Hello everyone, I have a message from Nick to share, if you are interested in birding in the Bay of Fundy, whether you are a beginner or an avid birder, you are going to want to check this out. There are 2 presentations, a full day field trip visiting birding sites on the St. Andrews Peninsula and a morning pelagic birding trip aboard the Quoddy Link. All dates and info are listed below. You are not going to want to miss this!
Hello! Although from what I have heard it doesn’t seem much like spring yet but the good weather is just around the corner and with it a new and exciting birding season. I wanted to notify of a couple events that people might be interested in. Firstly, I will be doing another pelagic and coastal bird trip aboard the Quoddy Link on the 26th of May. This is the earliest pelagic trip we have done yet and a great chance to spot resident and migrant seabirds. Last years trip was a big success, with the highlight being a Sabine’s gull. This species was also spotted in May. This time of year is a pretty big unknown in the Bay of Fundy as there are no other pelagic trips that go out; you never know what interesting species could turn up! If you want to see images and information from the 2012 season visit the Quoddy Link bird blog - www.quoddylinkbirds.blogspot.com.
The cost for this trip is $50 and it will depart from the St. Andrews wharf early on the morning of Sunday, May 26th, returning around noon. If you are interested in joining this trip please send me an e-mail and I will put your name on the list. To see information about the vessel visit the Quoddy Link Marine website at www.quoddylinkmarine.com. Please note that this is not a whale watch and no effort will be made to find whales, although they are often found feeding with the birds in which case we will consider ourselves as lucky as on last years trip!
Secondly, I will be teaching a bird watching and identification course through Sunbury Shores Nature and Art Center in St. Andrews in May, the itinerary is as follows;
Thursday, May 23 Time: 7:00pm
Friday, May 24 Time: 7:00pm (Presentation with Jim Wilson)
Meet in Sunbury Shores in the Gallery for an evening discussion
Saturday May 25 Time: 9:00am – 4:00pm
A full day field trip to sites on the St Andrews Peninsula
Sunday May 26 Time: 6:30am - 12:00pm
A half day field trip on board the Quoddy Link Marine – Pelagic Birds
Course Fee: Evening Sessions $10 each, Field Trips $50 each,
All four $100
This will be a general introduction to bird watching and identification aimed at the beginner and avid bird watcher alike. It will focus on migrant songbirds/marsh birds as well as pelagic seabirds. On May 24th, Jim Wilson will be giving a presentation about birding in New Brunswick and how the world of birding has changed over his many years of experience. This should be a very interesting talk and I am very much looking forward to it. The course includes the May 26th trip aboard the Quoddy Link and also field trips to local birding hot spots around St Andrews like the St. George Marsh. If you would like to sign up for this course please send an e-mail to info@sunburyshores.org
After spending the winter in Costa Rica I am looking forward to birding back home. We certainly have a special and diverse avifauna that is just as incredible as any neotropical location. If you are interested in seeing my photography work from Costa Rica you can visit my website at www.njhawkins.com. The songbirds have started to group up and move; they’re on the way! Hope to bird with you soon, if you have any questions or concerns please send me en e-mail
Cheers
-Nick
