Natural History of the South Eastern Avalon

Introduction

Newfoundland is a special place, a land of great scenic beauty and friendly people, a place that is hard to forget. In the late 1970s and early 1980s we lived in St. John’s and I was a regular visitor to the Southern Shore, especially in December, for the Cape Race Christmas Bird Counts. After moving away in the mid 1980s, in 2000 we decided to return, and in 2002 we bought a house in Trepassey, where we live from early summer to autumn.

We have come to love this area of the southeast Avalon Peninsula, a region of outstanding natural and cultural heritage, often overlooked by tourists and even by residents of Newfoundland and Labrador. This guide is intended to help visitors and residents appreciate and explore this remarkable area of deep harbours, rocky cliffs and barrens, one of the finest untamed natural history sites in Canada.

Geology, Ecology, Soils and Climate

Geology

The Avalon Peninsula is part of the ancient micro-continent of Avalonia. The Avalon now forms the easternmost part of the island of Newfoundland. Over millennia the Peninsula has been subject to volcanic activity and in more recent times numerous periods of glaciation.

The southeast Avalon is bordered in the north and northeast by a range of ancient granite hills, which form the southern and eastern boundaries of the remote Avalon Wilderness Area. (The Wilderness Area is accessible only by permit and is not included in this guide.) The granite hills rise from sea level to their highest point of 286 metres (931 feet) at the Butterpot, a flat-topped hill which you can see directly west of Renews. In the west this region is defined by a drowned fjord known as Holyrood Pond that extends 25 kilometres (16 miles) north from the village of St Vincent’s. Holyrood Pond also roughly defines the western boundary of the Avalon Wilderness Area.

The hills are the headwaters for the area’s main drainage systems: Renews River, Chance Cove River, Portugal Cove South Brook, Biscay Bay River, Northeast and Northwest Brooks in Trepassey, Peter’s River, and Holyrood River which flows into Holyrood Pond.

These river systems terminate in the fine sheltered harbours at Renews and Trepassey and large barachois (interior ponds and meadows separated from ocean beaches) at Chance Cove, Portugal Cove South, Biscay Bay and St. Vincent’s. Where barachois exist there are no safe moorings. It is not surprising that the harbours at Renews and Trepassey have always been the main areas of human settlement in a remote area totally dependent for centuries on the fishery and transport by sea.

Ecology

The southeast Avalon is composed of two distinct ecozones: the Avalon Forest Ecozone, a boreal forest found in upland areas and in the larger river valleys, part of the Avalon forest; and the largely treeless Eastern Hyperoceanic Barrens Ecozone.

The Avalon Forest Ecozone

The Avalon Forest Ecozone is a boreal forest extending south and east from the range of hills in the north and northeast through rolling upland areas and river valleys to the coast. The forest is most easily accessible from Route 10 in the Renews and Cappahayden areas, along the road into Chance Cove Provincial Park, and from Route 10 in the Trepassey Harbour area. More details on local vegetation are provided below.

The Eastern Hyperoceanic Barrens Ecozone

The Eastern Hyperoceanic Barrens Ecozone (for more detailed analysis, see http://www.flr.gov.nl.ca/natural_areas/pdf/island_7_eastern_hyper_oceanic_barrens.pdf ) is an area of rolling heaths and bogs dotted with small shallow rocky lakes and bog ponds and singularly devoid of tall trees. It is often seen as harsh and empty, but if you are partial to moors and open country, it is an extraordinary landscape. Veteran travellers have likened the landscape to northern Scotland.

Leaving the Avalon forest just south of Cappahayden and travelling all the way to Portugal Cove South (PCS) the country along Route 10 opens up and you can see into the far distance (as long as there is no fog!). From PCS the barrens can be accessed to the east along a 21-km partially paved road, which ends at Cape Race. To the west of PCS, barrens dominate along Route 10 all the way to St. Vincent’s.

A photograph of the west Trepassey barrens with caribou is presented below. It was taken by Clifford Doran, resident of Trepassey and lightkeeper at Cape Race. We are much indebted to Clifford who has graciously given us permission to use his photos. As noted elsewhere in our Guide caribou have been in serious decline in recent years.

The barrens are broken by major forested areas in the sheltered valleys of the Biscay Bay River and Northwest Brook in Trepassey. These extend northwards to the Wilderness Area.

The barrens are by far the dominant landscape feature in the southeast Avalon. In upland areas near the coast harsh climatic conditions do not permit trees to grow. In low-lying sheltered areas drainage systems support dense ground-hugging Balsam Fir and occasionally Black Spruce known locally as tuckamore (warning: don’t try walking through the leg-grabbing tuckamore; much easier to stick to the trails!). Areas of poor drainage in low-lying areas are dominated by small ponds surrounding peat bogs. In upland areas small bogs without ponds (blanket bogs) are dominant. In wider flatter areas where the substrate is at or near the surface, there are larger ponds or small lakes. Given the overall poor drainage on the barrens, perhaps it is not surprising that bog ponds and small lakes are estimated to cover about 25% of the eco-region.

The most important work on the geology, biography and ecology of the Avalon can be found in: G. R. South’s Biogeography and Ecology of the Island of Newfoundland (1983). This book is out of print and generally hard to access. Portions can be read here: https://books.google.ca/books?id=hcPViAwSt0cC&pg=PA183&lpg=PA183&dq=The+Avalon+Forest+Newfoundland&source=bl&ots=fBvmSAHQ2C&sig=iV44QSDM-vNeA7I7UHV-EA2Fjr8&hl=en

Soils

In the southeast Avalon there are two basic soil types: podzols in upland areas and peat associated with bogs. Podzols are infertile arctic soils found in forested areas where coniferous trees abound and on upland areas of the barrens. Peat is the product of decaying vegetative matter that over millennia forms the surface layer of bogs. Generally both soil types are acidic and support vegetation more suitable for grazing than growing crops.

Agriculture Canada has carried out soil surveys of the Avalon. Detailed information on podzols from a site in the Avalon Forest (Peter’s River) and from two sites on the barrens (near Trepassey and Biscay Bay) can be found at: http://sis.agr.gc.ca/cansis/publications/surveys/nf/nf3/nf3_report.pdf

Climate

The southeast Avalon is surprisingly temperate. It’s cool in the summer and not too cold in the winter. The mean annual temperature is 5.5C (42F) with mean highs of 11C (52F) in July and -1C (30F) in February. Our south coast area has a mean temperature 5C warmer than St. John’s. The area is one of the warmest areas in winter in Atlantic Canada. It does, however, rain a bit, measuring annually between 1200 mm (47 in.) and 1500mm (59 in.), similar to Vancouver.

Source: http://www.heritage.nf.ca/articles/environment/images/newfoundland-labrador-frost-free-days.gif

The climate is strongly influenced by the proximity of the Atlantic Ocean. Our area is dominated by the confluence of the cold Labrador Current that flows down the east coast and the warm Gulf Stream waters flowing up from the southwest. The mixing of the currents produces fog especially in spring and summer when prevailing winds are from the south and southwest. In early summer visitors driving south from Cappahayden will often experience fog as they approach the barrens. An anomaly is the relative absence of fog in Trepassey Harbour. Trepassey’s unique long harbour with its surrounding forested hills and relatively shallow warm waters likely account for the absence of fog.

VEGETATION

Avalon Forest Ecozone

One thing many visitors notice, is that the trees are not too tall. The climate and soil conditions in the southeast Avalon limit both variety and growth of tree species. The forested areas are dominated by coniferous trees typical of the boreal forest such as White and Black Spruce, Larch (Tamarack) and Balsam Fir that rarely exceed 12 metres (40 ft) in height.

In the 1960s Sitka Spruce test plots were planted by the Newfoundland Forestry Service on at least four sites on the high lands behind Shoal Point at the north end of Trepassey harbour. These taller exotic groves can be seen dominating the skyline as one drives along Route 10 east of the town water tower.

Deciduous trees such as Yellow and White Birch, and Mountain Ash grow in more sheltered locations in the boreal forest and sometimes extensively in areas regenerating after firewood cutting such as along Bear Cove Point Road, Renews and along the Northwest Brook Trail in Trepassey.

Along road edges through forested areas and along watercourses Speckled Alders are dominant. These alders are a magnet for migrant passerines, particularly vireos and warblers. One of the most noticeable native shrubs is Wild Raisin, a species of Viburnum, whose dark raisin-shaped fruits hang on the trees until late in the winter.

Along the roads and lanes grow wild roses, some native, others European, but all sweet-scented. Trepassey was once called “River of Roses” by the Basques.

Eastern Hyperoceanic Barrens Ecozone

On the low-lying areas in the barrens are pockets of stunted White Spruce and occasionally Balsam Fir called tuckamore (botanists call this Krummholz). Some of these tiny trees may be a hundred or more years old. Beneath them grow moss and small plants, creating a miniature forest. Tuckamore is one of the hazards of walking over the barrens. The ground may look solid, but the smooth surface is deceptive. Moss, lichens, ferns and other low vegetation cover deep holes in the underlying rock, and wading through close-packed tuckamore is an impossibility. Stick to the sheep and caribou trails.

Daisies, yellow hawkweeds, yarrows, and clovers line the verges of the highways, but the barrens harbour a variety of unusual and unique plants that strike the eye of a visitor.

Rarely is a country so blessed with edible berries. Come August, it would be hard to go hungry lost in the barrens.

You can read more about the local vegetation at Interesting Plants of the Southeast Avalon.

A wealth of information on the natural history of Newfoundland, including vegetation, can be found on the website of John Maunder who for many years was Curator of Natural History of the Newfoundland Museum in St. John’s. John’s site can be found at:

http://digitalnaturalhistory.com/linkshome.htm .

Another interesting source can be found in Wildflower 9 (1) 1993 which features a special issue on Newfoundland Wildflowers. This issue is unfortunately not on-line and is out-of-print.

For additional information on the climate, vegetation and wildlife of our area the work of Paul Ryan on behalf of the East Coast Trail Association is also recommended. Ryan’s paper provides significant detail on the natural history of the Avalon, much of it applicable to the southeast Avalon (http://www.ucs.mun.ca/~patrickr/TrailTales/ ) .

Settlement of the Southeast Avalon

Old World meets New

Just over a decade after Columbus “discovered” the New world, Europeans began to visit the southeast Avalon. From about 1505, over one hundred years prior to Champlain’s founding of Quebec in 1608, fishermen arriving in caravels from France, Spain and Portugal occupied Renews and Trepassey from early spring to late fall. They came for the rich stocks of Atlantic Cod on the Grand Banks first reported by John Cabot in 1497. These seasonal residents pursued the salt-cod fishery, which came to dominate the commerce of the southern Avalon and Newfoundland and Labrador for over four centuries before the era of refrigeration.

Renews and Trepassey are blessed with the finest harbours in the southeast Avalon. Their proximity to the Grand Banks and relatively flat foreshores provided ideal sites for the laying out, salting, and drying of cod on wooden platforms called “flakes”.

There are almost no records of their interactions with the Indigenous population, the Beothuk, who lived primarily inland, but the Beothuk evidently observed the strangers’ comings and goings, and salvaging iron nails, fish hooks and other items left behind by the fishers. By the 19^th century, European settlers engaged with the Mi'kmaq, Algonkians who settled along the south coast of the island.

While some fishermen may have overwintered in the 16^th century, their usual practice was to store smaller boats and fishing equipment onshore and sail back to Europe in late fall with their cargo. The first attempts at permanent settlement in the area are attributed to the Welshman Sir William Vaughan.

After a failed settlement at Aquaforte, Vaughan moved his colony to Renews in 1619 and in the early 1620s to Trepassey. His vision was to provide better economic opportunities for poor Welsh sheep farmers who he hoped would graze sheep on the barrens and engage in the salt-cod trade. The Renews settlement appears to have been poorly organized and failed. By the 1630s the Trepassey settlement also failed, but the reasons are not entirely evident from the meagre historical record. Both were permanently settled later in the 17^th century.

Renews and Trepassey are steeped in history. Renews was visited by Jacques Cartier in 1535 and in 1620 by the Mayflower before its final landing at Plymouth Rock. Samuel de Champlain visited Trepassey in 1620 on one of his many trans-Atlantic crossings.

For more information on these settlements see: A History of Trepassey and A History of Renews

Other settlements in the southeast Avalon were founded much later. Cappahayden and Chance Cove were settled by residents from Renews, and on the southern shore, Long Beach, Portugal Cove South, Biscay Bay and St. Shott’s, by residents from Trepassey. The St. Vincent’s area was seasonally occupied by Basques in the 16^th century but permanent settlement did not take place until the late 18^th century, probably due to lack of a suitable harbour in Holyrood Bay.

Human Impacts on the Landscape

Despite such a long history of settlement, human impacts on the natural landscape have been surprisingly minimal. The Indigenous people used the resources of land and sea, but left few structures. Europeans initially cleared land near harbour landings of spruce and fir to provide flakes on which to dry salted cod. Vaughan’s settlers built houses, maintained cottage gardens and created meadows for their livestock, primarily horses for tillage and hauling firewood, and for grazing sheep, horses and cows. It is possible that some areas of the hyper-oceanic barrens were once covered with trees. If human disturbance was a factor in their removal it was probably through deliberate use of fire.

In older communities such as Renews and Trepassey one can still see rock fences used to delineate boundaries and to contain farm animals. It is highly likely that cows and horses and in particular sheep, grazed on grasses on upland portions of the barrens. It is also likely that the Newfoundland Wolf (now extinct – see https://www.therooms.ca/the-newfoundland-wolf-0), which fed primarily on caribou, was a predator to be reckoned with. The sheep themselves created well defined tracks along the coast that can still be followed today. The Newfoundland Local Sheep, while not a recognized breed, are a distinct landrace, and are seen all along the coast, particularly in Trepassey and St. Vincent’s. Coyotes have replaced the wolf as the local wild predator.

From the 17^th century on, traditional local practice was to fish in the spring, summer and fall and in winter cut spruce and fir for firewood and to replenish flakes. Residents supplemented their fish diet with meat from sheep and cows, and also hunted Woodland Caribou, Snowshoe Hare, Willow Ptarmigan and Ruffed Grouse. In the summer residents hunted seabirds and collected their eggs from the main local colonies at The Rookery on the Cape Race Road and at Cape Pine.

After the fishing season local seabirds leave the area to be replaced by huge numbers of wintering Common Eiders, which would have provided key winter food. There is a plaque next to the coast just west of Cape Pine dedicated to three lost bird-hunters. Life has never easy for people living in this area. The harsh conditions and isolation have forged a long history of genuine sharing in times of need. Urban visitors experience a kind and welcoming people grounded in a sense of place so often difficult to find in the big city.

Outstanding Features of Southeast Avalon Natural History

The Southeast Avalon has an unparalleled natural history, with distinctive geology, flora and fauna.

We are blessed with having among us an outstanding wildlife photographer, Trepassey resident and Cape Race lightkeeper, Clifford Doran. Unless otherwise indicated, all the photos that accompany this section were graciously provided by Clifford.

The Mistaken Point Fossils – A World Heritage Treasure

In 2016 the fossils at Mistaken Point, accessed from the Cape Race Road, were declared a World Heritage Site. The following excerpt from a Newfoundland government website explains their significance:

Imprinted upon over 100 of the bedding planes within Mistaken Point's tilted and cleaved sequence of mudstones and sandstones are fossils of the oldest, large, complex life-forms found anywhere on Earth. Known to scientists as the Ediacara biota, these creatures lived from 580 to 541 million years ago, when all life was in the sea.

The oldest and most spectacular assemblage of these fossils - the Mistaken Point assemblage (580 to 560 million years old) - is preserved in Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve. The Reserve is the best place in the world where you can view a 565-million-year-old sea floor that accurately preserves the ecology of these ancient deep sea communities.

The organisms whose fossils now form the Mistaken Point assemblage lived on the bottom of a deep ocean, considerably below the depths that waves or light could reach. At the time, what is now the Avalon Peninsula of Newfoundland was located between latitudes 40° - 65° South. More than 30 species (20 of which occur within the Reserve) comprise the Mistaken Point assemblage, most of them representatives of extinct groups unknown in our modern world.

Normally, when marine animals die, only bones, shells, and other hard parts are preserved as fossils. The soft-bodied creatures at Mistaken Point lived millions of years before animals developed skeletons, but the imprints of their soft tissues were preserved in place on the muddy sea floor when they were suddenly buried by repeated influxes of volcanic ash-rich sediment. The volcanic ash layers contain crystals of the mineral zircon, which enable geologists to accurately date them. Ediacaran fossils also occur in Russia, Australia, China and Namibia, but the age, abundance and variety of those found at Mistaken Point make the site unique.

Access to the fossil site is by guided tour only. For more information: http://www.flr.gov.nl.ca/natural_areas/wer/r_mpe

Marine Mammals

No need for a boat! The Southeast Avalon offers excellent viewing of whales and seals from coastal vantage points.

Humpback and Minke whales come inshore from spring through early fall to feed on cod, Capelin and Sand Lance. Most summers, small pods of migrating Fin Whales also pass along the coast, identified at distance by their distinctive tall and narrow ‘blows’. Occasionally single Fins, the second largest of all the whales, can be found feeding inshore with Humpbacks and Minkes. You can look for whales from many vantage points. Good observation spots include: the interpretive site at Bear Cove along Highway 10; headlands and high points along the Cape Race Road, especially near the old fog horn station next to lighthouse at the Cape itself; Cape Pine lighthouse; St. Shotts foghorn station; and of course at the great pebble beach at St. Vincent’s, where the whales swim so close to shore that you can hear them and smell them as well as see them. (The particularly geography of the coast, which drops away rapidly to deep water, means the whales swim and feed within metres of the beach.)

From late fall through spring whales are scarce. It is speculated that the Humpback whales sighted at this season are young males not old enough to migrate back to Caribbean to breed.

Gray Seals are mostly absent from the Avalon but we are fortunate to have a colony of 20 to 30 animals best seen swimming in the waters of the bay at Chance Cove Provincial Park (with binoculars) or hauled out on the rocky island offshore. The rocky islands are best seen (with a telescope) from the Chance Cove Coastal Trail. Gray Seals have also been occasionally found basking on rocks around Cape Race or in coastal waters along the south coast as far as The Drook.

Harbour Seals pop up everywhere. You often see the head of a lone seal rising above the waters of the bay and staring right back at you. Like the Gray Seal they also haul out to bask on rocks along our coasts. The best place to look for Harbour Seals is on the north side of Renews harbour where you can often see up to 20 hauled out on the rocks at low tide.

White-sided and White-beaked Dolphins are found in offshore waters. You can look for them from vantage points throughout the area but they rarely venture inshore.

Other marine mammals are seen less frequently. Long-finned Pilot Whales are very occasionally observed close to shore. They feed almost exclusively on squid, which is much more prevalent further north in the protected waters of Conception Bay.

Northern Right Whales have been expanding their summer range from their traditional grounds at the mouth of the Bay of Fundy. In recent years have been found in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and along the south coast of Newfoundland. A few years ago an outlier was recorded off Cape Race.

Roving pods of Orcas (Killer Whales) have been spotted off Cape Pine, Cape Race and off the Lower Coast in Trepassey Harbour. Unlike those on Canada’s west coast, Orcas are not a year-around resident of the Avalon, but they have been seen in summer more often in recent years.

For more information see our Marine Mammal Checklist

Land Mammals

Woodland Caribou and Moose are the iconic land mammals of the area. Look for caribou in the daytime on the open barrens between Trepassey and Peter’s River. In the late 20^th century the Peter’s River Herd numbered up to 5,000 animals. In early settlement days the population was likely much larger. Since the turn of the 21^st century caribou numbers have plummeted due to a variety of causes, from brain worm and over-hunting, to coyote predation on young animals. Recent studies also indicate that the large Avalon moose population may have attracted more predators. The populations of all caribou herds in eastern Canada are in decline for various reasons, including habitat loss and human encroachment.

Moose were introduced to Newfoundland in the late 19^th century from the mainland, and flourished. The southern shore population is now very large. Since moose are usually active at night and sedentary during the day, they are rarely seen, but caution - night driving is not recommended! The roads are dark, and the moose darker, and often you can’t see them until your headlights illuminate their long legs, straddling the road.

The best places for finding moose are in the pre-dawn or at dusk on the fringes of Renews, Cappahayden, Portugal Cove South, Biscay Bay and Trepassey. The volume of moose in the Trepassey area is so extensive that Trepassey might easily lay claim as the moose capital of Newfoundland. A few years ago an early morning walk in west Trepassey produced a total of 27 animals!

You can see a remarkable video of a “herd” of moose taken by Clifford Doran a few years ago. It can be found on his Facebook Page: “Clifford Doran Trepassey”.

Below is a male moose in broad daylight in the front yard of a house near Daniel’s Point, Trepassey. Below that, more typically, roaming moose out for a late night or early morning stroll.

You might see an Ermine or a Mink run across the road, and hear a Red Squirrel in the wooded areas. Foxes, which come with coats of red, black and silver, are not uncommon though rarely seen. Coyotes first arrived on the island across the ice from Labrador around 1985. In recent years they have spread into our area taking a toll on young caribou and Snowshoe Hares. The hare population is also in decline from local hunting and trapping.

Very plentiful are the tiny Meadow Voles. If you sit quietly on a coastal hilltop you might just see a movement in the heath as the voles scurry into holes. Voles are the prime food of Northern Harriers, Short-eared Owls and Coyotes.

Even tinier Masked Shrews are particularly common and often seen scurrying across roads, and sometimes across the floor of an old house. The House Mouse is quite uncommon here.

For more information see our Land Mammal Checklist.

The Birds!

While whales, seals, caribou and moose are significant wildlife attractions in the Southeast Avalon, the bird life is arguably the best in Atlantic Canada, and indeed some of the finest in Canada and North America. This outstanding birding is one of the area’s best-kept secrets.

Where to watch the Birds

Records show that the Renews area, which includes the community of Renews, Bear Cove Point Road, nearby Bear Cove and Cappahayden, provides the best birding in the Southeast Avalon. But other areas that offer top-notch birding are the Cape Race Road, the Trepassey area, St Shotts and St Vincent’s.

The distance from Renews to St. Vincent’s via Portugal Cove South and Trepassey on Route 10 is about 85 kms (55 miles). As the crow flies, the distance is considerably less. With no stops for wildlife viewing, or admiring the scenery (impossible!), you can probably drive the road in a little over one hour, but who wants to rush?

The Cape Race Road from Portugal Cove South is more than worth a side trip. The road is paved as far as Freshwater Cove, and from there to the Cape, newly upgraded. You can now drove to the Cape in about 25 minutes.

For a complete list of birding sites see Key Birding Sites

The Bird Checklist

This local area Checklist is based on records in “nf.birds” (https://groups.google.com/d/forum/nf.birds).

Since its inception in 1998 this birders’ listserv has provided the key source for sharing sightings and for birds recorded in Newfoundland and Labrador and in our area. While the Checklist compiled by the author is not complete, it does provide enough detail on the variety of birds found in the area, and when and where they were recorded, to give visitors interested in birds an excellent guide for birding the area in all seasons. For details see Southeast Avalon Bird Checklist Renews to St Vincents

By any standard the 329 species recorded is an impressive bird list for our tiny area of the Avalon Peninsula. The total number of species for the province of Newfoundland and Labrador in the 2018 Avibase is given as 423. Comparable Avibase figures for nearby provinces are: Nova Scotia, 485; New Brunswick, 427; and Prince Edward Island, 363. Point Pelee National Park, arguably Canada’s best known migrant trap and birding site, lists a 2018 Avibase species total of 400.

Atlantic Canada’s most well known birding site, the tiny migrant trap, Brier Island, in the Bay of Fundy in northwest Nova Scotia, has an Avibase total of 353. Inevitably the land connection and proximity of Nova Scotia and Brier Island to the rest of North America landmass adds greatly to its birding richness vis-a-vis Newfoundland and Labrador. More than three decades of continuous banding on the island, and its many visiting birders, also accounts for Brier Island’s more extensive bird list.

Birders from St. John’s, who regularly visit our area on many weekends throughout the year, and submit their observations to “nf.birds”, have made major contributions to the record. (These include Ken Knowles, John Wells and particularly Bruce Mactavish, as well as bird-magnet Dave Brown and his partner Jen Harding, Alvan Buckley, Todd Boland, Anne Hughes, Chris Brown and many others.)

In the past, however, there have been few active birders living and regularly birding in Renews or the southern shore and no banding operations, so it is likely that the number of extreme rarities that have touched down in the area undetected is probably considerably understated. (In recent years, local residents David Shepherd, Julie Cappleman, Richard Thomas and Gordon Hartery in Portugal Cove South and Cape Race lightkeeper Clifford Doran who lives in Trepassey have made important contributions to the record. In particular, Dave Shepherd, an accomplished naturalist and bird bander, who moved to Portugal Cove South in 2004, and to Trepassey in 2018, has made an important contribution to understanding local birdlife. Dave has also been instrumental in galvanizing local interest in long-time residents Clifford Doran and Gordon Hartery.)

The Cape Race Christmas Bird Count, initiated by John Maunder in 1977, has been faithfully run for many years by Bruce Mactavish. Records from the count have been incorporated into the Checklist. This unique historical database has been very useful in documenting recent bird trends and population dynamics, such as:

Increase in the resident populations of House Sparrows, American Goldfinches and Song Sparrows;

Increase in overwintering populations of Blue Jays, Starlings, American Pipits and Dark-eyed Juncos;

Declines in overwintering populations of Horned Larks, Pine Grosbeaks, Evening Grosbeaks and White-throated Sparrows;

Affirmation of small resident populations of Downy and Hairy Woodpecker, Purple Finch, Pine Siskin and Common Grackle

Harlequin Ducks, rare in other seasons, are regular in winter and some years are recorded in small numbers on the Cape Race Christmas Bird Count.

A complete species record for each count from 1977 to 2018 has been compiled from the Audubon Christmas Count database. Due to occasionally extremely poor weather conditions the count has not run in the following years: 1991, 1993, 2007, 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2018. For complete details see Cape Race Christmas Bird Count

Birds, Familiar and Exotic

Nesting Birds

Visitors from southern Canada and the United States will be delighted to have the opportunity to observe boreal-nesting species in their habitats. With diligence visitors can find in a few days stay Greater Scaup, Willow Ptarmigan, Greater Yellowlegs, Black-backed Woodpecker, Gray Jay, American Pipit, Pine Grosbeak and Blackpoll and Wilson’s Warblers, and others, enjoying the local environment.

Photos of Willow Ptarmigan and Blackpoll are provided below. For more details see our Annotated List of Breeding Birds

While breeding boreal land birds are an attraction, it is the variety and abundance of nesting seabirds that provide the most spectacular sightings for visitors, birders and non-birders alike. The ‘bird islands’ of Witless Bay where millions of seabirds return each year to nest in the Ecological Reserve, and the magnificent Northern Gannet colony at Cape St. Mary’s are not to be missed by nature-lovers and avid bird watchers who come to the Avalon.

The Southeast Avalon is conveniently sandwiched between these two attractions. Less well known, but much more easily accessible by car, are many smaller seabird-nesting sites. The premier site is the spectacularly beautiful ‘Rookery’ on the Cape Race Road.

At the end of a short 10-minute walk from the road, visitors can observe Puffins, Common Murres and Razorbills, as well as Kittiwakes and Black Guillemots. Binoculars are essential here and for more close-up views a telescope is ideal. A second important site, which offers better chances for close-up views of these birds, is below the lighthouse at Cape Pine, though we caution that the road to this isolated Cape is very rough and you need to drive slowly (and of course you may see the odd bird along the road!).

During the breeding season the ocean off Bear Cove Point, the Bear Cove Interpretive Site and the ocean view from Cappahayden village can be excellent places to look for alcids from the Witless Bay colonies, especially the colourful Atlantic Puffins.

(To protect these birds colony locations are not given.) Storm-petrels only visit their nesting burrows at night, a survival adaptation as these tiny birds are an attractive meal for the larger gulls (as are Dovekies in winter). As they usually forage at great distance from land during the day they are rarely seen from shore unless you are crossing on the Port-aux-Basques or Argentia ferries.

Sometimes in foggy summer weather small flocks of Leach’s Sttorm-petrels become disoriented and settle on south coast barachois ponds and harbours. In recent years flocks of 15 to 20 birds have been reported at Holyrood Pond, lower Trepassey Harbour, and the barachois ponds at Biscay Bay and Portugal Cove South.

Manx Shearwaters nest on Lawn Island off the Burin Peninsula to the west of our area. Small numbers are regularly seen throughout the summer and early fall, often among huge flocks of migrating Sooty and Greater Shearwaters. They are fairly easy to pick out from the other shearwaters as they are noticeably smaller, uniformly darkish on top and white underneath. A scope and some patience is a definite asset here!

Northern Gannet, Great Cormorant and Thick-billed Murre do not nest in our area. The best place to see all three is at Cape St. Mary’s.

Gannets, however, are common about the Southeast Avalon during their long breeding season, flying in formation along the coast. The great splash they make as they dive headfirst into the water after a fish is often mistaken for the blow of a whale. When they are diving for Capelin make sure you stop, go down to the beach and watch. This is truly an a seminal birding event that you will see if the Capelin are inshore. Given the setting flocks of Gannets diving is an unforgettable birding event. In the photo above Clifford has caught three Gannets in various stages of their dives.

Great Cormorant is occasionally recorded in summer and is a regular here in fall, winter and spring. Thick-billed Murre winters in offshore waters but are occasionally seen from shore in winter.

In late May and early June sometimes many thousands of Thick-bills are recorded off Cape Race as they migrate north to arctic breeding grounds.

We have compiled some information on the seabird colonies but recent data is lacking. Please see Seabird Nesting Colonies

Migratory Birds

Throughout the year the variety of unusual migratory birds recorded in the Southeast Avalon makes it second only to Brier Island in Atlantic Canada. Overall the mix of breeding and migrant species in a tiny but very accessible area makes the southeast Avalon a prime birding destination in Canada.

Thanks to our location on the edge of the Atlantic, and the often changeable weather, the area welcomes an exceptional variety of birds passing through or blown off course.

Pelagic Migrants

In summer millions of Sooty and Greater Shearwaters migrate north from their southern hemisphere breeding grounds to the far North Atlantic, passing by the southeast Avalon. This annual invasion starts about mid-July, peaks in mid- to late-August and usually extends into September. This spectacular migration is best seen from south coast viewing sites such as St. Shott’s fog horn station, the Cape Pine lighthouse, the harbour at Portugal Cove South, The Rookery, Long Beach, and Cape Race on the Cape Race Road, and sometimes from Cappahayden, Bear Cove and the Bear Cove Point lighthouse in Renews. Greater and Sooty Shearwaters resting and feeding in inshore coastal waters.

Fulmars nest in the Witless Bay Islands (viewable from the mail boxes at St. Michael’s, just south of Tors Cove). Fulmars very occasionally stray into the area. In recent years Cory’s Shearwaters have been recorded at Cape Race, Daleys Cove (just southeast of Portugal Cove South), and at St. Shott’s. While distinctly rare, if you are in our area from mid-July to mid-August, check through the shearwaters for a bird which sometimes has a very different flight pattern.

In late summer, look for Southern Polar Skuas harassing gulls offshore, and sometimes inshore at the height of the jaeger season (April to October). After mid-September skuas encountered inshore are much more likely to be Great Skuas, a native of Europe. Great caution is required in separating these two species, since on the rare occasions they are encountered, they are often at distance and viewing conditions are not always ideal.

For more details on bird records see Southeast Avalon Bird Checklist Renews to St Vincents

The Winds

The eastern Avalon is the first landfall for European spring and fall migrants blown off-course by prevailing westerly winds. In spring the most regular vagrants are European Golden Plover and Wheatear. Local records for much rarer birds include: Tufted Duck, Little Egret, Eurasian Whimbrel, Black-tailed Godwit, Common Redshank, Curlew Sandpiper, Ruff, Yellow-legged Gull and White Wagtail. In 2001, after a particularly major Wheatear invasion, a pair remained behind to nest in a rock wall just you can see just north of Cape Pine Lighthouse. The pair successfully raised six young far from their home turf.

In summer, fall and early winter European vagrants are much less regular, with Curlew Sandpiper, Northern Lapwing, Common Gull and Redwing very occasionally recorded. In the fall Great Skua regularly wanders across the Atlantic and is occasionally recorded inshore from promontories such as Cape Race.

Extreme European rarities recorded the last twenty years in the southeast Avalon include single records of Little Stint and Wood Sandpiper at Renews, and Corncrake and Common Swift at Cape Race.

In late summer and fall each year prevailing easterly winds sweep across Canada to the Avalon. These winds tend to bring in a small but regular infusion of birds normally found nesting only in western Newfoundland or in eastern North America, and occasionally even in western North America. These include Franklin’s Gull, Black Tern, numerous flycatchers, including Eastern and Western Kingbirds, Vireos, a host of Great Lakes Forest and Boreal warblers, sparrows including Clay-coloured, Grasshopper and Sharp-tailed Sparrows, Indigo Bunting, Bobolink and Baltimore Oriole.

Most years birds associated with the prairies such as Western Kingbird, Lark Sparrow and Dickcissel are recorded in the Renews or southern shore areas. In late summer and fall accidentals such as Eared Grebe, White Pelican and Varied Thrush have also been recorded.

In the photo below you will see two Dickcissels in the sparse vegetation at Cape Race.

This bird, more normally associated with the west coast of North America, is found most years in the St. John’s area in late fall. After an incidental observation in 1998 at Bear Cove, Townsend’s Warbler has been recorded five times since 2012 in late fall at Renews, and in recent years in northwest Trepassey.

As the last landmass before the oblivion of the Northwest Atlantic, western rarities previously unexpected, are now to be looked for, perhaps not expected, but another reason to take to the field in what is regularly an exciting fall birding season.

Atlantic Storms

The storms that rage along the Atlantic seaboard carry many birds north to the shores of the Southeast Avalon where they make their final landfall Tragically, the vast majority of these vagrants, especially passerines, are lost at sea and never recorded .

In spring (March 21 to June 20) and early summer (June 21 to September 20) most of these storm-tossed vagrants tend to be night-herons (Yellow-crowned), herons, egrets, ibises (Glossy) and gulls and terns, all more commonly found in the mid-Atlantic and southern states. In recent years extreme rarities have been recorded: Brown Booby at Long Beach, and Fork-tailed Flycatchers at Mistaken Point and Renews.

From late August into October the tropical storm vagrants are flycatchers, cuckoos, vireos, warblers, grosbeaks, buntings and blackbirds. Almost all of these passerines breed in the southern and central United States. These birds are night migrants, and the lighthouses at Cape Pine, Powell’s Head in Trepassey, Cape Race, and Bear Cove Point in Renews are important in attracting these birds to landfall.

The long list of regular vagrants, vagrants and accidentals is far too long to include here. We refer readers to the Checklist

Where the lighthouses are surrounded by barrens such as those at Cape Race and Cape Pine, the storm survivors seek out the nearest available food and cover. At Cape Race it is patches of tuckamore about one km north of the Cape and along the Cape Race Road west to Long Beach. This temporary cover offers limited feeding opportunities for birds adapted to feed on insects associated with deciduous vegetation. One can speculate that some, perhaps most, head north to the roadside alders found in profusion along Route 10 in the Cappahayden and Bear Cove areas. There are enough vagrant records from The Drook and around Portugal Cove South that we know at least some head west along the Cape Race Road as well.

At Cape Pine birds reaching landfall find treeless barrens for many kilometres, so that most likely fly east along the coast to reach the boreal forest on the west side of Trepassey harbour,. Here they find suitable food and cover in the welcoming alders along Fish Plant Road, Doran’s Lane, and along Route 10 north to the northwest Trepassey area.

At the lighthouses at Bear Cove Point and Powell’s Head, Trepassey, exhausted birds find boreal forest closer to hand. They have a strong preference for nearby low-lying and dense roadside alders. There are also key alder locations at Bear Cove Point along Bear Cove Point Road, and alder pockets along Route 10 from the south side of Renews through Bear Cove and Cappahayden to Freshwater Road on the edge of the barrens. At Trepassey birds find a thin band of alders along the Powell’s Head Road. These alders have been cut back in recent years and birds tend to move quickly inland to the extensive alders in west and northwest Trepassey and to the mixed forest along Route 10 north of Fishplant Road and at the lower end of Northwest Brook.

It is seems most likely that Renews-Cappahayden and Powell’s Head-West Trepassey are magnets for vagrants attracted to two different lighthouses. At Renews-Cappahayden it is Cape Race and Bear Cove Point. At Trepassey it is Cape Pine and Powell’s Head. The historical record indicates that Renews-Cappahayden is the best migrant trap in Newfoundland. The Trepassey area is arguably a close second. In mid to late fall having two major sites to explore along with the always interesting Cape Race (the most southeasterly point in North America) is a luxury few Avalon birders can pass up.

It must be emphasized that while the list of tropical-bound fall migrants shown in our Checklist is surprising, perhaps astounding for remote southeastern Newfoundland, observations vary from year to year. Indeed the vagrant list in any year is hugely dependent on two key factors:

1). the number and intensity of post tropical storms which pass by the Avalon peninsula;

2) the number of dedicated birders who look for them.

It would be remiss not point out that, because of its location, the St. John’s area is not as well situated for vagrants as the southeast Avalon, but it is much more heavily birded. The St. John’s area fall vagrant list in the last few years includes at least two extreme rarities, a single Virginia’s Warbler (Quidi Vidi Lake area) and two Hermit Warblers in different years (Mobile and Cape Broyle). With more attention to the Southeast Avalon the prospects for such extreme rarities here is certainly a possibility.

High Arctic Migrants

A small number of species pass by our coasts on their way to and from their breeding grounds in the high arctic. In addition some Arctic species regularly winter in the area.

In spring, species that winter in offshore waters in the southern Atlantic such as Red Phalarope, and Parasitic and Pomarine Jaegers, are very occasionally seen in migration in small flocks inshore. Depending on where they winter offshore, sometimes large numbers of Thick-billed Murre that nest in the high Arctic migrate close enough to land to be seen from shore. Cape Race is the best place to look for all of these birds in spring.

By mid to late summer and into the fall Black-bellied, American Golden, and Semipalmated Plovers are common. Ringed Plover, which normally nests on Baffin Island and Greenland, and migrates east through Europe, is now being looked for and more regularly found among flocks of Semipalmated Plovers. Flocks of Whimbrel are attracted to Crowberry from early July on, and Buff-breasted Sandpiper is occasionally spotted in the flocks of Golden Plover on the barrens from late August into September.

A huge anomaly even in our land of vagrants has been the recording of Pacific Golden Plover. This species nests only in northwest Alaska and its migration route takes it away from North America to wintering grounds in southeast Asia and Australia. Its June presence in spectacular breeding plumage at Trepassey in 2007 and at Cape Race in 2010 arguably qualifies it with the Corncrake at Cape Race the Fork-tailed Flycatchers and a Cave Swallow at Long Beach as the area’s best sightings ever of a wandering rarity.

Red-necked Phalaropes and especially Red Phalarope are common offshore in the fall migration. Regrettably, both are only occasionally seen inshore. In August 2008 over 4,000 Red Phalarope were recorded in one day along the southern shore. Both species have been seen feeding on marine organisms in the incoming tide line, and in one case they were noted following the tide line well up into Trepassey Harbour.

Parasitic and Pomarine Jaegers usually remain offshore but during the late summer will sometimes come inshore to harass gulls and terns feeding on Capelin. In late August and early September a small number, but usually just one Long-tailed Jaeger, has/ have been occasionally recorded.

The coasts are a major wintering area for Common Eiders. Large flocks usually harbour a few King Eiders. Purple Sandpipers are also found, sometimes in large flocks, feeding on the rocks at the tide line. Most winters Snowy Owls are present, and in “vole years” they can be seen in large numbers. In the winter of 2014-15 a total of 301 individuals were recorded on one day by Bruce Mactavish between Trepassey and Cape Race. In Snowy Owl invasion years a few sometimes linger on the barrens well into the summer. There is no evidence that a pair has ever bred in our area but since Wheatears have found the habitat suitable enough to nest, it is a possibility! A Gyrfalcon is a rare sighting just about anywhere, but Cape Race is the most likely spot to look during the winter.

The Butterflies

With its limited range of habitats, this area is not particularly rich in butterfly species. Cool temperatures, occasional extensive fog, limited sunshine and a small variety of host plants are key factors. The recently published Butterflies of Ontario contains all the 23 species found here with the exception of the local specialty, the Short-tailed Swallowtail, a species very similar to the Black Swallowtail (which is not found here).

Despite the lack of variety, from mid-June into October numerous boreal and bog species flutter across the barrens and along the trails. In woodland areas Spring Azures are common. Less common are Milbert’s Tortoiseshell, Green Comma and Mourning Cloak. In grasslands and forest edges Canadian Tiger Swallowtail, Atlantis Fritillary, Northern Crescent and Common Ringlet are most often encountered. In open tundra look for Pink-edged Sulphur, and in bogs the Bog Copper.

Red Admirals are sometimes found in extraordinary numbers – we have counted hundreds along a single trail - and most years American and Painted Ladies and Monarchs are also recorded. The Monarch’s host plant, Common Milkweed, does not grow in the province, but they are occasionally found along roads to headlands such as Powell’s Head Road, along the Cape Race Road, and at wind-tossed Cape Race.

For details on species that have been recorded, their abundance status, and flying periods please see the Butterfly Flying Chart

The Fish

We cannot possibly name all the fish in the sea, but a few species are more likely to be encountered in the waters, and on the menu!

Atlantic Cod: When Newfoundlanders refer to fish they mean Cod. Indeed, as our brief history of settlement in the area demonstrates, for centuries the cod fishery was the most important economic resource sustaining the outports (settlements previously only accessible by boat) throughout the island. The closure of the Atlantic Cod fishery by the Federal Government in 1992 had a devastating impact on this area and the whole of Newfoundland. Trepassey with its major fishplant was particularly hard hit with the closure. The Cod in fish and chips most likely comes from northern Newfoundland, though some is caught local during the restricted ‘family fishery’ season.

Capelin: Capelin is the key bait fish for the marine food chain and especially for all nesting seabirds along this coast. Capelin gather in huge schools offshore in summer. Most “roll” (as in, roll in on the breaking waves) to spawn on the sandy sections of pebble beaches at Portugal Cove South, Mutton Bay and along the huge beach in Holyrood Bay that stretches for kilometres from Peter’s River to St. Vincent’s. In recent years Capelin numbers have been low, a fraction of historic figures. 2017 turned out to be a good year locally, which resulted in major seabird and whale action all along the coasts. Unfortunately Capelin are being commercially harvested for export (Capelin roe is particularly desirable in Asian markets). If Capelin stocks are allowed to recover to more historic levels, the whale and seabird action will become an even greater tourist attraction throughout the summer.

The Southeast Avalon is known for salmon and trout fishing. During the season, fishermen can be seen up to the top of their hip waders in Biscay Bay River and lower Northwest Brook (Trepassey). Fishermen are primarily seeking Atlantic Salmon and sea-run Brown and Brook Trout.

Non-residents require licences (available at Pennell’s Garage on Route 10, northwest Trepassey) to fish for trout and a special licence for Salmon. Fly fishing is mandatory on selected parts of scheduled rivers.

Finally, while it is hard to look for fish and other marine species in the ocean, our area sometimes comes up with some surprises. Included in this is the rare occurrence of Leatherback Turtles which lay eggs in the Caribbean and come north in summer seeking out jellyfish, their prime food. While these turtles normally only reach Nova Scotian waters recently they have been spotted in southeastern Newfoundland waters. It is possible that warmer water temperatures along our south coast are responsible.

In recent years Ocean Sunfish, more often associated with much warmer waters, have shown up to be photographed locally. We present a remarkable photo of one taken by Clifford a few years ago.

The Bugs

Checklists for Odonates (Dragonflies), Moths and Spiders recorded on the island of Newfoundland are available, but we have more work to do before publishing local lists. The first will likely be a Checklist for the Odonates of the Southeast Avalon.

Tourist Centres

Visitors to the area will find a warm reception at Visitor Centres in Portugal Cove South and at Holyrood Pond/St. Stephens. Check out their websites.

Walking Trails

Currently, the well known East Coast Trail extends as far south as Bear Cove. Our area has an excellent variety of mostly un-maintained but still walkable trails, often created by sheep as they walked the cliff edge, sometimes by local residents or are the remnants of old roads. Walking the old Newfoundland Railway is a pleasure, but some of the bridges require repair.

Visitors to the Mistaken Point Fossil Site must register and take a guided tour. Other walks through the Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve require a permit obtained free of charge from the PCS Visitor Centre.

A list of trails is below. Details will be coming soon.

Renews

1) Bear Cove Point Road (walk the whole of the gravel road to the light 3.5 kms and back)

2). East Coast Trail: Bear Cove Point to Renews (see East Coast Trail material)

Chance Cove Provincial Park

Chance Cove Park Coastal Trail (from parking lot walk over grassy knoll towards the beach then walk south about 2 kms south on a fairly rugged coastal track until its disappears, and back)

Cape Race Road

1). Mistaken Point Trail (only guided tours available, 3.5 kms each way)

2). The Rookery Trail (just east of The Drook: short .5 km walk to seabird colony)

Trepassey and Biscay Bay

1). Newfoundland Railway Trail: Trepassey to Biscay Bay or reverse 5 kms one way. See

The Railway Trail

2). Trepassey: Station Road and across the Single Beach at south end of Fannys Pond east 2 kms to Stoney River and then return

3). Northwest River Trail Trepassey (north from end of NW Circle road) up west side of NW Brook; walk the first 2 kms until track goes disappears into deep water and return; wet in places, wellies a good idea here)

West Trepassey Barrens-Cape Pine

Cape Pine Road off the St. Shotts Road (drive and walk sections of the gravel road through the scenic barrens)

St Vincents

St Vincent's Beach and Holyrood Pond (from parking lot walk to beach then west to St Vincent’s and back along foreshore of Holyrood Pond, about 4 kms round trip)

A few final notes on walking locally

1). Appropriate footwear, preferably waterproof, is always a good idea on the Avalon.

2). Layered clothing is always useful as the weather can be changeable; carry a backpack

3). In sheltered areas black flies can be a problem; there are now much better products available at places like MEC: try PiActive which is Deet Free

Climate Change in the Southeast Avalon

Before we leave you perhaps we would be remiss if we did not talk about Climate Change. It seems likely that there will be few places on earth that will not be affected. Low-lying areas of Southeast Avalon will certainly be impacted by rising sea levels caused by melting glaciers and the expansive impacts of warmer sea temperatures. We will confine our discussion to some of the impacts that might affect local wildlife.

The Rise in Ocean Temperatures

There is little doubt that surface ocean temperatures off the south coast of Newfoundland have been increasing for a considerable period of time. Swimming in 16-20C waters of Biscay Bay in mid-August would have been unheard of 40 years ago. This is part of a world-wide phenomena connected to climate change. In recent years climate scientists have come to understand that their predictive models did not adequately account for the ocean’s ability to absorb heat.

Recent research has determined that across the oceans the pattern of ocean temperature change is quite variable. This is pointed out in a letter by Dan A. Smale et al entitled “Marine Heatwaves threaten global biodiversity and the provision of ecosystem services” date March 4, 2019 in the on-line Journal Nature Climate Change .

Smale’s letter includes evidence that the water temperatures in the global ocean have warmed substantially over the past century. Along with persistent long term warming, discrete periods of extreme regional ocean warming (MHWs) have increased in frequency. A very interesting map below, kindly provided by the author, displays the areas in the north Atlantic where these discrete periods of extreme regional warming have taken place. You will see Atlantic Canada and Newfoundland in the upper left side of the map.

In the mid-North Atlantic there has been effectively no change. The same situation is evident along the east coast of Newfoundland and the Avalon where the Labrador Current flows. On the other hand the waters off Massachusetts, Maine, in the Bay of Fundy, off Nova Scotia and southern Newfoundland show up as an area undergoing the most extreme regional warming trend.

The Gulf Stream

Added to this situation is the flow rate, the temperature at surface and depth, and the location of the Gulf Stream. It is understood that the flow rate is down but this may well be offset by warmer waters in the current as a result of warmer ocean temperatures in the mid-Atlantic. Indeed the historical map of extreme regional ocean warming above also shows large increases in water temperatures off the northeast coast of South America north through the eastern Caribbean and offshore North America all the way to the mid-American States. If the flow rate in the Gulf Stream is down, but water temperatures in the current are up this phenomena might reduce the circular flow rate of the Labrador Current. If this effect occurs the Gulf Stream may drift north, closer to southeastern Newfoundland. Increased ocean temperatures in the Atlantic are a known fact that have been directly linked to the increased severity of hurricanes affecting the southeastern United States in recent years.

Impact of Warmer Waters on the Wildlife in the southeastern Avalon

While it is not clear how climate change will ultimately affect the climate and wildlife in southern Avalon, there is no doubt that ocean temperatures are rising. This may well be a factor in the movement of some Northern Right Whales away from the mouth of the Bay of Fundy into the Gulf of St. Lawrence and in one known case to southeast Avalon waters. In recent years there have also been sightings of Leatherback Turtles off the south and southeast coast of Newfoundland and more regular sightings of Ocean Sunfish off the Avalon. Both of these tropical species prey on jellyfish which are normally associated with warmer waters.

Climate change impacts that create warmer ocean temperatures will likely affect the variety and populations of sea and land birds. In the south Avalon these impacts are not obvious to date. Certainly in recent years, Cory’s Shearwaters, more regularly found off Nova Scotia, have been recorded in inshore southern Avalon waters for the first time. The recent record of a Brown Booby at Long Beach in summer may be initial evidence of some movement north of tropical seabirds. There is probably not enough time series data on the populations in our seabird colonies to determine any long term changes.

The long-term status of resident and migratory land birds is just as unclear. The breeding populations of Red-breasted Nuthatch, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Black and White, Mourning, American Redstart and Magnolia Warblers are quite low, and in some years non-existant. In areas as close as Lamanche Provincial Park to the north they are regular breeders. While there may be numerous factors for this difference there is no doubt that historically the southern Avalon has been cooler in summer. If warmer water temperatures raise average summer temperatures and/or reduce the incidence of fog, one might anticipate that at least some of these species might become regular breeders in our area as well. Currently there is no baseline scientific data to measure this. What seems to be evident during our 15+ year summer residence in the south Avalon is that the number of fog days has been slowly reducing. Assuming this does result in slightly warmer summers we might see the evidence of climate change show up in regular and increasing breeding populations of these bird species.

For the naturalist climate change can be a mixed blessing. For those visiting the southeast Avalon for the first time, seeing a Ruby-crowned Kinglet or a Magnolia Warbler here can be understood is a special event, another interesting dimension to the what is already an outstanding natural history area.

Bibliography

South, G. R. (1983) Biogeography and Ecology of the Island of Newfoundland

Agriculture Canada, Soils of the Avalon Peninsula of Newfoundland, Report No. 3, Newfoundland Soil Survey, 1981

http://sis.agr.gc.ca/cansis/publications/surveys/nf/nf3/nf3_report.pdf

Wildflower 9 (1) Winter 1993 Special Issue on Newfoundland Flora

Note: This publication is not on-line and according to the North American Native Plant Society sold out

http://www.ucs.mun.ca/~patrickr/TrailTales/

nf.birds

Birding bogs:

Bruce Mactavish: http://brucemactavish2.blogspot.ca/

Alvan Buckley: http://alvanbuckley.blogspot.ca/p/nl-records.html

Jared Clarke: https://birdtherock.com/checklist/

Christmas Bird Counts at Cape Race found on the Cornell Labratory of Ornithology website: file:///C:/Users/lagop/Downloads/HistoricalResultsByCount%20[NLCR-1981-2016].pdf

Hall, Peter et al, The Butterflies of Ontario, ROM, Toronto

nf.insects

Facebook: Newfoundland Birds

In particular the Facebook page of Clifford Doran of Trepassey, lightkeeper at Cape Race, who regularly posts his photos of birds and mammals he sees at the Cape and around Trepassey. Cliff’s incredible video of a herd of bull moose taken in west Trepassey in the late summer of 2016 went viral and was seen around the world; check out his videos

Facebook: Newfoundland Insects

Article by Peter Pope suggesting that there is evidence of aboriginal artifacts at Renews

“Scavengers and Caretakers: Beothuck/European Settlement Dynamics in Seventeenth Century Newfoundland” Volume 09, No 2: Special Topic Issue, Archaeology in Newfoundland and Labrador (1993)

https://journals.lib.unb.ca/index.php/NFLDS/article/view/945/1298