Québec City, a World Heritage City, is the beautiful capital of the province of Québec, situated on the St. Lawrence River. It will be the starting point for our Quebec birding and whale tour. We will meet for dinner to discuss our upcoming adventure.

We encourage you to arrive a day before the tour to enjoy Old Québec City on your own.

Night in Québec City, near the airport.

We will head to Cap Tourmente National Wildlife Area early in the morning to explore the varied habitats of this important refuge: mixed-wood forests, ponds, fields, freshwater and saltwater marshes, and the St. Lawrence River.

Our visit will include a stop at the banding station, where we will learn about its migration research and have an opportunity to see small passerines up close. Along the wooded trails, we will look for mixed flocks of migrating songbirds, including Yellow-rumped Warblers and Blue-headed Vireos.

Cap Tourmente is an important stopover for Snow Geese, which feed and rest in the marshes and nearby fields during migration. We will scan for gathering flocks and watch for birds arriving or taking flight over the marshes, while checking the water for migrating ducks.

We then continue northeast along the scenic shoreline of the St. Lawrence River to Baie-Saint-Paul.

Night in Baie-Saint-Paul.

The area around Baie-Saint-Paul offers a variety of birding opportunities during fall migration. Today we will take the ferry to Île aux Coudres, where we will explore the island’s shoreline in search of seabirds, waterfowl and shorebirds. At Pointe du Bout d’en Bas, trails around the point offer opportunities to look for Northern Harriers over open fields and Surf Scoters offshore.

Back on the mainland, we continue northeast through the Charlevoix region, enjoying the fall scenery along the St. Lawrence. Before crossing the Saguenay Fjord by ferry, we will stop at the Pointe-Noire Interpretation and Observation Centre. From this viewpoint, we will watch for Harbour Seals, Gray Seals and Beluga Whales around the confluence of the Saguenay and St. Lawrence rivers.

Tadoussac will be our base for the next four nights, giving us time to explore its varied birding sites and the nearby waters of the St. Lawrence.

Night in Tadoussac.

We will begin at the Tadoussac Dunes, where migrating birds follow the coastline rather than cross the broad waters of the St. Lawrence. From the Tadoussac Bird Observatory’s lookout, we will watch for Sharp-shinned Hawks, Broad-winged Hawks and Peregrine Falcons passing overhead. The numbers and variety change with the weather, making each visit different. In nearby wooded areas, we will look for Canada Jays, Boreal Chickadees and boreal finches.

Weather permitting, we will head onto the St. Lawrence for a whale-watching excursion near the confluence of the Saguenay and St. Lawrence rivers. We will watch for Belugas breaking the surface and Minke and Fin Whales feeding in these productive waters, with the possibility of Humpback or Blue Whale and White-sided Dolphins. Seabirds also gather here to feed, giving us more to watch between whale sightings.

Night in Tadoussac.

This morning we will head to Les Escoumins for a pelagic birding excursion on the St. Lawrence. We will look for Black-legged Kittiwakes, Razorbills and Black Guillemots, and watch for Parasitic Jaegers pursuing other seabirds. We will also scan for Red-necked Phalaropes and unusual gulls, with the possibility of encountering Atlantic Puffins.

In the afternoon, we will make stops along the north shore of the St. Lawrence for shore-based birding, looking for gulls and waterfowl. Bonaparte’s Gulls can congregate in large numbers, and we will scan offshore for Common Eiders.

We will also take a walk at the Cap de Bon-Désir Interpretation and Observation Centre, where we will scan the St. Lawrence for seabirds and the spouts of whales surfacing offshore.

Night in Tadoussac.

Today we will explore a mix of inland and coastal habitats northeast of Tadoussac, including Lac Beaulieu and Pointe à Émile.
Around Lac Beaulieu, we will check the lake and surrounding vegetation for waterfowl and migrant landbirds, including Swamp Sparrows and Golden-crowned Kinglets. Nearby country roads provide opportunities to explore farmland, woodland edges and open fields.

At Pointe à Émile, we will explore the sandy shoreline and patches of coastal vegetation, looking for Horned Larks, Lapland Longspurs and American Pipits. We will also search for shorebirds, including Pectoral Sandpipers, and scan the offshore waters for seabirds.
In the evening, we will aim to attend an owl-banding demonstration, with the possibility of seeing a Northern Saw-whet Owl up close. This activity is subject to weather and the banding station’s activities.

Night in Tadoussac.

We will make another visit to the Tadoussac Dunes this morning. Migration varies with the weather, so returning gives us another opportunity to watch birds moving along the coast. We will look for passing Merlins and flocks of Pine Siskins, spending time at the lookout or exploring nearby trails according to conditions.

Depending on the ferry schedule, we may make additional birding stops to look for migrant songbirds, including Wilson’s and Tennessee Warblers.

We will cross the estuary by ferry from Les Escoumins to Trois-Pistoles, watching for seabirds from the outside decks and keeping an eye out for whales, porpoises and seals along the way.

Once on the south shore, we continue to Rivière-du-Loup. If time permits, we may stop near town to look for gathering waterfowl before settling in for the evening.

Night in Rivière-du-Loup.

Today we will explore selected birding sites along the south shore of the St. Lawrence as we make our way back to Québec City. We will stop at the extensive salt marshes around Gros-Cacouna in Parc côtier Kiskotuk, which support abundant waterfowl and large numbers of Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs.

Continuing along the coast, we will make additional birding stops at Kamouraska and Rivière-Ouelle, scanning the shoreline and river for migrating birds. Along the way, we will enjoy the autumn scenery, riverside communities and farmland of the south shore.

We return to Québec City for our farewell dinner and a chance to reflect on our journey around the St. Lawrence.

Night in Québec City.