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 WHALES, BIRDS & WILDFLOWERS OF THE ST. LAWRENCE RIVER AND GRAND MANAN ISLAND The big whales are always exciting to see, and our tour to the St. Lawrence and Bay of Fundy will likely result in exceptional sightings of these fabulous mammals, maybe including Blue Whale. We spend three days on the rugged and beautiful North Shore, at the mouth of the St. Lawrence River where an up-welling of nutrient rich waters helps support an abundance of marine life and one of the most accessible concentrations of marine mammals in the world.
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into New Brunswick, for several marvellous days in this delightful province that combines
rich and diverse bird-life with beautiful panoramas of wildflowers, picturesque fishing
villages, photogenic scenery, and magical encounters with whales, all in a relaxing and
serene atmosphere. Grand Manan is quite simply a superb island; it is no wonder visitors
return year after year! In addition, we “walk” on the floor of the ocean at the
mouth of the Bay of Fundy, with it huge tides, witness the wildlife spectacle of huge
gatherings of sandpipers, refuelling before their over-water flight to South America, walk
fine trails amidst marvellous maritime flowers, visit whale and seabird research stations,
and travel through very picturesque scenery. Join us for an unforgettable tour of wildlife
and sightseeing in a special part of East Coast Canada. TOUR LEADER: Richard Knapton is an all-round Naturalist, with strengths that
range from birds and butterflies to flowers and fungi. He has been an avid birder and
naturalist since his teen years in England, and this deep interest led him to obtain
graduate degrees from UBC on Song Sparrows and from the University of Manitoba on
Clay-coloured Sparrows. A field researcher for over 25 years, he has carried out studies
on such diverse subjects as meadowlarks and merlins, dragonflies and arctic butterflies,
frogs and salamanders, mussels and clams, and orchids and cacti. He is currently a member
of the Alberta Bird Records Committee and has been involved in several conservation
issues, including the Henslow;s Sparrow Recovery Plan, the Committee on the Status of the
Endangered Wildlife in Canada, and the important Birds Areas program. DEPARTURES: August 23 – September 1, 2003 TOUR COST From Quebec City
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| ITINERARY AUGUST 23 ARRIVE QUEBEC CITY Arrive and if time permits, look around the walled old city. Night Quebec City. AUGUST 24 QUEBEC CITY - GRANDES BERGERONNES (L,D) Morning departure to Tadoussac along the north shore of the St. Lawrence via scenic Charlevois. Pass scenic Montmorency Falls, stop at the whale museum in Tadoussac. Lunch and arrive in the traditional Québecois town of Grandes Bergeronnes, where we check into the Auberge for 2 nights. Our exciting program provides a unique opportunity to experience the rugged and beautiful scenes of the St. Lawrence during whale study outings. Whales gather where the Saguenay River joins the St. Lawrence River at sites where under water channels create an up welling of nutrient rich waters. From mid-June to mid-October the St. Lawrence River estuary is the summer feeding grounds for blue, finback, minke, humpback, beluga and sperm whales plus harbour porpoise, white-beaked and white-sided dolphins, three species of seals and many species of shorebirds. We schedule an afternoon outing on the St. Lawrence by boat to witness this spectacular gathering of whales. AUGUST 25 WHALES ON THE ST. LAWRENCE (B,L,D) Today we continue experiencing the whales of the St. Lawrence. We spend the morning observing whales and wildlife from shore. We picnic lunch at Cap Bon Désir, a point where whales can often be seen quite close to shore. After lunch we visit an area museum and ecological centre and in the late afternoon we have a scheduled whale excursion by zodiac (inflatable boats) to the whale feeding grounds of the lower St. Lawrence estuary. AUGUST 26 GRANDES BERGERONNES – MONCTON (B,L) We leave Quebec by crossing the St. Lawrence River to Riviere-du-loup, and travel into New Brunswick. We follow the Trans-Canada to Moncton, stopping several times at the many sites of interest en route. Night in Moncton. AUGUST 27 BAY OF FUNDY SHORELINE (B,L) This morning we visit the remarkable Hoewell Rocks, where we “walk on the floor of the ocean”, such are the immensity of the tides at the start of the Bay of Fundy. We then visit Mary’s Point and Shepody National Wildlife Area, where there is the wildlife spectacle seabirds and raptors. In the afternoon , we have a pleasant leisurely drive through Fundy National Park, where we hike a trail or two, observing birds and other wildlife, but also paying particular attention to the interesting flora of the park, including the many insectivorous plants. Night either in Saint John or the evening ferry ride to Grand Manan Island and night on Grand Manan. AUGUST 28 – 30 TO GRAND MANAN ISLAND (B,L,D) We spend three marvellous days on this delightful island. We walk in the boreal forest and along shorelines to learn about forest and inter-tidal ecology, admire marvellous maritime flowers, experience superb sunsets, visit whale and seabird research stations, and take a boat excursion to view the endangered Northern Right Whale, and see lots of great pelagic birds such as shearwaters, petrels, phalaropes and jaegers AUGUST 31 RETURN TO QUEBEC CITY (B,L,D) Reluctantly we leave Grand Manan, then head back on the scenic drive to Quebec City. If time permits, we will visit the exquisite town of St. Andrews and its surroundings. Night in Quebec City. SEPTEMBER 1 DEPARTURE FROM QUEBEC CITY Departure.
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