East Coast Trail, Icebergs and a Sea-eagle!

We drove down the South-East side of the Avalon Peninsula to walk a couple of sections of the East Coast Trail.

The East Coast Trail is 366 km in length, with 270 km following the coast.

One of the first birds we saw on the trail was a Boreal Chickadee. They have brown feathers on the head and on the flanks. Black-capped Chickadees, common in southern Ontario, have black heads. This was a "lifer species" for me!

Green Comma - a common species in Newfoundland.

Hudsonian Whiteface! - a new dragonfly species for me.

After walking down, and back up the wrong trail, we eventually found the 35 metre long LaManche Suspension bridge which spans the LaManche River.

Views from the Suspension Bridge!

Germander Speedwell in a meadow.

An ice cream stop provided a nice snack after our trail hikes and a nearby wetland provided a great spot to see a few more species, including a Greater Yellowlegs!

Northern Pintails, just hanging out!

As we headed further south, we viewed two very large icebergs from the highway. The trees in the foreground help to provide some size perspective. Finding these two was an unexpected surprise!

The following day when we headed to Bonavista, we were hoping to see an iceberg that had been reported a few days earlier. It was much smaller than expected and was breaking into smaller pieces. The boat in the photo had approximately 25 people on it.

The iceberg chunk reminds me of a bird with wings spread!

Glacial chunks washed ashore: Some locals used boats to reach the iceberg and break off pieces. Glacial Water is considered by some to be the purest source of water on earth. However, that topic is up for debate as the melted water isn't necessarily contaminant free.

A Stellar's Sea-eagle has been hanging out in North America for the past 2 years. It was on our wish list to see, but figured the challenge would be like finding a needle in a haystack. Lady luck was on our side, and the Sea-eagle was reported close to an area we planned to visit! A bit of searching down a road, while watching for parked cars helped us find this magnificent bird, normally found in Asia and Russia. When I snapped this picture, it appeared to be having a big yawn! Bald Eagles can weigh up to 14 pounds while the Stellar's Sea-Eagle can weigh up to 20 pounds!

https://www.animalmatchup.com/vs/bald-eagle-vs-steller's-sea-eagle

 Seabirds, Cliffs, and some Whales!

Black Guillemot - There is an iridescent green sheen to the head! We were sitting only 10 feet from this bird. It wasn't until I stood up to readjust on the rocks that we saw it!

Black-legged Kittiwakes were nesting on the cliff edge.

Cabot Tower on the summit of Signal Hill. Signal Hill has long been used for Observation and Communication in the North Atlantic.

Scenic view

A long way down!

Crashing waves below.

The deep, gurgling croak of the Common Raven helped me find this bird, which was partially hidden in the shadows of the rocks. Common Ravens are smart, which makes them dangerous predators. They sometimes work in pairs to raid seabird colonies. One bird will distract an incubating adult and the other grabs the egg or chick as soon as it's uncovered.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Raven/overview

I wasn't expecting to see any whales on this trip but a few Humpback Whales swam far below, past the point on Signal Hill where we were sitting.

Humpback Whales can be tracked acoustically, as they sing the most complex songs of any marine mammal and can be heard from hundreds of kilometers away! These songs are often repeated for hours by males to attract females. (Perhaps the above picture shows a mated pair??)

https://oceana.ca/en/marine-life/humpback-whale/

If it hadn't scurried nearby, I never would have noticed the Boreal Long-lipped Tiger Beetle! It was not a species I was expecting to find on the windy cliffs!

Instead of retracing our steps back to the start of the trek, we chose to continue following the trail. Miscommunication with some other hikers led us much further astray than expected.

The views were amazing! We eventually reached harbour level but our car was parked halfway up Signal Hill! Needless to say, we counted a LOT of steps that day! LOL.

Wild Lupine growing on the trail back to the top.

 Puffin Day!

It was a long drive to Elliston on the NW corner of the Avalon Peninsula, but it was definitely worth it! The site offers the closest view of Atlantic Puffins from land in North America. Hundreds of nesting pairs roost on a rocky outcrop. It only takes about 5 minutes from the parking area to walk to the best viewing point. As we headed toward the nesting grounds, a pair of Puffin Chairs welcomed us to the site!

Scenic views along the walk to the Puffins.

A sharply dressed black-and-white seabird with a huge, multi-coloured bill, the Atlantic Puffin is often called the "Clown of the Sea."

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Atlantic_Puffin/overview

They breed in burrows (visible in photo) in the North Atlantic, and winter at sea. Puffin chicks are called Pufflings. We didn't see signs of any hatched Pufflings.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Atlantic_Puffin/overview

The Atlantic Puffin is the official bird of Labrador and Newfoundland!

Time to stretch the wings!

Checking out the scenery!

The best time of year to find Atlantic Puffins is in the spring breeding season when they come to shore to nest.

Atlantic Puffins dig a shallow hole or burrow into the ground with their bill and feet. Both sexes share the task, with the male typically doing more excavation than the female. On rocky islands, they make a nest under a boulder or within a crevice among the rocks. Pieces of grass and twigs often line the bottom of the burrow. Pairs tend to reuse the burrow year after year. Puffins lay one egg which is incubated for approximately 40 days.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Atlantic_Puffin/lifehistory#nesting

Cleaning his feet after digging a burrow!

In flight, Atlantic Puffins flap their small wings frantically to stay aloft, but underwater, the wings become powerful flippers that allow the birds to catch small fish.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Atlantic_Puffin/overview

Despite the windy, rugged conditions, butterflies floated around the edges of the cliffs and occasionally stopped for a nectar break. A Short-tailed Swallowtail kindly posed for a photo! (Black Swallowtails do not live in Newfoundland.)