Nova Scotia in the spring or fall?
 

My wife and I are planning a 10-day trip to Nova Scotia the last week of May, 2005 and a 10-day trip to Quebec City in mid-September, 2005. We are interested in birding on Nova Scotia as well as the usual sight-seeing. Should the two trips be planned at these times, or should they be reversed? Thanks for any help.

I've lived in both Quebec City and Halifax, and I think you have made wonderful choices. However, if I were making these trips, I would indeed reverse the timing, visiting Quebec in the spring and Nova Scotia in the fall.

Being so close to the ocean, Nova Scotia's springs tend to be cooler and wetter than Quebec's. Fall is glorious in both locations.

I am a native of NS and for my money the very best time is September and early October.
If you are driving through southern NB you may be able to catch the fall migrants. Marys Point is wonderful.
David

I agree with the above - NS is much more pleasant in September/October than it is in the Spring!

Also, the fabulous Celtic Colours celtic music festival is held on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia in the fall. Can't remember if it's Sept. or Oct.

One more vote for reversing the trip times. It can be cold in Nova Scotia in May--heck, it can be cold in June.

Thanks for all the grea replys. We'll take your advice and do Quebec City in May and Nova Scotia in September.

With your interest in birding , I definitely agree with everyone else - go to Nova Scotia in September. Brier Island and that part of the Fundy coast can have outstanding birding that time of year and there are other good areas as well.

Are there any particular birds of interest to you? I might be able to offer a few hints.

Jerry

Jerry, thanks for the advice. Along with tourist information, I was also hoping to contact a birder for advice specific to birding. We live in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, so we would be interested mainly in birds that are not common here. Can you recommend a birding book for Nova Scotia? When you don't know the local birds it sometimes helps to know what you are most likely to see. Thanks for any help. Ray

Let me confess: I'm not a birder, but a good starting point might be the Nova Scotia Museum's East Coast Birds site (http://museum.gov.ns.ca/mnh/nature/nsbirds/). It includes text and illustrations from Birds of Nova Scotia by Robie Tuffs, and information on birding sites. I hope this is helpful.

Anselm

Other people seem to be saying the reverse but I'll say I went to Halifax and the South Shore of Nova Scotia in the middle of May (around Victoria Day weekend last year) and had a blast. The weather was simply divine (in the low 20s, 70s F) for the entire trip. Mind you the week before, the weather had been rainy and around 10C/50F, so it can be a bit of a crap shoot. But then again, so can Quebec City. The advantage of visiting NS around that time was that there weren't too many tourists at places such as Peggy's Cove; we felt that the area was ours to explore. Then again, the similar could be said to be true of Quebec City. I guess my point is that IMO, it doesn't matter which order you choose. Enjoy! DAN

Be sure to do a boat trip in the Bay Fundy. The whale watching trips out of Briar Island will do. While September is past the peak time you have a good chance to see three species of shearwaters and Wilson's Storm-Petrel, birds that you will rarely see in Pittsburg! Other seabirds are possible. Be sure to be able to identify the birds on your own. My (one) experience with the whale boats is they are focused primarily on finding whales. You should be able to find Boreal Chickadee as well. The Eastern Shore near Halifax has some good shorebirding spots. Briar Isalnd is a well known migrant trap for landbirds in the fall.

In the last week of May near Quebec City many migratory forest birds should be setting up territories. I have never birded the area so I can't supply more detail. Unfortunately I think it is is a bit early for Bicknell's Thrush, June is better for those guys.