Kuzmin, © PENSOFT Publishers

The Siberian salamander, Salamandrella keyserlingii, is a species of salamander found in Northeast Asia.
It is found primarily in Siberia, in wet woods and riparian groves. There are also outlying populations in northern Kazakhstan
and Mongolia, and also in northeastern China and on the Korean Peninsula. It is believed extirpated from South Korea.
An isolated population exists on Hokkaido, Japan, in the Kushiro Shitsugen National Park. A breeding-ground of Siberian salamanders in Paegam, South Hamgyong, is designated North Korean natural monument #360.

Adults are from 9 to 12.5 centimeters in length. Their bodies are bluish-brown in color, with a purple stripe along the back. There are thin dark brown stripes between and around the eyes, and also sometimes on the tail. There are four clawless
toes on each foot. The tail is longer than the body.

A single egg sac contains 50-80 eggs on average, with a single female typically laying up to 240 eggs in a season. The light-brown eggs hatch three to four weeks after being laid, releasing larval salamanders of 11-12 mm in length.

The species is known for surviving deep freezes, as low as -35 - -40o°C. In some cases they have been known to remain frozen in permafrost for years, and upon thawing, walking off.

Black brants,
Anser nigricans,
begynner redebygging
tidlig om våren.
Dixon, Taimyr.

During autumnm many birds leave these northern areas.
A few specimees, as McKay's bunting (P. mckayi), moves actually to
Chukotka for the winter.. Black brants moves from their arctic places to their winterhabitat in America.

The Black Brant or Pacific Brent Goose, Branta bernicla nigricans, is a
sub-species of the Brent Goose that breeds in Alaska and winters in Baja
California. There are an estimated 115,000 black brant in the world and
about 14,000 are taken each year by hunters. Fox predation of eggs is
thought to be significant and, in 2006, the U.S. began a 5-year fox removal
program. The population has been as high as 200,000; in 1981, and as low
as 100,000; in 1987.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Brant

Vindskulpturer på spor etter Polarreven
(Vulpes lagopus),
Amderma, Russia.

Sommernatt i Dionisiafjellene, Chukotka, Russia.