Newfoundland and Nova Scotia offer a wonderful summer getaway with some of the best birding in eastern Canada. Spectacular scenery ranging from high cliffs and sandy beaches to windswept barrens and rich deciduous forest forms the backdrop for our exciting trip. In Newfoundland, we'll focus our attention on the multitudes of seabirds, some 300,000 nesting pairs of Atlantic Puffins and more than 400,000 other alcids including both murres, Razorbill, and Black Guillemot! It's a blur of constant motion, the sight of thousands of birds whirling around their few select nest islands like ungainly bees swarming a hive.
A ferry crossing will take us from Argentia to North Sydney, Nova Scotia; it can be one of the most productive in eastern North America, so we'll keep a sharp lookout for Manx, Great, and Sooty shearwaters, Pomarine and Parasitic jaegers, Leach's and Wilson's storm-petrels, as well as a number of whales and possibly even a South Polar Skua.
On Cape Breton Island, known for its sweeping coastal vistas and great birding, we'll look for such specialties as Spruce Grouse, Boreal Chickadee, and White-winged Crossbill, as well as an excellent selection of warblers and other landbirds. Join us this summer for some truly enjoyable birding combined with dramatic landscapes and hard-to-resist seafood.
Select the KEY INFO tab or click here for our itinerary plus space requests, status, fees, limits, and guides for any departure.
ITINERARIES • TOUR STATUS • DETAILS • SPACE REQUESTS
ITINERARIES • We issue a separate itinerary for each year, typically at least 9 months before that year's first departure. Most itineraries don't vary much year to year, but there may be small or rarely more substantive changes. A sample previous-year itinerary is usually available even if the one for your chosen departure is not. We do not require any deposit for provisional bookings until the itinerary for the departure is ready.
DEPARTURES • We have 2 departures currently scheduled through 2027, with details including limits, guides, fees, and space available listed below.
2025
Jun 29 - Jul 9, 2025 Guided by: Jay VanderGaast & Alex Sundvall Tour Manager: Caroline Lewis Tour Limit: 14 Status: Provisionally full; waitlist available - This tour is provisionally full. However, we are awaiting deposits from some of those booked, so space may open up. Click below to be waitlisted for this tour with no obligation; if you are waitlisted, we will also notify you in case of an added departure of this tour. Tour Fee: $6175 Deposit: $625 REQUEST WAITLIST OR MORE INFO
2027
Jun 27 - Jul 7, 2027 Guide: TBA Tour Manager: TBA Tour Limit: 14 Status: Open - Space is still available on this tour, and we are accepting provisional bookings. No deposit is required until you receive the itinerary. Click below to book space. Tour Fee: Fee TBD / 2025=$6175 REQUEST SPACE OR MORE INFO
ABOUT OUR TRIPLISTS • After every tour we issue an annotated triplist of the birds recorded on the trip, illustrated with wonderful images (and sometimes video clips) from the tour's participants and guides.
Enjoy looking through the 3 most recent Field Guides triplists for this tour linked below!