Spectacular numbers of shorebirds... |
Seabirding opportunities... |
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We will visit the Johnson Mills Shorebird Centre located along the northern mouth of the Bay of Fundy. This location is a vital stopover location for shorebirds, mainly Semipalmated Sandpipers. In August, flocks can reach spectacular numbers reaching well into the tens of thousands.
 Semipalmated Sandpiper - Gavin McKinnon
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Seeing species that spend their lives at sea is always a treat, and on this tour, we will have some great opportunities to connect with these birds. We have a good opportunity to see flocks of Red Phalaropes, Great Shearwaters, both Leach's and Wilson's Storm-Petrels on our special pelagic trip into the Bay of Fundy.
Great Shearwater - Gavin McKinnon
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Tour Information
Dates: August 10-16, 2024
August is a great time to visit the east coast of Canada. We can expect to encounter shorebird flocks numbering well into the tens of thousands as well as a variety of migrant songbirds passing through the region. One of the many highlights of this tour will be a pelagic trip into the Bay of Fundy, in search of shearwaters, storm-petrels and skuas.
Cost: $3115/ person + HST (15%)/fees
The tour fee above its based on double occupancy and includes all ground transportation, accommodation in good-quality hotels, breakfast, lunch and professional guiding services.
Deposit & Cancellation Information: $600 CAD + HST
The deposit for this tour becomes non-refundable 150 days prior to the starting date of the tour. The remaining balance is due by May 1, 2024. For cancellations between 60-90 days prior to departure a 50% refund will be issued. If a cancellation is made 59 days or less prior to departure, no refund will be issued.
Group Size: 4-10 participants
If 8 or more participants register for the tour a second guide will be added. This small group size and high guide to participant ratio ensures that everyone will have an enjoyable experience on this tour.
Dates: August 10-16, 2024
August is a great time to visit the east coast of Canada. We can expect to encounter shorebird flocks numbering well into the tens of thousands as well as a variety of migrant songbirds passing through the region. One of the many highlights of this tour will be a pelagic trip into the Bay of Fundy, in search of shearwaters, storm-petrels and skuas.
Cost: $3115/ person + HST (15%)/fees
The tour fee above its based on double occupancy and includes all ground transportation, accommodation in good-quality hotels, breakfast, lunch and professional guiding services.
Deposit & Cancellation Information: $600 CAD + HST
The deposit for this tour becomes non-refundable 150 days prior to the starting date of the tour. The remaining balance is due by May 1, 2024. For cancellations between 60-90 days prior to departure a 50% refund will be issued. If a cancellation is made 59 days or less prior to departure, no refund will be issued.
Group Size: 4-10 participants
If 8 or more participants register for the tour a second guide will be added. This small group size and high guide to participant ratio ensures that everyone will have an enjoyable experience on this tour.
Itinerary
August 10: Our tour will begin this evening in Moncton, New Brunswick with dinner at a restaurant near our hotel. If you are arriving earlier in the day there may be some opportunities for birding in the afternoon.
August 11: This morning we will visit the Johnson Mills Shorebird Reserve, a critical feeding location for thousands of shorebirds along their southbound migration. It is not uncommon to see upwards of 50,000 migrant Semipalmated Sandpipers here at the right time of year. We will spend the majority of the morning here, scanning the mudflats observing the shorebirds as they probe into the mud to feed. We will also keep a keen eye out for other species such as White-rumped Sandpiper and Semipalmated Plover. In the afternoon we will visit Sackville Waterfowl park where we will explore the boardwalks looking for waterfowl as well as migrant songbirds. We will return to Moncton for the night.
August 12: We will depart Moncton this morning and travel south along the shores of the Bay of Fundy to the aptly named Fundy National Park. We will venture into the forest here in search of boreal specialties such as Boreal Chickadee, Canada Jay and Black-backed Woodpecker. We may also encounter some migrant songbirds such as Black-throated Green Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Black-throated Blue Warbler and Magnolia Warbler. We will spend some time along the spectacular coastline here which sees some of the most dramatic tides in Canada. In the late afternoon, we will continue on to Saint John where we will spend the night.
August 13: This morning we will catch an early ferry ride to Grand Manan island from Black’s Harbour. The ferry ride itself can be quite exciting for both birds and marine mammals. We will try to bird the duration of the hour-long journey and keep a lookout for both Great Shearwaters and Sooty Shearwaters and if we are lucky we may encounter a Manx Shearwater. Alcids such as Razorbills, Atlantic Puffins and Black Guillemots may be resting on the water. As we cross the channel we may also see marine mammals such as Humpback and Minke Whales. When we arrive on Grand Manan Island we will settle into our accommodation before spending the afternoon birding in the forests and along the rocky outcrops.
August 14-16: We will have two full days to explore Grand Manan, we will spend considerable time in the forest ecosystem of the island. We hope to see a great variety of migrant songbirds at eye level in the shrubbery as they refuel on the island. Species such as Blue-headed Vireo, American Redstart, Black-and-white Warbler, Northern Parula, Bay-breasted Warbler and Yellow-rumped Warblers often feature prominently here. Along the shoreline we will see more shorebirds, Common Eiders, and Great Black-backed Gulls towering over the more abundant Herring Gulls. If the conditions allow, we may also see some distant seabirds from the shore. On our last full day on the island, we will embark on a short mini-pelagic trip into offshore waters where we hope to see both Wilson’s Storm-Petrels and Leach’s Storm-Petrels, shearwaters, jaegers, and alcids. If we are lucky, we may also encounter a South Polar Skua! After we return from this amazing adventure into the Bay of Fundy we will catch a ferry to return to the mainland for the night.
August 16: We will depart from the tour in Saint John, New Brunswick today. Depending on the time of your departure flight, we may be able to spend the morning birding at a park near the airport.
August 11: This morning we will visit the Johnson Mills Shorebird Reserve, a critical feeding location for thousands of shorebirds along their southbound migration. It is not uncommon to see upwards of 50,000 migrant Semipalmated Sandpipers here at the right time of year. We will spend the majority of the morning here, scanning the mudflats observing the shorebirds as they probe into the mud to feed. We will also keep a keen eye out for other species such as White-rumped Sandpiper and Semipalmated Plover. In the afternoon we will visit Sackville Waterfowl park where we will explore the boardwalks looking for waterfowl as well as migrant songbirds. We will return to Moncton for the night.
August 12: We will depart Moncton this morning and travel south along the shores of the Bay of Fundy to the aptly named Fundy National Park. We will venture into the forest here in search of boreal specialties such as Boreal Chickadee, Canada Jay and Black-backed Woodpecker. We may also encounter some migrant songbirds such as Black-throated Green Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Black-throated Blue Warbler and Magnolia Warbler. We will spend some time along the spectacular coastline here which sees some of the most dramatic tides in Canada. In the late afternoon, we will continue on to Saint John where we will spend the night.
August 13: This morning we will catch an early ferry ride to Grand Manan island from Black’s Harbour. The ferry ride itself can be quite exciting for both birds and marine mammals. We will try to bird the duration of the hour-long journey and keep a lookout for both Great Shearwaters and Sooty Shearwaters and if we are lucky we may encounter a Manx Shearwater. Alcids such as Razorbills, Atlantic Puffins and Black Guillemots may be resting on the water. As we cross the channel we may also see marine mammals such as Humpback and Minke Whales. When we arrive on Grand Manan Island we will settle into our accommodation before spending the afternoon birding in the forests and along the rocky outcrops.
August 14-16: We will have two full days to explore Grand Manan, we will spend considerable time in the forest ecosystem of the island. We hope to see a great variety of migrant songbirds at eye level in the shrubbery as they refuel on the island. Species such as Blue-headed Vireo, American Redstart, Black-and-white Warbler, Northern Parula, Bay-breasted Warbler and Yellow-rumped Warblers often feature prominently here. Along the shoreline we will see more shorebirds, Common Eiders, and Great Black-backed Gulls towering over the more abundant Herring Gulls. If the conditions allow, we may also see some distant seabirds from the shore. On our last full day on the island, we will embark on a short mini-pelagic trip into offshore waters where we hope to see both Wilson’s Storm-Petrels and Leach’s Storm-Petrels, shearwaters, jaegers, and alcids. If we are lucky, we may also encounter a South Polar Skua! After we return from this amazing adventure into the Bay of Fundy we will catch a ferry to return to the mainland for the night.
August 16: We will depart from the tour in Saint John, New Brunswick today. Depending on the time of your departure flight, we may be able to spend the morning birding at a park near the airport.