South Coast Barrens

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Cape Ray and vicinity

For 2021, this tour is a self-drive guided tour (your guide will be in a separate car).

Tour Dates:

2021 tour dates are flexible and can be booked for any date between May 25 and June 20; and September 21 to December 20.

2022 scheduled tour dates are listed in the Tour Fact Sheet below, advance booking is required.

This one-day guided birding tour explores rich habitat inside an Important Bird Area (IBA) on the western edge of the South Coast Barrens. We’ll explore an aging forest at a Provincial Park, rare salt marshes and an extensive beach system in search of spring arrivals and a variety of fall migrants.

Tour Starts / Ends	Stephenville, NL
Departure time	6:30 AM
Return time	6:00 PM
2022 Tour Includes	Pick-up & drop-off service Transportation during the tour A packed lunch
What you might see on this tour	Situated on the western edge of the South Coast Barrens is the Grand Bay West Important Bird Area. With ideal habitat well positioned along a migratory pathway for a number of species, the area supports one of the largest variety of fall shorebirds in the province. Within the boundaries of the IBA is J.T. Cheeseman Provincial Park, home to a number of songbirds like Boreal Chickadee, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Northern Parula, and Palm Warbler. Wilson’s Snipe, Gray Catbird and Rose-breasted Grosbeak are other birds we look for. Rare salt marshes managed for conservation under a Municipal Habitat Stewardship Agreement attract birds like Blue-winged Teal, Northern Pintail, American Bittern, Short-eared Owl, Red-winged Blackbird, and Savannah Sparrow. Dune-swept beaches provide nesting habitat for the endangered Piping Plover and together with a sandy Barachois form most of a sensitive beach system spanning 8 km of coastline. Later in the fall season, we’ll look for Harlequin Duck, Scoter, Dovekie, and scope a rocky coastline in search of Purple Sandpiper.

South Coast Barrens – Tour Fact Sheet
Seasons Offered	Spring, Summer
Tour Dates	2021 Flexible: Book for any day between May 25 and June 20; and September 21 to December 20 2022 Scheduled Tours: June 19 September 23 October 9 October 16 November 6 November 13
When to visit	June is best for songbirds Throughout the fall for migrating shorebirds. October, November for sea ducks, Dovekie, Purple Sandpiper.
Birds we may see	Blue-winged Teal, American Black Duck, Northern Pintail, Harlequin Duck, Piping Plover, Whimbrel, Ruddy Turnstone, Red Knot, Purple Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper, Wilson’s Snipe, Dovekie, American Bittern, Short-eared Owl, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Boreal Chickadee, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Gray Catbird, Savannah Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Northern Parula, Blackpoll Warbler, Palm Warbler, Red-breasted Grosbeak, flycatchers, vireos, swallows, thrushes
Other possible sightings	Moose, Woodland Caribou, Coyote, Red Fox, Seal, Snowshoe Hare, Pink Lady Slipper, Purple Pitcher Plan (NL provincial flower)
Bird-viewing habitats	Boreal forest, sandy beaches, coastal wetlands, salt marshes, rocky peninsulas, Cape Ray Barrens
Climate / Weather (average temperatures)	Spring (mid-May to June 20): 15°C (61°F) Fall (September 21 to December 20) 11°C (59°F) Visit our Getting Here page for more information about our climate.
Maximum group size	4 to 8 (plus your guide)
Tour pace & walking	Comfortable pace, walking is easy to moderate over mostly flat terrain.
Ease of birding	Mostly easy, with some rare sighting opportunities
Rare visitors to the area	Yellow-headed Blackbird (2010) Prothonotary Warbler (2005)
Photographic opportunities	Excellent for birds and scenery
Not included 2021	Pick up and drop off service and transportation during the tour. For 2021, this tour is a self-drive guided tour (your guide will be in a separate car). Contact us for assistance.
What to bring	Visit our Getting Here page for information on what to bring.
Cellular reception	Yes, with patches of dead zones in some areas.
Additional remarks	The Dorset Indigenous people were part of a pre-historic Palaeo-Eskimo culture that occupied Cape Ray between 1800 and 1200 years ago. Cape Ray is believed to be the most southern site occupied by Dorset people. Artifacts excavated at Cape Ray during the summer of 1996 revealed a tool technology that linked them to sea mammal hunting. Visitors may view the artifacts at the Lightkeeper’s House from July 1 to September 1 and can learn about their way of life and time at Cape Ray.

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