Birding Across the Border Where to Watch Birds in Varanger and the Murmansk Region

About this book

Language: English with lists of bird names in English and Russian

Visitors from many countries come to the Norwegian-Russian border area to experience the variety of landscapes: mountains, fjords, valleys, bird cliffs, virgin forests, salmon rivers and endless wilderness. Birders are attracted by the unique possibilities to encounter arctic and eastern bird species which otherwise rarely appear in Europe. All together more than 320 bird species are recorded in the area covered by Birding Across the Border.

Despite the similarities, each country has something different to offer. Norway has accessible routes and a well-developed infrastructure: bird towers and bird hides as well as local tour operators and qualified guides. The Russian locations are generally hard to access and they often lack infrastructure for visiting birders. However, the Russian wilderness is full of wild nature's charm and the pristine qualities you only find far away from civilization. Together both territories offer a complete diversity of birding possibilities suited for any taste.

For the first time, Birding Across the Border gives you all the information you need to do birdwatching on both sides of the border, 24 locations in Norway, and 25 in Russia. Information on species, timing, access and strategy, and nearby facilities is given, as well as facts for visitors. Bird lists with English and Russian names are given at the end of the book, as well as a literature list.

The environmental collaboration between Norway and Russia has been going on for more than 25 years. NIBIO Svanhovd played an important role in the establishment of the border crossing Pasvik State Nature Reserve and many other environmental projects in the border area. Birding Across the Border is another result of the fruitful collaboration between Norwegian and Russian experts.

Contents

Foreword   5
Birding – a popular outdoor activity   7
Facts for visitors   11
How to use this guide   13
The Varanger area   16
Map of the Varanger area   17
1. Øvre Pasvik   18
2. Skrøytnes   24
3. The Svanvik area   28
4. Elvenes - Storskog   32
5. Grense Jakobselv   36
6. Prestøya   40
7. Neiden, Munkefjorden and Mikkelsnes   44
8. Færdesmyra   48
9. Varangerbotn   52
10. Nesseby church   56
11. Vestre Jakobselv   60
12. Vadsø   64
13. Store Ekkerøy   68
14. Komagvær and Komagdalen Valley   72
15. Kiberg and Domen   76
16. Vardø   80
17. Hornøya   84
18. The Hamningberg Road   88
19. Syltefjord   94
20. Båtsfjord   98
21. Kongsfjord - Veidnes   102
22. Berlevåg   106
23. Kongsfjordfjellet and Båtsfjordfjellet   110
24. The Tana River Delta   114

The Murmansk Region   122
Map of the Murmansk Region   123
1. The Paz River valley   124
2. The surroundings of Lake Kieshjavr   128
3. Khibiny: Malaya Belaya River   132
4. Lupche Islands area   136
5. The Kanda River Valley   140
6. Kutsa Regional Nature Reserve   144
7. Guba Voroniya of Kandalaksha Gulf   148
8. The surroundings of Velikaya Salma   152
9. Luvenga Archipelago   156
10. The Kolvitsa River   160
11. Iolgi-Tundry Mountains   164
12. Poriy Les (Poriy Forest)   168
13. Mys Korabl’ (Cape Boat) area   172
14. The mouth of Pulonga River   176
The Ponoy Depression   180
15. Ponoy River: Chalmny-Varre   182
16. Ponoy River. Lake Makarovskoe route   186
17. Colony of Broad-billed Sandpiper   190
Hard to access areas along the Barents and White Sea shores of the Kola Peninsula   192
18. Sosnovka River area   196
19. Guba Ivanovskaya   200
20. Guba Dvorovaya   204
21. Teriberka Bay area   208
22. Gorodetsky bird colonies   212
23. GubaVaida and Cape Kekursky   216
24. Guba Malaya Volokovaya   220
25. Kola Bay   224

Birdlist   229
Some useful terms   238
Literature   239

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