Tadoussac is a largely undiscovered jewel in North American birding. It is one of the best places to view visible migration in the world, often involving flights of thousands of birds – finches, shorebirds, seaducks and raptors. Its northern setting makes it an excellent place to view movements of boreal finches and northern raptors, as well as seaducks such as Black, Surf and White-winged Scoters, Long-tailed Ducks and Common Eiders, gulls such as Glaucous, Iceland and Black-legged Kittiwake as well as Northern Gannets on the mighty St. Lawrence River. The St. Lawrence also hosts a resident population of Beluga whales, the southernmost in the world – which are easily visible just by walking down to the river from our hotel!
Top Birds
Northern Goshawk; Golden Eagle; Rough-legged Hawk; Bohemian Waxwing; Pine Grosbeak; Common Redpoll; Two-barred & Red Crossbills; Black-backed & American Three-toed Woodpeckers; Iceland Gull; Northern Gannet; Barrow’s Goldeneye; Spruce & Ruffed Grouse; Evening Grosbeak; Boreal Chickadee; Black, Surf & White-winged Scoters; Northern Saw-whet & Boreal Owls (rare, may be seen while banding) and large numbers of birds visibly migrating.
Top Mammals
Beluga & Minke Whales; Harbour Seal & Harp Seals; American Black Bear; American Marten.
Habitats Covered
boreal forest, park land, marshes, meadows, river, dunes
Expected Climate
usually pleasant, daily highs of 10°C (50°F) but below freezing at night with the possibility of snow and rain.
Max Group Size
7 with 1 Rockjumper leader
Tour Pace & Walking
relaxed, days are getting shorter at this time of year. Each day at Tadoussac begins at the hotel with breakfast followed by a short drive to a nearby birding location (weather dependent). We usually start at the Tadoussac dunes to watch the morning flight and then move onwards to either a seawatching or boreal forest site.
Accommodation
good
Ease of Birding
mostly very easy
Other Attractions
opportunities abound for exploring the beautiful little coastal town of Tadoussac, admiring the scenery of the beautiful Saguenay Fjord or watching the playful Beluga Whales at the mouth of the Saguenay river – only a short walk from the hotel!
Photographic Opportunities
good to excellent
Client Testimonials
Booking, registration, organisation of the tour were all very professional, well done Rockjumper. The highlights of the tour were the magnificent observations of the Hawk Owl and the Great grey owl, one great grey could even be observed when it was hunting. For my taste we spent too much time in the cars but I admit that this is largely due to the nature of this tour. Lev and Amanda were very good guides, both having a vast knowledge of the visited habitats and animals. I very much appreciated the very competent explanations and answers to my questions.
Birds aren’t exactly easy to find in Manitoba in the dead of winter, but Lev and Amanda had a great supply of “secret spots” and showed us birds I never would have seen on my own. Their knowledge of the ecology and wildlife of the region is encyclopedic, and their enthusiasm is infectious. This was a challenging trip, with temperatures between 0ºF and -25ºF (-15ºC and -30ºC) the entire week, but the two of them made the trip fun! Seeing my first Snowy Owl is something I will never forget.
The leaders, Lev Frid & George Armistead, were fantastic. We had snow and heavy winds on a few afternoons, and they drove like champions. They tried so hard to get us on birds. The Boreal Forest is tough birding that time of year. Of the 36 species seen, 11 were life birds. Quality vs. quantity on this trip! There were 10 participants on the trip.
Excellent tour for seeing birds of the boreal forest. Lev and Amanda were excellent in helping us get great views of the warblers. Accommodation was excellent. the choice of venues was well balanced so that it was easy to stay focused and alert for birding.
The leaders, Lev Frid & George Armistead, were fantastic. We had snow and heavy winds on a few afternoons, and they drove like champions. They tried so hard to get us on birds. The Boreal Forest is tough birding that time of year. Of the 36 species seen, 11 were life birds. Quality vs. quantity on this trip! There were 10 participants on the trip.