Only a five-hour drive from Cornwall, Ontario this area produced several enjoyable bird sightings, plus superb marine mammal and interesting flora. We left Toronto August 6, returned August 11, overnighting in Quebec City and Tadoussac.
One of the most enjoyable and certainly most inexpensive ($14.00 foot passage return for three hours at sea!) pelagics I have been on was the re-established Les Escoumins-Trois Pistoles ferry (LHeritage). Hence, this note. On August 9 between 1:30 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. we observed ~100 adult and immature Razorbills (in 2s and 3s) (they nest only 300 kms. from Ontario), 1 adult Pomerine Jaeger, hundreds of Black-legged Kittiwakes and equal numbers of Bonapartes Gulls. One Great Blue Heron flew on board at Trois Pistoles, stood amongst the parked vehicles for the crossing and flew off at Les Escoumins! We also noted Harbour Porpoise (12), horse-headed Grey Seal (25), basketball-headed Harbour Seal (1only in Trois Pistoles harbour), Beluga (12frolicking near Les Escouminsthe best site to see them in Canada?) and Blue Whale (1identified by its enormous size, colour and tiny dorsal). Sea watching from Cap de Bon Desir, east of Tadoussac, was frustrating because of low fog, almost a St. Lawrence River constant. At various times we did note a group of 3 Common Murres (only time seen), Northern Gannet (2), White-winged Scoter (100). Here and elsewhere close inshore we saw Black Guillemots (20ranging from pure breeding to winter plumage) and rafts of female-plumaged Common Eider (160). A two-hour whale-watching zodiac excursion from Tadoussac, remarkable mainly for the choppy seas, provided only fleeting views of Minke Whales (seen much better at the mouth of the Saguenay River) and Northern Gannet (2) En route, we stopped at the scenic lookout east of Baie Saint Paul (1/2 way between Quebec and Tadoussac). The superb view was enhanced above by parent Peregrine Falcons pursued by a screaming juvenal and below by a flock of Greater Snow Geese grazing in the salt marsh meadow. George Bryant [EMAIL PROTECTED] "George Bryant" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Visit http://www.ofo.ca/ontbirdsguide.htm for information on leaving and joining the list. As well as general information and content guidelines.
