2025 New Brunswick – Grand Manan

After breakfast We’ll drive east for approximately two hours to Moosehorn NWR, just south of the Canadian border. At this beautiful refuge we may find American Bittern, Sora, Northern Goshawk, Spruce and Ruffed Grouse, Bay-breasted and Cape May Warblers, and Winter Wren. There are nesting Bald Eagles and Osprey, families of Ring-necked Ducks, and a reasonable chance for Black-backed Woodpecker. We will cross the border into Canada – – remember your passport. We then have a short  scenic drive to the ferry terminal at Blacks Harbour, New Brunswick.

During the 90-minute crossing we’ll look for pelagic species that may include Northern Gannet, Black Guillemot, Great Shearwater, Pomarine Jaeger, Red Phalarope, and Black-legged Kittiwake. We should also see Harbor Seal, Harbor Porpoise, and possibly a Humpback or Finback Whale.

The next four nights will be at the Shorecrest Lodge, a beautiful location.

Overnight: Grand Manan

Each day will be a new adventure as we explore the 100 square-mile main island and some of the smaller adjacent islands. Most songbirds are nocturnal migrants, so we will spend much of the day searching for overnight arrivals. The Whistle and Swallow Tail can be especially productive locations, particularly if a cold front and resultant northwest winds push migrants off the mainland.

Southwest Head is a great spot to watch for migrant raptors, waterfowl, seabirds, and a few shorebirds. One year we found a Dickcissel at Southwest Head and a very rare RUFF at Castalia Marsh, along with Red Knot, Whimbrel, American Golden-Plover, and Red-necked Phalarope. A BLACK SKIMMER made an unexpected appearance on a previous tour.

Backyard feeders can be quite active and yield species such as Baltimore Oriole, Rusty Blackbird, Indigo Bunting, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, and an unusual sparrow or two. Long Eddy near the lighthouse is an area of intense tidal current and can host a myriad of feeding seabirds and perhaps a Sabine’s Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, or Black-legged Kittiwake.

Two boat trips are planned: one to nearby White Head Island to look for Boreal Chickadee, Swainson’s Thrush, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, and Northern Goshawk; the other into deeper offshore waters in search of whales and additional pelagic birds.

Because we are staying at the same lodge each night and driving from there daily, we can easily drive you to the lodge at mid-day to pursue your own private agenda, such as a quiet stroll, a good book, or perhaps a nap.

We’ll be at the dock for an early morning ferry crossing back to Blacks Harbour. A few more pelagic species are likely. Our final destination is Bangor International Airport for your flight home. This will be the end of a wonderful birding and nature experience in Grand Manan and northern Maine.

OR . . . Our Grand Manan Tour may be combined with the 6-day tour to Monhegan Island, Maine, for a total of ELEVEN incredible days of North Atlantic Maritime birding. See the separate Monhegan itinerary for details.

Yes! We have birding planned if time allows and everything is on schedule.

**NOTE: Most participants choose to arrive in Bangor the day before the tour begins, and spend the night there. This eliminates almost any possible conflict with a delayed airline flight.

Check the weather for the destination as close to your departure date as possible, and dress accordingly for your comfort level. You can also review our What to Bring page for more information.

There are many items the will be useful to you while on a Bird Treks tour. We have put together our list of recommendations on the What to Bring page.

Our tours are all conducted in English, but we do have some experience working with client that don’t speak English well – Some English would be needed for safety reasons. In locations where another language is predominately spoken, a native guide may accompany the tour.

Yes, we will always try our best to help with anything at all! We’re here to serve you. However, it is usually easier if you book your flight through your own travel agent as we can’t always get the best deals from your particular country. But we will help whenever needed!

While Day 1 is usually a travel (arrival) day, and the last day of the tour is usually also a travel day (departure), many people do like to arrive early and/or leave late. We can indeed book extra nights before and after the trip, and we in fact recommend you let us book them, as it avoids confusion and allows us to book the accommodation that is most convenient for the tour.

NOTE: Most often it is the same hotel or lodge that you use on the first night of the tour, but in some instances, it could be an airport hotel or an accommodation establishment where the guide is staying.

No, we do not. We find that it is better for trip participants to purchase their own medical, trip cancellation, and baggage insurance through their own insurance provider in the country they reside in. We expect all tour participants to have comprehensive insurance, and we encourage everyone to send us a copy of their insurance documents.

For most tours, meals are included in the tour price. This may include a hotel-provided breakfast, or guide-provided box lunches. For dinners, we strive to find interesting and delicious local restaurants – this allows us to give back to the local economy, and find exciting new place to eat.

Most people will not get sick, although you should take precautions if you are prone to motion sickness, as the weather can dictate how rough the ride will be. There are various remedies sold at local pharmacies which can help relieve motion sickness and will make your trip more enjoyable.