Nature Moncton Field Trip. Northumberland Field Trip

NATURE MONCTON FIELD TRIP –NORTHUMBERLAND COAST OUTING: PORT ELGIN TO CAPE JOURIMAIN

Date:​ Saturday, November 12th (rain date: November 13th)

Time:​ 8:15 AM (or 9:00 AM) to late afternoon (or as long as folks want to stay)

Meeting Place:
a) Behind Burger King at Champlain Mall (8:15 AM)

​b) Shell gas station, Port Elgin (9:00 AM)

Guides: Roger Leblanc and Louise Nichols

When you think of great birding, whatcomes to mind first is the migrationperiods ofMay and September. But although those are times when birds are moving inbig numbers with such breathtaking phenomena as the return of warblers in spring and the passage of shorebirds in fall, did you know that statistically the best month for mega-rarities is actually November? But at any time, location, location, location is the magic word. And one of the best places to go looking around here in November is the most south-easterly part of the province along the Northumberland coast from Port Elgin to Cape Jourimain National Wildlife area. And so that is where Nature Moncton is proposing a full day outing. 

What to expect and where

At this time of year, variety will be lower than it would be in spring, but lots of species are on winter territory or still on the move,in particular water-loving birds like ducks and gulls that can be in huge numbers atspecific spots. For that reason, our first stop will be the Port Elgin water treatment lagoon where high numbers of sea ducks and Bonaparte’s Gulls could be present with whatever else might have followed them there. From there we will follow the coast, stopping at many well-known spots (and some maybe not so well known) on the shore but also inland. There we will look again for water birds but also upland species. We will continue our adventure with a stop at CapeTormentine where the village and the infrastructure of the closed down ferry terminal as well as the still active wharf have proven time and again to be attractive at that time of year to many interesting species. We will then finishour day with a stop at the Cape Jourimain National Wildlife Area where the many ponds and trails on the peninsula have also been magnets in the past for some very good birds in late fall. So all in all, we should be in for a good number of species and who knows what “rare one” might be present at some of those spots that have proven over the years to be very productivein November. 

Where to meet and when

Those in the Moncton area who wish to carpool to Port Elgin can meet Roger Leblanc at 8:15 AM behind the Burger King in the Champlain Mall parking lot.  Others can meet Louise Nichols at 9:00 AM in the parking lot of the Shell gas stationon Hwy 16 at the Port Elgin roundabout.

Bring a lunch.  All are welcome, Nature Moncton member or not.