Russia (Day 11) Pekhota

Well our flight was delayed at 09:00hrs and put back until 11:00hrs and then at 11:00hrs it was cancelled due to bad weather. I felt tired today, my eyes were puffy and my lips are sore and I just felt a bit run down. So this afternoon was spent going through equipment and storing it at a lock up in the village of Pekhota (photo above & 2 below) . It is hard to believe but 2 pairs of Temminks Stints were displaying on the pools of this run down / ruined area. Also today the first Red Necked Phalarope, 2 House Martin's of the eastern race form and plenty of Wood Sandpipers all in this area of of photos.

Photo below is of one the local "Chukchi" race Women. This lady is also waiting around trying to get a chopper to her home village. She is just so cute, her face tells a thousand stories and I wonder what she has seen through her eyes over the years of her life ? So lets see what happens tomorrow with the weather and the flights.

Russia (Day 10) Anadyr.

This morning was spent at the bank at the village of Pervomyka and getting no-where due to the ATM not working and the queues of people. We had to quit "Bank Duties" in order to make it back to the airport to see if our equipment would arrive. There was not much time for birds today but there were a few Glaucous (above) and Vega Gull's present in the airpoort grounds. Wood Sandpiper's could be heard singing & Red Throated Pipits were seen displaying on route to the bank.

Above shows Liza (Elizabeth) who is running all the logistical side of things for this expedition. Currently working for (Birds Russia) She does a great job and is constantly on the go, often being held back by Russian "red tape" she still manages to over come most obstacles. Today she was actually smiling when she laid her eyes on a expedition kit. Below shows both Martin (left) and Nigel double checking all the equipment / kit has arrived and intact.

So that is it for today. The kit is here and so now we are ready to go to our base camp. We are scheduled to fly out tomorrow morning via chopper but the weather is closing in around us and if the visibility does not meet the requirements of 1000 metres from the ground and that the mountain in the distance is not visibe then the flight will be cancelled. This low system coming in looks like it could last a few days. " Watch this space"