The Binocular Site
Witless Bay Ecological Reserve, Newfoundland
The Witless Bay Ecological Reserve is home to more than 260000 pairs of nesting Atlantic puffins from spring through summer. It is also a favorite nesting spot for more than 600,000 pairs of Leach’s storm petrels.
The reserve contains four islands ruled by seabirds, including Great, Gull, Green, and Pee Pee Islands. These seabirds only stay on land through summer months to breed and raise young, and here can only be seen by visitors using boats.
The Atlantic puffins feed on fish, squid, and crustaceans. These “sea parrots” sport multi-colored bill plates which are grown before breeding season and then shed afterwards. The bills are used for courting dances, and the puffins themselves are almost silent except during breeding season when they emit deep growls. However, the puffins are prey to some of the other local birds such as the great black-backed gulls and great skuas.
Several birding tours are offered by boating companies and also reveal whales to delighted viewers. Although the islands are only accessible by boat, many B&B’s and tourist spots are also placed along the coastline in the bay, and the islands can be seen right outside their windows.
Ferry trips, kayaking, and hiking are also fun activities to plan here at Witless Bay. See the Witless Bay Ecological Reservewebsite for more information.
The provincial bird of Newfoundland is the Atlantic Puffin and you can find a checklist for birding activities in Newfoudland here.
Photo credit to DragonWoman, used with permission under the creative commons license.
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