Newfoundland: Winter Birds

Newfoundland may seem an unlikely winter birding locale but in fact it’s brilliant. With Greenland to the northeast, Iceland and the rest of Europe to the east, mainland North America to the west and South America to the south, Newfoundland is the first or last land that many wayward birds see. Regardless of season, there’s almost always something interesting about, and in winter such wanderers are merely the frosting on a delectable mix of alcids, gulls, and boreal forest birds.

The city of St. John’s, population 150,000, is at the eastern extremity of the province. It’s a charming place to spend a few days and serves well as a base from which to see the region’s birds.