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Overview The focus of this trip will be the thousands of shorebirds that stop to rest and feed in the Bay of Fundy while on the way south for winter. At low tide the birds spread out over miles of extensive mudflats, but at high tide they become concentrated in high numbers at a few locations, which makes it possible to see more than 50,000 gathered at one time! This is truly one of the most exciting bird spectacles North America. We’ll travel by van from New Hampshire, and stop along the Maine coast for a bit of birding and scenery along the way. Logistics
Tentative Itinerary – Subject to Change(Our exact schedule will depend upon the tides and weather.) Day 1: Meet in Concord at Park & Ride at 6:30 a.m. Drive to Schoodic Point (Acadia National Park) to take in the scenery and look for birds. Overnight in Machias or nearby. *Airport pickup can be arranged from the Manchester, NH airport if you are coming from out of the area, but you would probably want to arrive in town the day before and overnight in Concord. Day 2: Drive to Moncton. We’ll view the Petticodiac River from near the old downtown area, and visit several nearby good birding locations. Many land birds inhabit the woods in the area and there is a small lake that attracts many water-loving birds such as Osprey and Pied-billed Grebe. Shorebirds are often seen along the river and in the surrounding marshes. Overnight in Moncton area. Day 3: Drive north to Bouctouche. Here we will visit the beautiful white sand dunes of the 12km spit that stretches across Bouctouche Bay. Located on Northumberland Strait, this coastal habitat is home to nesting Piping Plovers and terns. It is also a stopover point for migrating shorebirds flying south for the winter. There is an interpretive center and a 2km boardwalk. Overnight Moncton area. Day 4: Drive to Sackville Waterfowl Park where many different waterfowl species can be found, such as Gadwall and American Wigeon, and rails are often visible from the boardwalk. We’ll also be looking for migrating shorebirds that use this is a stopover area. There are usually many Short-billed Dowitchers and yellowlegs, and sometimes Long-billed Dowitchers are seen. From here we’ll visit Johnson’s Mills at high tide to view the thousands of migrating shorebirds that stop here to feed and rest during their journey south. There are primarily four species present: Semipamated Sandpiper, White-rumped Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, and Semipalmated Plover. On past tours we have seen mixed flocks of up to 75,000 at once! Overnight Moncton area. Day 5: Drive to Mary’s Point to view the thousands of shorebirds at rest along the shore opposite from Johnson's Mills. There are often a number of raptors present, drawn by the large numbers of available prey, including Peregrine Falcon, Merlin, Northern Harrier, and Bald Eagle. On past tours we have seen mixed flocks of up to 150,000 at once! Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrows nest here. Overnight Fundy National Park. Day 6: Head south to Maine, and stop at the Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge where Bald Eagles nest and are often seen, and then meander back down the coast, checking for more birds and enjoying the in-season blueberries. Overnight in Machias or nearby. Day 7: We’ll bird and explore the Down East coastal area for several hours in the morning before heading back to New Hampshire.
All pictures and content Copyright © 2002 Mark Suomala. All rights reserved. Revised: January 02, 2007 . All prices quoted on this website are subject to change. Please request a written confirmation for all prices. This is to protect this site from unauthorized tampering. Mark Suomala
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