SVALBARDSEASON REPORT June 2 – September 10, 2018

SUMMARY

In 2018, NozoMojo had a total of 69 field observation days in Svalbard (up from 46, 27 and 31 in the pre-vious three years). This report provides an overview of all mammal and bird species observed in Svalbard during 50 of those 69 days, and for polar bears all 69.

On NozoMojo Svalbard tours, there is a tendency for a few biases in the sightings. Both of these are really based on our focusing to the north and east much more than to the south and west. The majority of the large whales are further offshore to the west than we tend to get, so we tend to miss them. Another bias is a result of our spending a proportionately large amount of time in the pack-ice, which means we spend relatively less time on the tundra and deep in the fjords. There are thus local bird and land mammal species that we see fewer of than we otherwise would, and we also tend to miss areas with a greater likelihood of vagrants. On the other hand, this year we were there early, and we also had a bit of time in Longyearbyen, which added to the bird sightings. Our last tour focused on landscapes, which reduced the daily average of polar bears and other mammals.

In 2018, we observed a total of 13 species of mammal (12 of them alive). This is comparable to 14, 15 and 16 in the preceding three years. Considering that our season was longer this year, the number is a bit low – due mainly to the relative lack of cetacean sightings (Blue Whale, Humpback Whale, Sperm Whale, Orca and White-sided Dolphin were all noted in 2015-2017, but missed in 2018). While the number of different spe-cies was a little low, the number of individuals seen was very high for some species, even when the greater number of field days is considered.

NozoMojo was in Svalbard more or less all summer. Our first tour began on June 2, and our last ended on Sep-tember 10.

We (Morten & Nozomi) guided some tours ourselves, notably June 14-24 on board R/V Kinfish and August 3-12 on board M/S Malmö (for Squiver).

On other of our own tours, we were supplemented by Magnus Forsberg (S/V Antigua June 2-10) and Daniel Bergmann (M/S Malmö July 24 – August 3 and S/V Anti-gua August 31 – September 10). On the latter, also Peter Cox guided.

And on two voyages, the guiding was taken care of on behalf of NozoMojo by Rinie van Meurs plus assistants (M/S Freya June 24 – July 3 and M/S Malmö July 14-24 (both sub chartered by Joe van Os Photosafaris). Daniel Bergmann was also the sub charterer of the two voyag-es he co-led.

TOURS & DATES

During June, there were many stable pe-riods, with fairly low winds or none, tem-peratures around 3-5°C (although we did have -2°C once) early in the month, and more like 6-11°C later. General-ly good visibility, but some fog days as well. The month was a mix of overcast days with occasional light snow or rain, and some sunny days, particularly later in the period. There was notably very lit-tle snow on the ground in many places. July averaged around 8°C with a high of about 15°C, the weather patterns were similar to earlier, but there were more extended periods of fog, especially over the pack-ice far to the north. The fog was prevalent in August as well, but variable. There were some high wind periods too, it was often a matter of avoidance through planning of itineraries. In Sep-tember, we had mostly overcast weath-er, but with low winds, and the real cold did not really arrive to Svalbard until af-ter our season had ended.

WEATHER

ICE

This situation, as described on the left, rapidly changed, and already around the mid-dle of the month, there was very little of the fjord-ice left, and also most of the drifting coastal pack was gone. The main Arctic basin pack-ice was way to the north, and more or less remained there the rest of the year. In 2018, NozoMojo broke our record for farthest north on several occasions, reaching as far as 82°55’ N on August 5. The embedded ice chart from June 20 shows how quickly it changed in June, and pret-ty accurately represents the ice situation for the rest of the season as well.

The sea ice conditions during the summer of 2018 are simply described. Apart from a remnant tongue to the far east, all the waters around the archipelago were practically open al-ready in early June, save some fast ice in the deep-est parts of some fjords and broken up pack in the north end of Storfjorden, through Hinlopen Stretet and off the south of Nordaustlan-det. See the embedded ice chart from June 5 to get the picture.

Our observations of each mammal species is detailed in the following, birds are listed after that. This year, we also include one fish.

SPECIES ACCOUNT

MAMMALS

Fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus)1 sighting of 2?Blows from 2 probable Fin whales seen August 1 at the N end of Hinlopen.

Minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata)5 sightings of 9 individuals. Again this year very few observations.

Beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas)Four sightings of more than 200 individuals.While we had very little luck with Belugas in the previous three seasons, we did see many other whales. In 2018, the situation reversed. We saw almost no larger whales at all, but had four awesome encounters with Belugas, all in June.The first was more than 100 animals – including many juveniles and immatures - passing near shore from N to S at Poolepynten on June 9, while we were on the beach looking at Walrus. The next was some 25 animals – also with young – in Palanderbukta, and then on June 21 we had a prolonged meeting with some 75+ animals off Andøyane. Later on the same day, we enjoyed close-up views from the Zodiacs of a single adult male foraging in front of Monaco-breen.

Narwhal (Monodon monoceros)1 adult male dead on the pack-ice, being eaten by Polar Bears and birds (see also notes below under Polar Bear and Greenland Shark).

While we still have our first live Svalbard Narwhal to come, it was super exciting to find our THIRD dead Narwhal with Polar Bears on it in just two seasons. This year’s observation took place from August 5 to August 7, high in the pack-ice at almost 83° N. There were at least 17 Polar Bears in attendance, and as with our previous sighting, the carcass was well cleaned by the time we departed the scene. Also this time the skull with tusk had been severed from the backbone and dragged away. Also this time, the skull and tusk were collected, and these findings from 2017 and 2018 are being conserved in Svalbard Museum, hopefully to be displayed soon.

Bearded seal (Erignathus barbatus)30 sightings of 65 individuals (plus 1 dead). Some 20 were spread out on the remnant fast-ice in Bjørnsundet on June 5, otherwise mostly singly or in small numbers here and there. One narrowly escaped a Polar Bear attack in the pack-ice at 82°30’ N on July 27 . One had not escaped.

Ringed seal (Pusa hispida)20 sightings of 117 individuals (plus 2 dead).About two-thirds of these were seen at just three locations, when there was still remnant fast-ice in several locations in early- to mid-June. Later, most observations were of singles. Twice this season we were treated to incredibly amusing behaviour from youngsters that played around our zodiacs for a long time.

Harbour seal (Phoca vitulina)13 sightings of about 100 individuals (number corrected for potential repeaters, since we visited some of the sites sev-eral times). As always, these seals are great fun when approached with great respect. Some of them are getting very habituated to visits.

Hooded seal (Crystophora cristata) One sub-adult male.Was seen briefly at 82°19’ N, 22°50’ E in open pack-ice on July 27.

Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus)35 sightings of 727 individuals.

Despite visiting some locations more than once, we have not cleaned the number for this species, as they are known to not show particular site fidelity.A couple of observations deserve a separate mention: On June 3, in Fuglefjorden, we saw, on a piece of drifting glacier ice, a single female with a tiny pup. It must have been newly born. This is the farthest W yet that we have seen juveniles in Svalbard. The other observation was arriving at Kræmerpynten on July 29 and finding almost none. This was our first visit ever there without seeing hundreds.

Polar bear (Ursus maritimus)34 sightings of 97 individuals (plus 2 dead) (numbers correct-ed for potential repeaters, since we visited some of the sites sev-eral times). These numbers show that we saw Po-lar Bear approximately every second day average over the season. They also tell us that we averaged about three bears / sighting, but this blurs the variation between 18 sightings of single bears and two sightings of re-spectively 15 and 17 bears each. During the days August 5-7, we had the privilege of watching no less than 17 Polar Bears feed on a two-course meal: An adult male Narwhal and also an immature Greenland Shark. This scene played deep in the pack-ice, at almost 83° N. There were al-most equal numbers of males and females attending the feast, but no dependent cubs.

Over the season, we saw no fewer than 15 family groups. Nine of these were females with COYs (cubs-of-the-year), eight had two and one had just one. Five females had one-year old cubs, two of them two and three of them just one. Only one family group was ob-served with two-year olds – a female with two healthy large cubs. Additionally, we had two sightings of single two-year old cubs on their own, perhaps having been recently weaned, perhaps having become separated from their mothers.We saw a total of five different adult female bears with collars on their necks. We also found a dropped collar on a small island.Of the 97 Polar Bears seen, 81 were seen well enough to assess their conditions. 26 of these were dependent cubs and therefore not categorized. Thus, we saw 55 non-dependent (adult or sub-adult) bears well enough to assign a condition code (1 = starving, 2 = thin, 3 = normal, 4 = fat, 5 = obese). One was starving, perhaps dying. Five were considered thin, 21 normal, 24 fat, and 4 so fat that we had to call them obese (not meant neg-atively, just descriptively). This averages the conditions of our observed bears at 3.8 – not bad at all! Despite the good state of many of the bears, our obser-vations lead us to wonder about the long-term survival of Svalbard Polar Bears. For adults to be managing well during the summer is one thing. For the bears to be re-producing well, which they seemed to have done over the winter 2017-2018, is another. But the indications that they are not able to keep their cubs alive until they reach an independent state, are cause for concern.

Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) 14 sightings of 19 individuals (number corrected for potential repeaters, since we visited some of the sites several times). No less than three blue morph individuals seen (an unexpected high proportion). Three kits of the season were lounging near their den site on August 1 without any sign of the adults around.

Svalbard reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus)15 sightings of about 400 individuals (number corrected for potential repeaters, since we visited some of the sites several times).In June, some were almost still in intact winter fur. In September, some were already beginning to moult into the next winter fur.

FISHESGreenland Shark (Somniosus microcephalus)One immature dead on the pack-ice, being eaten by Polar Bears and birds (see also notes above under Narwhal and Polar Bear).

It was with great surprise that we identified part of the feast of the Polar Bears on August 5-7 to be an immature Greenland Shark. We are tempted to write a young shark, but knowing that they grow at about 1 cm per year, and can live hundreds of years! – that would probably not be accurate. This shark was perhaps a couple of meters long when it died.In addition to this being our first ever observation of Greenland Shark, albeit a dead one, it was also with some certainty the farthest north observation of the species ever. We encountered it at 82°55’ N and could deduce from the ice movements, as well as the amount of carcass left when we found it on August 5, that it was killed farther N, perhaps as far as or beyond 83° N.

Red-throated Diver (Loon) – 49 individuals noted in 15 sightings.

White-billed Diver (Yellow-billed Loon) – Daniel Bergmann struck again when he spotted an adult in full breeding plumage on September 4 in Woodfjorden. Although there are apparently more sightings in recent years than earlier, this is still a very rare vagrant to Sval-bard. This was NozoMojo’s second sighting locally. PHOTO: Daniel Bergmann

Northern Fulmar – Daily.

Pink-footed Goose – Some 215+ individuals were noted in 17 observations. No huge con-centrations seen this year.

Barnacle Goose – Pretty much daily except in the ice. No huge concentrations seen this year.

Brent (Brant) Goose – Five observations of ca. 55 individuals, mostly in June, but once in August.

Northern Pintail – This species is an irregular breeder and uncommon visitor. A pair was seen near Longyearbyen on June 13.

BIRDS2018 turned out to be a very good year for bird observations, with numerous vagrants including rarities seen, and also several far-thest north records. We had observations of a total of 39 species during 52 field days. This was a clear record for us, with 28, 30 and 30 species seen in the previous three seasons. Among our 2018 sightings were 2 divers/loons, 5 ducks, 7 gulls, 9 shorebirds/waders and 2 song birds.

Harlequin Duck – One adult male at Isisøyane July 30. A very rare vagrant to Sval-bard, there are less than 10 records ever. This was NozoMojo’s second observa-tion of this local rarity, both were adult males.

Common Eider – Noted on 18 occasions, largest concentration was of 200+ staging birds on the ice in Hamiltonbukta June 6.

King Eider – 82 birds seen in seven observations, all in June, largest flock 25.

Long-tailed Duck – Five observations of 19 individuals, mostly paired up, and except for one pair seen on September 1, they were all in June.

Great Skua – 66 individuals noted in 27 sightings. Although mostly a bird of the W, we saw it as far N as 79°56’ N, and we also saw it all the way E at Kræmerpynten.

Pomarine Skua (Jaeger) – Through June, July and August, a surprisingly low num-ber of nine individuals seen in six sightings. All were adults. Perhaps it was a good breeding season elsewhere for them. It is interesting how these birds just never seem to scavenge (seen overflying and hanging out by Polar Bear kills, but with-out coming down to feed).

Arctic Skua (Parasitic Jaeger) – 104 individuals noted in 42 sightings. Seven dark morph adults.

Long-tailed Skua (Jaeger) – 18 birds were seen in nine observations. One sub-adult was seen in the pack-ice, one juvenile was seen in September, the rest were adults. A flock of seven adults passing overhead at Kræmerpynten on July 29, all flying E, was exciting.

Great Black-backed Gull – Strangely only one observation made, a breeding pair near Blomstrandøya June 8.

Glaucous Gull – Daily. Few observed in June, largest flock later was 75+ of all ages standing on Moffen August 4.

Iceland Gull – A regular vagrant to (and possible breeder in) Svalbard, two first-summer / second-year birds were seen, one in Longyearbyen June 1, and one near Virgohamna June 7.

Sabine’s Gull – Three adults seen. We missed the species on our one visit near Moffen, but we saw it on two other occasions, both high in the pack-ice in July. The farthest north observation was of two adult individuals foraging among Black-legged Kittiwakes in the wake of our ship as we ploughed through broken up pack-ice at 82°20’ N.

Little Gull - A very rare vagrant to Svalbard, this was only the second record ever. It is also probably the farthest north record of the species anywhere in the World. The second-year bird in transition between summer and winter plumage on July 26 was first seen by Daniel Bergmann, and despite the brevity of the sighting, fortunately he was able to snap a couple of photos. The location was 82°19’ N, 021°10’ E, in the pack-ice N of Svalbard, and the bird flew E. PHOTO: Daniel Bergmann

Ivory Gull – 22 observations of 94+ birds this season. We were not in the prime habitat late enough to really expect to see juveniles, and most of our observa-tions were of adults with only a few first-summer / second-year birds.

Black-legged Kittiwake – Daily. Unusually (?) small numbers in June, but later more normal counts, including 3000+ as the highest in front of Lilliehöökbreen on August 10.

Arctic Tern – Daily. Late arrival in June. Largest flock 800+ on July 29, Kræmer-pynten.

Eurasian Oystercatcher – A pretty much annual but still infrequent vagrant to Sval-bard. The distinct call of one individual was heard in Longyearbyen on June 1.

Ringed Plover – Three individuals were seen and heard at three locations in June.

Red Knot – Uncommon bird in Svalbard, presumed to be an annual breeder in very small numbers. We certainly don’t see it every year. On June 7, we had eight of them delightfully parading for us at Smeerenburg, and two more on the same day near Virgohamna.

Dunlin – Just two observations, one male singing in Longyearbyen June 14, and one individual flying by in Forlandssundet September 8.

Purple Sandpiper – Seen at most landing sites, and sometimes at sea too - on av-erage, seen every other day. We noted more than 160 birds in 28 sightings.

Sanderling – Two observations delighted, one of 11 and one of seven, both at Smeerenburg, and exactly three months apart.

Ruddy Turnstone – We had five observations of a total of 11 adults, all were seen in the W. Four were in June, the final one in September.

Grey (Red) Phalarope – Just three observations this year of a total of 21 birds.

Red-necked Phalarope – Another uncommon species in Svalbard, presumed also to be an annual breeder in very small numbers. A female was kindly shown to us out-side Longyearbyen June 13 by some of our guests, they had seen 3 there the day before.

Rock Ptarmigan – In June, we had four observations at four locations in the W, one of one pair and three each of one adult male.

Brünnich’s Guillemot – Daily. As late as September 6 still small flocks associating with the breeding colony at Hamiltonbukta.

Little Auk – Daily except in the far E. The farthest north record for us was on August 7, when one bird was seen in the pack-ice at 82°37’ N.

Black Guillemot – Daily. On August 7, we saw our hitherto farthest north Black guil-lemot, at 82°38’ N.

Atlantic Puffin – Mostly seen in the W and N, highest number 50+. Two noteworthy observations: June 22 there were none at Kongshammaren, a known breeding loca-tion. On July 26, we saw our hitherto farthest north puffin, at 82°16’ N.

Northern Wheatear – This annual vagrant and possible breeder was registered with one adult male at Ossian Sars Fjellet June 18. Interestingly, it was aggressively chas-ing after an adult male Snow Bunting.

Snow Bunting – Seen and heard regularly in the right habitat. No unusual sightings.

Despite many years of going back to it, Svalbard has not ceased to awe, inspire and surprise.

NozoMojo LLC (https://www.nozomojo.com) runs trips in Svalbard every year, and to other destinations as well. If you are interested in a custom tour, in sub chartering your own departure, or in coming along as an individual guest, we will do our best to accommodate your wishes.

Best regards. Morten & Nozomi

This is the fourth SVALBARD SEASON REPORT from NozoMojo LLC (www.nozomojo.com). You may find this one, and the previous three, on our website (nozomojo.com/trip-reports/).

IN CONCLUSION

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