Autumn Colours of New England

New England, on the north-east coast of the United States, is justifiably famous for its wonderful display of autumn colours that occurs with the onset of ‘fall’. From vivid reds and oranges through to bright yellows and darker shades of purple, the broadleaved forests of northern North America turn a kaleidoscope of colours as the air turns crisp with the change of season. This tour is not only timed for this annual colouring, but will also go in search of the birds, mammals and other wildlife that call the forests home. We hope to encounter some of the region's most famed inhabitants, amongst them Beaver, Moose, White-tailed Deer and, with a little luck, Black Bear. With the southbound passage of migrant birds well under way in September, there will be time to enjoy the challenge of identifying a confusing array of warblers, vireos and sparrows, as well as plenty of less perplexing species such as Dark-eyed Junco, Northern Cardinal, Blue Jay and American Robin.

We begin our holiday with a direct flight to Boston, where we will spend some time in the city before heading to our accommodation to the north. The following morning, we will drive further north along the coast of Maine to either the Bristol or St George Peninsula. En route we may stop at Scarborough Marsh, whose tidal saltwater creeks and freshwater marshes attract a wealth of wildfowl and wading birds, amongst them Baird’s, White-rumped and Stilt Sandpipers.

From our base along the Maine coast, we will spend a day exploring Monhegan Island, lying 11 miles off the coast. Covering barely a square mile, this diminutive island provides an important stopover for migrant birds and, with our visit coinciding with the autumn migration, we can hope to see an interesting variety of warblers, vireos, flycatchers and other passerines such as Blackburnian, Cape May, Wilson’s and Blackpoll Warblers, Philadelphia and Warbling Vireos, Alder Flycatcher and many more, as well as several species of raptor. In addition to the birds, we should also see good numbers of migrant Monarch butterflies, as they begin to make their way south to the mountains of central Mexico.

Continuing our journey north, we next travel to the stunning Acadia National Park, on Mount Desert Island, where we will be based for the next two nights. The park is home to a rich assemblage of mammals and birds and as we explore the trails we may see White-tailed Deer, Eastern Chipmunk, Raccoon and Eastern Coyote, as well as such birds as Gray Jay, Boreal Chickadee and Spruce Grouse. We will also make an evening visit to 'Beaver Pond' and look in adjacent coastal bays for Common Loons (Great Northern Divers) and perhaps a Bald Eagle passing overhead. On another day we will head out to sea on a whale-watching cruise, hoping in particular to see Humpback, Minke and Fin Whales as they feast in these waters before their migration south. Seabirds to look out for include Wilson''s Petrel, Great Shearwater and Puffin.

After spending our first five nights on the coast, we next head inland, travelling north-west to Lake Umbagog, which straddles the state line between Maine and New Hampshire. This area marks the transition from deciduous to evergreen boreal forest and, during our three days here, we will search for Moose by boat and from our vehicle, as well as look for other mammals such as American Mink, Striped Skunk, Raccoon and Eastern Coyote. For the final part of our holiday, we will drive south-west to New Hampshire where we will be based for three nights in the White Mountains, part of the northern Appalachians. During our time here we will travel to the top of the range’s highest summit, Mount Washington (1,917 metres) to enjoy the colourful views and look for American Pipit and White-throated Sparrow. We will also drive along the Kancamagus Highway, famous for spectacular vistas and superb autumn colours. 

We end our holiday with a visit to Walden Pond, made famous by Thoreau, who travelled there along quiet back-roads in the mid-19th century. The tranquillity of the Pond offers a last chance to reflect on the excellent New England hospitality (muffins and pancakes galore!), the superb fall colours of the Sugar and Red Maples, Red Oaks and Yellow Birches and, perhaps, as Thoreau did 160 years before us, reflect on a ‘simple life in the woods’ before it is time to return to Boston for our journey home.