We checked out of the B&B in St. Johns and made our way to Cape St. Mary’s. Good thing we got an early start because the drive took longer than expected. That's what happens when you have a photo nut in the car pleading you to stop every 15 min. so they can capture yet another beautiful view. (and then there was the *almost* running out of gas incident in the most remote spot after visiting the Rocky River Fishery.)
Once we arrived in St. Brides where we were staying, we checked in and hurried out to visit one of the main reasons for this trip: The Cape St. Mary's Ecological Reserve which is located at the southwest tip of the Avalon Peninsula surrounded on three sides by the Atlantic Ocean. Since 1983 this irreplaceable natural treasure has been strictly protected as a provincial Ecological Reserve.
The walk to "Bird Rock" is 1.4 km of rough terrain from the Interpretive Centre. So at 1pm....carrying all the heavy gear we walked past the grazing sheep, sheer cliffs most well over 100 metres and colorful wildflowers following the trail that would lead us to the largest accessible gannet colony in Newfoundland.(second largest in North America).
Cape St. Mary’s has:
Gannets 11,000+ nesting pairs
Common Murre 10, 000+ nesting pairs
Black-Legged Kittiwake 10, 000+ nesting pairs
Razorbill 150+ nesting pairs
Black Guillemot 60+ nesting pairs
Thick-Billed Murre 1,000+ nesting pairs
Also: Cormorants, Water Pipits, Horned Larks, Ravens, Bald Eagles,
We came across the top of the trail and I got my first glimpse of Bird Rock, a sea stack only 32 feet from the main body of the Cape St. Mary’s headland and rising 100 metres from the ocean.
I don't even know what to say.
What a surreal sight.....one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. Thousands of seabirds nesting and raising their young. There should have been a no vacancy sign as every inch of the rock was completely packed with the beautiful gannets. They were gliding and flying amongst the steep cliffs and above our heads, plummeting into the ocean to feed.
I setup my cameras…..and forced myself to walk over to the rock right at the edge of the cliff. I setup my tripod and now I was ready to take some shots. Then I looked down.
BIG MISTAKE.
Instantly my knees went wobbly, I started getting lightheaded and I froze with fear. I couldn’t get my legs to move and I realized that I had a problem. There was no way I could shoot from the rock now that I’ve looked down and seen the cliff I’m perched on…..but I also know I’m going to have a hard time getting off the rock and back onto the top of the grassy area where at least I felt a bit braver. I accepted a helping hand and was relieved to be off the rock. I sat down with the tripod and once I was sitting, I found that I felt more stable.
The noise from the birds was deafening at times and I thought at one point it had started raining. It wasn’t rain. I wipe my face and see bird crap on my hand. I look at my camera equipment and bags….more bird crap. EVERYWHERE. Oh well…..that wasn’t going to stop me. The fog started rolling in at about 8pm and we left just before 9pm and went to grab dinner at one of the only places we could find….The Gannet’s Nest. We arrived just before they were closing and were lucky that they were willing to feed us! Especially since we were covered in bird crap and must have caused some raised eyebrows!
Once we arrived in St. Brides where we were staying, we checked in and hurried out to visit one of the main reasons for this trip: The Cape St. Mary's Ecological Reserve which is located at the southwest tip of the Avalon Peninsula surrounded on three sides by the Atlantic Ocean. Since 1983 this irreplaceable natural treasure has been strictly protected as a provincial Ecological Reserve.
The walk to "Bird Rock" is 1.4 km of rough terrain from the Interpretive Centre. So at 1pm....carrying all the heavy gear we walked past the grazing sheep, sheer cliffs most well over 100 metres and colorful wildflowers following the trail that would lead us to the largest accessible gannet colony in Newfoundland.(second largest in North America).
Cape St. Mary’s has:
Gannets 11,000+ nesting pairs
Common Murre 10, 000+ nesting pairs
Black-Legged Kittiwake 10, 000+ nesting pairs
Razorbill 150+ nesting pairs
Black Guillemot 60+ nesting pairs
Thick-Billed Murre 1,000+ nesting pairs
Also: Cormorants, Water Pipits, Horned Larks, Ravens, Bald Eagles,
We came across the top of the trail and I got my first glimpse of Bird Rock, a sea stack only 32 feet from the main body of the Cape St. Mary’s headland and rising 100 metres from the ocean.
I don't even know what to say.
What a surreal sight.....one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. Thousands of seabirds nesting and raising their young. There should have been a no vacancy sign as every inch of the rock was completely packed with the beautiful gannets. They were gliding and flying amongst the steep cliffs and above our heads, plummeting into the ocean to feed.
I setup my cameras…..and forced myself to walk over to the rock right at the edge of the cliff. I setup my tripod and now I was ready to take some shots. Then I looked down.
BIG MISTAKE.
Instantly my knees went wobbly, I started getting lightheaded and I froze with fear. I couldn’t get my legs to move and I realized that I had a problem. There was no way I could shoot from the rock now that I’ve looked down and seen the cliff I’m perched on…..but I also know I’m going to have a hard time getting off the rock and back onto the top of the grassy area where at least I felt a bit braver. I accepted a helping hand and was relieved to be off the rock. I sat down with the tripod and once I was sitting, I found that I felt more stable.
The noise from the birds was deafening at times and I thought at one point it had started raining. It wasn’t rain. I wipe my face and see bird crap on my hand. I look at my camera equipment and bags….more bird crap. EVERYWHERE. Oh well…..that wasn’t going to stop me. The fog started rolling in at about 8pm and we left just before 9pm and went to grab dinner at one of the only places we could find….The Gannet’s Nest. We arrived just before they were closing and were lucky that they were willing to feed us! Especially since we were covered in bird crap and must have caused some raised eyebrows!
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