I know, I know … you don’t need to remind me. It’s been a while since I updated this blog.
This summer was incredibly fun … and busy … and fun. Once again, I was privileged to share beautiful birds, nature, places and experiences with many visitors — from spectacular seabird colonies to quiet walks in the forest; from the rugged shores of Newfoundland to migration hot spots in the southernmost reaches of Ontario. Since the beginning of May I’ve led tours in three different provinces (Ontario, New Brunswick and Newfoundland), spent a week exploring our beautiful coast and isolated communities aboard an expedition cruise ship, and of course spent many days showing off the amazing birds, wildlife and scenery of my island home to dozens of BirdTheRock clients and guests. It’s a blessed life.
As the busy summer comes to an end, I’m looking forward to catching up on my photos, sharing the stories, reliving the memories, and planning for many more adventures. Stay tuned! For now, here are just a few of my favourite photos from Summer 2018:
In early June, I was invited to join the crew of the Hebridean Sky as it circumnavigated Newfoundland – visiting beautiful, quaint and often isolated communities along the way. June can still be a volatile time in the waters off northern Newfoundland – and this year was no exception. Arctic ice and rough weather toyed with our plans at every turn, but we didn’t let it stop our adventure! Here I’m standing on the arctic ice floe in the Strait of Belle Isle, with Labrador (and our ship) in the background.
There were so many amazing birding experiences, it’s hard to choose even a few top highlights … but a close encounter with this Short-eared Owl has to be one of them. This magnificent bird circled around us just a few miles north of Cape St. Mary’s Ecological Reserve. What a looker!
Speaking of Cape St. Mary’s — as always, this spectacular seabird reserve was a favourite with our guests. Words and photos cannot truly capture the awe that I experience every time I visit. If you’ve never been there (or even if you have!), be sure to join me sometime. Our Summer 2019 schedule will be available soon.
Nothing can prepare you for a visit to Newfoundland’s largest seabird colonies, and I never tire of seeing the look on my guests’ faces as they soak in the spectacle of Witless Bay Ecological Reserve. Hundreds of thousands of Atlantic Puffins, Common Murre, and many other seabirds swarm around us. The incredible numbers in the air and/or on the water is often just as amazing as the close-up views we enjoy while cruising past the islands.
Of course, Newfoundland birding is not “just” about the seabirds. Our boreal forests are home to a diversity of birds, and we spent lots of time enjoying them this summer. Some, like this Wilson’s Warbler, only grace us for a few short months and are already heading south for another winter – while many others stay year-round to keep us company in the colder (but equally exciting) months.
I was especially fortunate this year to co-lead an Eagle-Eye Tours trip in southern Ontario in early May. This tour is timed to coincide with peak songbird migration across the Great Lakes, and we visited migration hot spots such as Point Pelee, Rondeau and Long Point, as well as Algonquin Park. We encountered many migrants and a number of scarce/rare breeding birds in Canada — including several Prothonotary Warblers like this one. A very, very fun birding trip for everyone involved!
Stayed tuned for more photos and updates. In the meantime, follow along on Twitter, Facebook and/or Instagram for regular photos.
And … be sure to join me for an adventure real soon!
Bird⋅The⋅Rock 