Flights from the United States arrive in Halifax around midnight. You'll be met at the airport and transported to your lodge, Inn on the Lake.

You'll skirt the eastern edge of Nova Scotia as you slowly head north toward Cape Breton. You'll enjoy a lovely lunch in the charming town of Sheet Harbour. You'll also take a short hike at Taylor Head Provincial Park, where targets include Blackpoll Warbler, American Black Duck, Greater Black-backed Gull, Common Eider, and Boreal Chickadee are some of our targets. You might also spot a grey seal looking back at you from the harbour. This park is where your guide initially fell in love with Nova Scotia. Overnight Waternish Rod & Gun Club

Liscombe Lodge Resort and Conference Centre offers stunning waterfront views and a warm atmosphere. Savor locally inspired dishes after searching the nearby boreal forests for Blac-backed Woodpeckers. The bird feeders also sometimes attract White-winged Crossbills.

For those wanting to bird, I’ll lead a bird walk at 5:15 a.m. Waternish Road is a favorite of warbler lovers, as more than 20 species occur here. You’ll see Northern Parula near the house and have excellent chances at Northern Waterthrush, American Redstart, Black-and-white Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Magnolia, and Chestnut-sided Warblers, and a decent chance at Canada, Blackburnian, Black-throated Blue Warblers, and many more.

After breakfast, you’ll head to Sherbrooke, where you'll have the chance to wander among the historic village, designed to provide you with a glimpse of life before 1900. The sawmill in Sherbrooke (built in 1826) is still active and cuts truly dimensional lumber with a 6-foot-diameter blade. If it’s still in operation, you’ll enjoy lunch at Beanie’s Bistro.

 After lunch, you’ll head to Port Bickerton Lighthouse for fantastic scenery, shorebirds, and a search for Blackpoll Warbler and Boreal Chickadee. The area is so scenic that any birds we see are a bonus. Finally, you’ll head back to Sherbrooke and continue to Liscombe Mills, enjoying dinner at Liscombe Riverside Restaurant. Birds that frequent feeders here include Evening Grosbeak, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Blue Jay, Red Crossbill, and many more. Overnight Waternish Rod and Gun Club

I’ll be ready for another early morning of birding on Waternish Road. After breakfast, you’ll head to Antigonish Landing, where you’re almost sure to spot Nelson’s Sparrow. An occasional rarity, such as the Lesser Black-backed Gull and the Tufted Duck, occasionally shows up in the bay here. After that, it’s up to the group, but we can swing by the Highland Games for a bit or make our way toward Cape Breton.

 You’ll stop at Pomquet Beach to search for the endangered Piping Plover. On our last trip to this beach, one of the participants spotted a mountain lion!

You’ll arrive in Cape Breton in time for lunch at the Celtic Interpretive Center, where locals will sing Celtic and Gaelic songs while we eat. Then, about 1.5 hours later, you’ll arrive at Cornerstone Motel, our lodge, for the next two nights. With some luck, you’ll spot moose wading in the Cheticamp River just behind our rooms. I chose this lodge because it borders Cape Breton Highlands National Park.

 Dinner tonight offers excellent seafood; if scallops are on your wish list, this is THE place to enjoy a scallop dinner. Lobster lovers are also pleased with their dinner here. Overnight Cornerstone Motel

Today, you’ll spend the entire day in Cape Breton Highlands National Park. There are numerous incredible vistas and several beautiful walks. One boardwalk takes us deep into a bog and gives us a chance at Bicknell’s Thrush. Pitcher plants and sundew (a flytrap plant) thrive here. Benji’s Lake Trail is a lovely, leisurely walk back to an alpine lake. We have an excellent chance of spotting a moose or two on the hike, and some unusual birds also frequent the trail, like Black-backer Woodpecker, White-winged Crossbill, and Mourning Warbler. With extraordinary luck, we could even spot a lynx. Overnight Cornerstone Motel

You’ll depart Cheticamp today to make your way toward the ferry in North Sydney, but not before loading up on pastries from the delightful boulangerie in Cheticamp. You’ll visit Big Glace Bay Bird Sanctuary, which can yield a variety of scoters, shorebirds, gulls, and black guillemot.

 Lunch will be at an Irish pub in North Sydney, Nova Scotia, with a beautiful outdoor deck, weather permitting. Then, you’ll board the ferry for a 5:00 p.m. departure. Usually, the birding is not very good upon ferry departure, but we might pick up our first Sooty Shearwaters and Arctic Terns. Dinner is a buffet, which is surprisingly good quality. This boat is relatively modern, including a bar, where you might see me enjoying a single malt Scotch. I’ll happily buy you a drink of your choice! Night aboard the ferry.

Very early this morning (5:00 a.m.), I’ll be on the leeward side of the ferry, scouring the ocean for birds. We’ve seen dozens of Great and Sooty Shearwaters on past ferry trips. Leach’s Storm Petrel is also likely, and we have a great chance at Manx Shearwater and perhaps a species or two of jaeger.

 After breakfast, you’ll land in Newfoundland around 10:00 a.m. (with a half-hour time change). We’ll make our way to Cape St. Mary’s Ecological Reserve, a must-visit on any nature enthusiast’s bucket list. You’ll stand within 50 yards of over ten thousand Northern Gannets, nesting safely on a rock protected by a 500-foot drop-off. Other targets include Razorbill, Thick-billed and Common Murre, and Black-legged Kittiwake. Sometimes we spot whales far below us! This truly is a remarkable spot.

 After lunch, you’ll bird a few turnouts, looking for Pine Grosbeak, Northern Waterthrush, Canada Jay, Fox, and Swamp Sparrow, and more. Finally, you’ll return to Bird’s Eye for dinner, as there is no other option within an hour’s drive. The owner’s husband catches the seafood on the menu, and you will never get fresher fish than is served here. If you love fish and chips, they’re delicious here. Overnight Bird Island Resort

I hope to convince Maude, the owner of Bird’s Eye, to cook us breakfast. If not, you’ll have to make do with what we can purchase at the convenience store and prepare for ourselves. We may return to Cape St. Mary’s or drive to Point Lance, where we may spot caribou on the drive and humpback whales feeding in the bay. You’ll likely have this dead-end road to us. We spotted a half-dozen Pine Grosbeak here three years ago while enjoying a harbour seal spying on us from the glass-smooth seas.

Today is Canada Day, celebrated every bit as much as Independence Day in the United States. You’ll go to Trepassey this morning, stopping for some birding and perhaps an iceberg sighting or two. 

You’ll enjoy a brown bag lunch while gawking at whales at St. Vincent’s Beach. Dozens of humpback whales feed in the waters on capelin here. If it’s not foggy, you’ll see numerous breaching whales. We may be close enough to smell their blows.

 Today, our afternoon targets are Mistaken Point, so named for the numerous shipwrecks that occur here, and Cape Race Lighthouse, the first to receive the distress calls of The Titanic. You all have a suite to enjoy at Edge of Avalon Inn. The food here used to border on inedible, but they now serve excellent fare. I’ll buy pan-sauteed cod tongue, considered a delicacy. You have to decide for yourself.

Today is a flexible day. If the Steller’s Sea Eagle is nesting where it was in summer 2025, we’ll make the 1.5-hour drive to see one of the largest eagles in the world. If not, we can head back to St. Vincent’s to see the show put on by the humpback whales. There are also some stunning lighthouses we may visit. You should also see your first Atlantic Puffins of the trip.

 This morning, we may hike to discover 500,000-year-old fossils preserved in exquisite detail. It also happens to be an extraordinarily scenic spot. You’ll also take a few side roads in a quest to find woodland caribou. After lunch, you’ll head to Bay Bulls, where you’ll board a sightseeing boat for a cruise to Green Island. You’ll see hundreds of thousands of Atlantic Puffin, Common Murre, Razorbill, and Black-legged Kittiwake from the sea. Gawk with your mouth closed!

 You’ll arrive in St. John’s this evening, where the food takes a quantum leap forward. Dinner will be at Raymond’s Restaurant, where incredible seafood options are available. Our hotel, The Jag, is near the wharf, and if you wish to stroll amongst the many anchored ships, you’ll do that this evening.

At The Gypsy Tea Room, guests can enjoy an eclectic menu that blends local and international flavors in a charming, art-filled setting. Known for its friendly service and a wide range of teas, this establishment often hosts live music events, making each visit a delightful experience. heir signature dishes that creatively fuse diverse tastes!

At The Gypsy Tea Room, guests can enjoy an eclectic menu that blends local and international flavors in a charming, art-filled setting. Known for its friendly service and a wide range of teas, this establishment often hosts live music events, making each visit a delightful experience. Their signature dishes creatively fuse diverse tastes!

Today will be our last full day in Newfoundland. You’ll visit Signal Hill, a fort built to take on Germans during WWII, should it have become necessary. You’ll also venture out to Cape Spear Lighthouse, the most NE point of the North American Continent.

 You’ll dine at Oliver’s Restaurant, which serves some of the best seafood I’ve ever eaten. It will be a celebratory dinner tonight before we board your flights home tomorrow morning. Overnight Jag hotel

After two weeks exploring beautiful provinces, eating delicious food, and meeting may new friends, you're ready to share your tales with others.