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birding...
New Brunswick
New Brunswick, although one of Canada`s smallest provinces (73,000 square kilometres); is remarkably diverse. From the contrasting coastlines of the Bay of Fundy and the Gulf of St. Lawrence, it rises to 820m Mount Carleton in the northern highlands. The human population is concentrated near the sea and the major rivers that drain the picturesque rolling landscape. More than 400 species have been found in the province. (See my website for a full list) Most visiting birders come to this province for marine species, including pelagics off Grand Manan, and inshore seabirds and shorebirds at many points along the coast. Island seabird colonies are most numerous in the western Bay of Fundy, with a few in Miramichi Bay and Baie des Chaleurs. Salt-water lagoons and sandy beaches are found mainly along the eastern coast, whereas the Fundy shore is more rugged and rocky with very large tides that expose an extensive tidal zone. Salt marshes (Nelson`s Sharp-tailed Sparrow is the characteristic nesting bird) are found mainly near river mouths, especially at the head of the Bay of Fundy and along the eastern coast. New Brunswick is 90 per cent forestland. In most areas the forest is a mixture of coniferous and deciduous trees but conifers dominate in the cooler climates of the northern uplands and along the Fundy coast, and deciduous woods are found on many well-drained hilltops and slopes and along river flood plains. A good variety of warblers and other birds nest in these forests. Species of boreal distribution, mainly in the highland areas, are of particular interest to birders from warmer climates. There are numerous lakes and rivers. Freshwater marshes occur mainly along the lower Saint John Valley and in lowlands near the coast. Man-made impounded marshes attract a wide variety of water birds. Open bogs, most common along the north-eastern coast, are less diverse. Towns, villages and farmlands contribute to the variety of bird species that may be seen. The best time to visit is from late May to mid-July for breeding species, and the last week in July to mid-September for shorebird migration. From mid April through May offers the best of spring migration, late August to mid-October is best for autumn movements. In winter the best birding is generally for ducks and seabirds in the outer Bay of Fundy but some years incursions of northern finches or birds of prey may be of interest in other areas. Most of the northern and eastern coast is frozen by early January. |
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Grand Manan Island
Grand Manan Island is the main birding destination in New Brunswick. Of special interest there are seabirds (Common Eider, Black Guillemot, Double-crested Cormorant, gulls) that nest on several smaller surrounding islands and islets, and the Arctic Tern, Atlantic Puffin, Razorbill and Common Murre found only on Machias Seal Island or the Murr Ledges. From mid-summer through fall thousands of pelagic birds (shearwaters, storm-petrels, Northern Gannet, Black-legged Kittiwake, jaegers, phalaropes, alcids) gather to feed in the rich turbulent waters offshore. Some of these may be seen from the ferry that serves the island from Blacks Harbour on the New Brunswick mainland but better opportunities likely can be had from a seabird or whale-watching boat tour. For details of Grand Manan Island see: http://www.grandmanannb.com/ Grand Manan itself has a nice variety of breeding songbirds, and during migration it can offer both abundance and diversity of migrating land birds. It is well known for frequent occurrence of rare vagrants during migration. Closer to the mainland, the waters around Campobello and Deer Islands in Passamaquoddy Bay also offer a variety of seabirds year round. During late summer and fall, gulls gather in abundance to feed in the strong currents of the passages between these islands.Jemseg Wetlands
Inland, the wetlands of the Jemseg area, east of Fredericton, the provincial capital, are well known for the ducks and geese that pause there during high water levels in spring. Many ducks and rails nest in the area but are mostly retiring and difficult to see.Miscou Island
Low-lying Miscou Island, and the shores of the Acadian Peninsula, the northeastern tip of New Brunswick, offer extensive beach, bog and estuary habitat good for gulls, terns, and shorebirds, including breeding Piping Plovers. Noteworthy concentrations of songbirds occur during fall migration.New Brunswick Parks
New Brunswick`s three main parks, Fundy National Park, Kouchibouguac National Park, and Mount Carleton Provincial Park, each have excellent trail systems that give great opportunities to observe the breeding birds of forest habitats. Remote Mount Carleton (50km NE of Plaster Rock) has the strongest representation of boreal species. Bicknell`s Thrush is a specialty in that area. Besides forest and bogs, Kouchibouguac has a coastal system of estuaries, sand beaches and dunes that have breeding Common Tern, Osprey and Piping Plover and autumn migrant shorebirds. Fundy is also on the coast, not far from the late summer concentrations of small shorebirds at Marys Point and the impounded marshes of Shepody National Wildlife Area.Restigouche Estuary
The Restigouche estuary upriver from Dalhousie is an important staging ground for tens of thousands of Black Scoters during their migration in late April and the first half of May. Open water near a power plant just east of Dalhousie attracts a few hundred over-wintering Barrow`s Goldeneyes.Sackville
The town of Sackville, is situated adjacent the open fields, pastures and wetlands of the Tantramar Marsh. The boardwalks and trails of the town`s Waterfowl Park and Tantramar Wetlands Centre offer excellent viewing of ducks and other marsh birds. Sackville is a short drive from the shorebird concentrations of the Dorchester Cape - Johnsons Mills area on Shepody Bay.contributor |
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David Christie
(Albert County, New Brunswick, Canada)
MarysPt@nbnet.nb.ca
http://www3.nbnet.nb.ca/maryspt/index.html
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Provincial Bird - Black-capped Chickadee Parus atricapillus
useful reading |
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The North American Bird Guide
David Sibley.Hardcover (21 September, 2000) PICA PRESSISBN: 1873403984
Buy this book from NHBS.com
useful information |
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Birdlines etc.
Taped telephone alerts are the Moncton Naturalists Club Nature Information Line (506-384-6397); and the French language La Ligne Buse (506-532-2873); both located in the southeastern corner of the province. Internet circulation of information is via the NatureNB mailing list (below).
New Brunswick Bird Clubs
The provincial organization of bird watchers is the New Brunswick Federation of Naturalists Federation des naturalistes du Nouveau-Brunswick which represents a number of local clubs.
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Association des Naturalistes de la Baie de Bouctouche
Notre club veut promouvoir l'appréciation de la nature dans le comté de Kent et dans le sud-est du Nouveau-Brunswick au Canada...
Club de Naturalistes de la Péninsule Acadienne
http://www.cnpa.ca/Fondé le 1er octobre 1986, le Club de naturalistes de la Péninsule acadienne (CNPA) est un organisme sans but lucratif qui regroupe une centaine de membres habitant entre Neguac et Pokeshaw, en passant par l'île Miscou. Les objectifs du Club sont: l'étude et l'appréciation de la nature, la communication entre les naturalistes et la promotion des mesures de conservation du milieu naturel auprès de la population. Le CNPA est affilié à la Fédération des naturalistes du Nouveau-Brunswick...
Kennebecasis Naturalist Society
http://www.macbe.com/kns/index.htmlThe society, which was started over 20 years ago, holds regular field trips, in various parts of southern New Brunswick, to encourage members and friends to view and experience the wonders of nature...
Nature Trust of New Brunswick
http://www.naturetrust.nb.ca/The Nature Trust of New Brunswick (Inc.1987) is a charitable land trust dedicated to preserving nature for the benefit of present and future generations of New Brunswick citizens.
New Brunswick Birds Records Committee - Comité des mentions d`oiseaux du Nouveau-Brunswick
http://personal.nbnet.nb.ca/maryspt/BRC/NBBRC.htmlThe New Brunswick Bird Records Committee was formed to ensure that adequate information is preserved about unusual occurrences of birds in New Brunswick, to provide a process for formal acceptance of bird species to the provincial list, and generally to advance knowledge of birds in New Brunswick. The committee consists of five voting members, who are experienced birders, and a representative of the New Brunswick Museum, the repository for the bird documentation.
New Brunswick Federation of Naturalists
http://www3.nbnet.nb.ca/maryspt/NBFN.htmlThe federation is a non-profit organization formed in 1972 to encourage better understanding of nature and the environment, and to focus concern for the natural heritage of New Brunswick.
Restigouche Naturalists Club
Restigouche Naturalists Club, c/o Mike Lushington, 214 Rosebery Street, Campbellton, NB E3N 2H5
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Fundy Bird Observatory
http://www.gmwsrs.org/main.htmThe GMWSRS fully agreed with the principals of the Grand Manan Bird Observatory (GMBO) and had been acting in an administrative function until it was decided to dissolve the GMBO and create the Fundy Bird Observatory (FBO) as a project of the GMWSRS. The FBO, if successful, will become another link in the long term monitoring of bird populations. A fund raising effort began in the winter of 1999 to interest enough people in supporting the costs of a spring and fall migration monitoring program. With the generous support of donors both seasons were achieved and a newsletter has been published.
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Campobello Island
http://www.fdr.net/Campobello Island is another good birding spot in the Quoddy Region. The Roosevelt-Campobello International Park contains most of the same nesting warblers as Quoddy Head State Park with higher numbers of Cape May, Mourning, Palm, Bay-breasted, and Tennessee Warblers plus Northern Waterthrush. Boreal Chickadee, Gray Jay, and Black-backed Woodpecker nest here. The park road which passes behind the Campobello Island Information Center has most of the boreal nesting species in fairly high densities. A Bicknells Thrush responded to playbacks along the road to Fox Farm in 1993.
Cape Jourimain Nature Centre
http://www.capejourimain.ca/Welcome to the Cape Jourimain Nature Centre. The Centre is located in a 675 hectare National Wildlife Area, and has been developed in cooperation with the Canadian Wildlife Service. Cape Jourimain was designated a National Wildlife Area to conserve important wildlife habitat.
Fundy National Park
http://www.out-there.com/fundy.htmList of trails etc...
Fundy National Park
http://www.fundyweb.com/fundy/Let us take you on a tour of the Fundy shores of southwestern New Brunswick...
Grand Manan Whale & Seabird Research Station
http://www.gmwsrs.org/main.htmGrand Manan is a paradise for bird-watchers. Puffins and Arctic terns, marsh-dwelling cranes and heron, magnificent eagles and peregrine falcons -- the island boasts hundreds of species. The outer island of greatest importance to bird-watchers is Machias Seal Island, 19 kilometres (12mi.) off Southern Head. This lonely outcropping is a nesting ground for a variety of marine birds. Arctic terns, Leachs petrels and common puffins spend the nesting season here before heading out to sea where they spend the remainder of the year. The Machias Seal Island sanctuary is carefully supervised by both Americans and Canadians. During July, boats from Seal Cove, Grand Manan, will take bird-watchers for a memorable visit.
Irving Nature Park
http://www.new-brunswick.net/Saint_John/inp/Welcome to the Irving Nature Park located in Saint John, New Brunswick along the Bay of Fundy coastline. Some of the park's natural charms are its long sandy beaches and well-groomed woodlands, great for back packing and hiking. Over 20 kilometers of nature trails clearly marked for ease of access. Here you can enjoy bird watching, from a vast variety like: Cormorants, the Black-Capped Chickadee (New Brunswick's provincial bird), Tree Swallows, Loons, Great Blue Herons, Sandpipers, Geese, Black Ducks and many more. Over 250 species have been recorded in this area alone...
Kouchibouguac National Park
http://www.out-there.com/kouchi.htmKouchibouguac National Park lies in the New Brunswick lowlands, part of the physiographic region classified as the Maritime Plain. Sloping gently to the coast, the land is generally flat, relived by some small knolls separating river basins and short, steep river basins and short, steep river banks in spots...
Mary's Point Serabird Reserve
http://personal.nbnet.nb.ca/maryspt/MPSR/Although only a small part of Shepody National Wildlife Area, Mary's Point is unique for several reasons. Situated on the upper Bay of Fundy, it lies on the migratory route of many species of birds. But why does this location have one of the biggest concentrations of shorebirds on the North American coast?
Mary's Point Shorebirds Preserve
http://www.deborahcarr.ca/fundycoast/maryspt.htmAlthough only a small part of Shepody National Wildlife Area, Marys Point is unique for several reasons. Situated on the upper Bay of Fundy, it lies on the migratory route of many species of birds. But why does this location have one of the biggest concentrations of shorebirds on the North American coast?
New Brunswick Nature Trust - List of Reserves
http://www.naturetrust.nb.ca/en/nature_preservesAnnotated list...
Provincial Parks & Natural Places
http://www.nbparks.ca/Each of New Brunswick’s beautiful provincial parks offers unique experiences, from the highest peak in the Maritimes to warm saltwater swimming and fascinating “discovery beaches”. What they do have in common is breathtaking scenery, cultural and recreational activities galore, and camping second-to-none...
Sackville Waterfowl Park
http://www.sackville.com/visit/waterfowl/Discover a wetland world beneath your feet...
Shepody Bay
http://www.ns.ec.gc.ca/wildlife/ramsar/shepody.htmlThe bay is important for the large numbers of shorebirds using the site. Along with Mary`s Point, the Shepody Bay site hosts the largest numbers of Semipalmated Sandpiper Calidris pusilla with maximum numbers at roosting sites occasionally exceeding 400,000 birds...
Tabusintac Lagoon
http://www.ns.ec.gc.ca/wildlife/ramsar/lagoon.htmlBay is protected from the Gulf of St. Lawrence by the Tabusintac Beach barrier beach and dune system, a 15km long system comprised of shoals, beaches, islands and dunes...
trip reports |
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Travelling Birder
http://www.travellingbirder.com
The Travellingbirder.com birding trip report search engine guides you to 7,000+ birding trip reports on the Internet. You can search for trip reports from a specific country and time of year. Not all these reports are in English. So, if you can’t find the trip report you want on this Fatbirder page… give them a try!
2000 [August] - Paul Blakeburn
http://www3.ns.sympatico.ca/maybank/Canada/PQ-07-2000.htmSUMMARY - Visiting a wholly new area for us, we had a lot of fun and found our target birds - plus a bonus, but didn`t see the great numbers of shorebirds we had looked forward to.
2000 [May] - Roger and Louise Mcgovern
http://www3.ns.sympatico.ca/maybank/Canada/PQ-05-2000.htm#NBNew Brunswick - Campobello Island, the Ludlow area, & Baie de Chaleur - The next section of the trip was to head to Ludlow, New Brunswick to stay with Louise`s old Montreal boss who had recently retired and built a house right on the banks of the Mirimichi River, arguably the best Atlantic salmon river on the east coast. En route, we stayed two nights on Campobello Island, which is in Canada but accessed by bridge from Lubec on the coast of Maine.
2002 [March] - Roger Leblanc - Grand Manan Island
http://maybank.tripod.com/Canada/NB-03-2002.htm...Here is a bit of info from the great Lady of Fundy, Grand Manan. Hope it will be a little of a preview of spring for you ... as it is for me. I came in on the 3:30 boat and will be here till Sunday. During the next days I will try to keep you up on what's flying around here. Today in just under 2 hours I saw the species listed below...
2003 [September] - Neil Arnold - Grand Manan
http://www.naturalist.co.uk/reports2003/manan.php...This was a peach of a trip. We were very fortunate to be gifted with weather conditions which allowed us to enjoy a passage of migrant raptors, a fall of songbirds, a myriad of fascinating insects, swathes of colourful flowers and exceptional whale-watching. My personal favourites were the whales. We were able to identify twenty-eight whales of four species and a host of Harbour Porpoises...
2004 [August] - Neil Arnold - Grand Manan
http://www.naturalist.co.uk/reports2004/manan.php...Before breakfast a short drive brought us to Daly Creek Marsh where we set about identifying a number of wetland species. Wildfowl included Canada Goose, Blue-winged Teal, Black Duck, Wood Duck and American Wigeon. We were also delighted to see a perched Bald Eagle, Four Northern Harriers, a Merlin and several Ravens in the area. Two immature Bobolink then appeared briefly at the edge of the marsh. As we drove back to the inn we came across a large female Merlin harrying a number of American Crows that seen took refuge in the lower branches of a spruce...
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Birding Pal
http://www.birdingpal.org/newb.htmLocal birders willing to show visiting birders around their area...
Eagle-eye Tours
http://www.eagle-eye.com/Locations/NewBrunswick.htmlThis tour combines diverse bird life with beautiful panoramas of wildflowers, picturesque fishing villages and fabulous views of whales, including the endangered Northern Right Whale. We visit Grand Manan when fall migration peaks for several groups of birds, and we could see well over 25 species of warblers, including Prairie Warbler...
Island Coast Boat Tours
http://www.angelfire.com/biz/icbt/pelagic.htmlWe incorporate pelagic birding into our tours, whether they be Whale Watching or Coastal Sightseeing excursions. Passengers are given the opportunity to view such species as eider ducks, wilson & storm petrels, greater & sooty shearwaters, razorbills, arctic terns, gannets and the colorful atlantic puffin to name a few...
New Brunswick Bird Watching and Birding Adventures
http://www.canada-adventures-guide.com/NewBrunswick/birdwatching.htmlList of those offering wildlife viewing...
Sea Watch Tours
http://www.angelfire.com/biz/seawatch/puffins.htmlMachais Seal Island is located in the lower Bay of Fundy, approximately ten miles west of Grand Manan Island. The island is barely a mile long at low tide, and a few hundred feet wide. A lighthouse is located there and in the non-nesting season the only occupants on the island are the two lighthouse keepers. The lighthouse has been maintained by the Canadian Coast Guard for over 100 years...
Wings
http://wingsbirds.com/tours/view/117A Week on Grand Manan Island: Birds and Whales...
places to stay |
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Owen House - B&B
http://www.owenhouse.ca/The Owen House is a large historic colonial inn on a headland overlooking Passamaquoddy Bay. The old house still has much of its origional construction and furniture, and quilts and fireplaces which add warmth and charm. We are famous for our breakfasts and beautiful location.
Smoker Brook Lodge
http://www.smokerbrook.com/A secluded tranquil setting, comfortable rooms and good food await your arrival. Whether hiking, wildlife watching, canoeing the river or just relaxing with a good book is what you need, Smoker Brook Lodge will help restore your spirits.
mailing lists |
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NatureNB
http://personal.nbnet.nb.ca/maryspt/NNB.htmlTo subscribe to list:LISTSERV@LISTSERV.UNB.CA
SUBSCRIBE NATURENB your name
Mailing List – Discussion Group - The NatureNB mailing list serves people interested in the animal and plant life and natural features of New Brunswick. Subscribing gives you the opportunity to exchange ideas, share field trip information and observations, announce upcoming field trips or meetings, and ask questions about nature and what others are doing to enjoy and protect it. Postings are welcome in either English or in French.
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David Christie's Home Page
http://www3.nbnet.nb.ca/maryspt/index.htmlWelcome to my home page! I live in New Brunswick, Canada, at Marys Point, a place known for the numbers of sandpipers that congregate here during southward migration in late summer. Its located near the head of the Bay of Fundy, 20 km NE of Fundy National Park.
Grand Manan Birds
http://www.grandmanannb.com/birdlist.htmThere are 391 New Brunswick bird species currently accepted by the New Brunswick Bird Records Committee...
New Brunswick Birding
http://www.birder.com/birding/gbg/new_brunswick.htmlUndeveloped site.
New Brunswick Birds
http://personal.nbnet.nb.ca/maryspt/BRC/NBBirds.htmlNew Brunswick bird species (391) currently accepted by the New Brunswick Bird Records Committee (NBBRC); giving English name (American Ornithologists Union = AOU); French name (Commission internationale des noms français des oiseaux); scientific name (AOU); and status code (NBBRC). The taxonomic sequence follows the AOU, 1998.
Sandpipers of Fundy
http://www.ns.ec.gc.ca/wildlife/sandpiper/index.htmlThe shores of the Bay of Fundy serve as a vital feeding ground to many species of migrating shorebirds. Notably, between 75 to 95 per cent of the world population of Semipalmated Sandpipers depend on the Fundys mud flats for their survival, explains a new brochure published by Environment Canadas Canadian Wildlife Service.
artists |
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Artist - Lars Larsen
http://www.studioonthemarsh.com/Lars Larsen, wildlife artist (painter) at Studio on the Marsh
Artist - Steven Smith - Birds of Crocker Hill
http://www.crockerhill.com/Lured by a botanical banquet, birds pause for their portraits in the lush riverside gardens that surround Gail and Steve Smith`s Crocker Hill Studios in New Brunswick, Canada. Ruby-throated hummingbirds whir in the bee balm, and, as the mists lift off the St. Croix River in the morning, you might see a family of bald eagles soaring in search of breakfast. Bit by bit, the birds influenced both our planting and my painting, says Steve.
Photographer - Gilles Daigle
http://www.photocanadadigital.com/Specializing in commercial stock images, we also offer a complete range of other services, including custom photo shoots and aerial photography.
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