Cape St. Mary's Ecological Reserve

One of the first things we experienced during our first time in Newfoundland was Cape St. Mary's Ecological Reserve and it turned out to be one of many of our trip's highlights.

The parking lot in front of Cape St. Mary's Ecological Reserve's Interpretive Center is a little over 2 hours drive from St. John's.

There is a scenic trail that starts at the Interpretive Center and heads to "Bird Rock."

This relatively short and relatively flat hike has been said to provide the "most accessible Northern Gannet colony in North America."

The trail has also been called the "most accessible seabird colony in North America."

It is also stated that "Cape St. Mary's is the most accessible seabird rookery in North America."

The next photograph, taken near Bird Rock, provides an idea of the distance from the interpretive center (building to right of lighthouse) to Bird Rock.

The number of birds on Bird Rock is incredible, but even more incredible is the number of additional active and noisy birds flying around Bird Rock.

Bird Rock lives up to its name.

It's almost an overwhelming experience that photographs do not adquately capture to see and hear all of these aquatic birds amidst such beautiful and colorful scenery.

Visiting Cape St. Mary's Ecological Reserve was our first activity of our first full day in Newfoundland and I cannot think of a better way to start this trip.