Newfoundland is a fantastic spot to visit for rare birds any time of year, but unusual birds are prolific in winter. Rafts of Dovekies fairly close to shore are frequent sights. Thick-billed Murre, Purple Sandpiper, King and Common Eider, Surf Scoter, and Long-tailed Duck are also frequent visitors. But many other birds, like Yellow-legged Gull, Lesser Black-backed, and Iceland Gull appear. What's truly amazing is we'll likely spot not just one or two of these birds, but flocks of 20 or more.

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Newfoundland is very quiet in the winter months, with few tourists visiting. Short days allow plenty of time to explore the town of St. John's in the evening, where you’ll quickly understand this is a different culture.

You’ll feast on locally caught seafood in delightful small restaurants. The weather in Newfoundland in January is generally cold but not bitter. Daytime highs often reach the low 40s, and sub-zero nights are rare, with the Atlantic Ocean serving as an excellent temperature moderator.

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We'll keep an eye out for reports of other rarities. Given St. John's proximity to numerous hotspots, our chances of getting to where unusual birds are are high. Glaucous and Ivory Gulls are birds that occasionally show up in winter months.

There are plenty of birds on land to keep us busy too, and those we'll search for include Snowy Owl, Willow Ptarmigan, Boreal Chickadee, and Bohemian Waxwing. Redwings also appear fairly often in the area.

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Lakes around St. John's usually present enough open water to provide valuable habitat for waterfowl. Eurasian wigeons are frequent visitors and as many as 30 Tufted Ducks may rest on the waters at Qidi Vidi Lake.