The forum is for information, questions and discussions about locations to go birding within British Columbia.
By alexjb497
#60025
Hi All!

I'm a young (17) British birder/photographer and will be visiting BC for the first time this summer. I am spending 3 full days in Vancouver itself before heading off to Vancouver Island and staying with a friend for 3 weeks (mainly for bears).

I was wondering if anyone on here would be able to help with some locations for my 3 days in Vancouver. I will be there from 20th-22nd August (I appreciate it is a long way off but I need to book accommodation in the city still!). I will only be able to visit places by public transport (help in this department would be greatly appreciated also) unless anyone on here would be interested/happy to guide me for a couple of days (sadly due to student budget money is a bit tight). Below I have listed a few possible targets but having never been your side of the Atlantic before virtually everything will be new/exciting so I am very much open to ideas:

~ Hummingbirds (?)
~Shorebirds (Boundary Bay/Reifel look good?)
~Steller's Jay
~Woodpeckers (?)
~Virtually anything!

I also have a weird desire to see some Racoons - looks as if Stanley Park is a good bet for these? (Along with good views of Chestnut-backed chickadee and Great Blue Heron)

Thanks in advance for all your help :D

Alex
By Fancy
#60026
Hi Alex,

For shorebirds, Reifel and Boundary Bay are definitely good choices. At Boundary Bay especially, you can see tons of migrating shorebirds, and August is a great time. Western, Least, Semipalmated, and sometimes Baird's Sandpipers etc, and then both golden-plovers, Semipalmated Plovers, and Black-bellied Plovers too. Reifel often gets some rarer shorebirds as well, but since many are from Europe, you probably wouldn't be as excited about those. :wink:

Anna's Hummingbirds will be the most common in August, and anywhere with a feeder should be good. You can often see them at Reifel, though there are better spots (Terra Nova, Van Dusen Park etc.). Rufous Hummingbirds are also quite common, but not as much as the Anna's.

Steller's Jays are quite common, though I find them fairly hit-or-miss. Maplewood Flats is probably the most reliable place for them, as are the North Shore mountains, though they are a bit of a drive (and public transit may be an issue). But, they can be rewarding, with Northern Pygmy-owls, American Dippers, and Grey Jays, too.

You should be able to find Downy Woodpeckers and Northern Flickers pretty easily. Pileated Woodpeckers are a bit tougher, though they shouldn't be too hard (again, the North Shore would be a good place, as is Pacific Spirit Park, though they aren't as reliable in the summer).

And yes, Stanley Park is a good place to see raccoons. You can hand-feed the Chestnut-backed Chickadees, and there are also usually a few Red-breasted Sapsuckers around.
Great Blue Herons will be almost guaranteed, along with Bald Eagles, Glaucous-winged Gulls, Black-capped Chickadees, Northwestern Crows, Song Sparrows… Keep an eye out for migrating flycatchers and warblers, also.

I can't help with the Island, as I'm in Vancouver, but I'm sure someone will soon enough. :) I'm sure you'll have a great time, especially if you haven't birded North American before!
By LoganLalonde
#60032
Hello Alex;

I have heard of you before, via Flickr. You have some excellent work, and I really like your unique POVs in your images!

Shorebirding - I agree with Fancy - Boundary Bay and Reifel are fantastic shorebirding places, as well as Brunswick Point. Of all of these three, if you are looking for a pure shorebirding spot, Boundary Bay is arguably the best location. The peak migratory window for almost all of the shorebirds is July to September, so your date of arrival slides in nicely. Be sure to check the tide charts, and plan to arrive for the lowering tide; one in the morning, and one in the evening, where evening is usually the best. The most productive roads at Boundary Bay are 96th street and 104th street, and both will give you good shorebirding odds. There are tons of Black-bellied Plovers ( Grey Plover ) that line the shore and the majority of the sandpipers on the mud are Westerns. Scan carefully, as there're almost always Least and Semipalmated mixed in, and Baird's as well as Pectoral are possibilities. Short-billed Dowitchers are often present, but hard to pick out, and as Fancy noted, Semipalmated Sandpipers are conspicuous as they call while in flight. There is an eminent chance at a rarity, so peruse all of the flocks closely!

For Brunswick Point, drive all of the way to the end of Ladner Trunk Road, parking in the spaces provided. From there, you can walk along the dyke southward, and shorebirds should be laid out in front of you on the vegetated islands distributed across the bay. These islands can only be revealed at low tide though.

Reifel Bird Sanctuary is arguably the best spot in the Vancouver area to bird, and for a good reason! You can ask the clerk at the front, and he/she will give you a list of the species that have been spotted there recently, and you can go from there. Birds in the refuge are varied and abundant. In August, you should run into flocks of migrating warblers, vireos, and an assortment of songbirds down the trails, as well as Downy Woodpecker and many others. The seemingly endless marshes and ponds are home to dozens of species of waterfowl including the dazzling Wood Duck, as well as the resident Sandhill Cranes, and Northern Harriers should be coursing the fields. On shallow ponds, especially in the vicinity of the famous bird tower, shorebirds should be present. Long-billed Dowitchers are usually predominant, and several species of sandpiper pass through at that time of year. Last August, ironically, I found a Ruff at Reifel with two of my good friends, who are also young birders. I know this species is probably old news for you, as you've probably seen them in England, but it's a good bird B.C.!

Steller's Jay, Hummingbirds, woodpeckers - For Steller's Jays, you simply need to get into the mountains. Cypress Mountain is a fantastic location for them, as are some parks near White Rock. Their presence is signified by their distinctive call, and their profile is unmistakable. There are two species of hummingbird that normally occur in Vancouver, Anna's and Rufous. You should have no problem with Anna's, as they are very bold and unwary birds, and it helps that they're common, but Rufous are a different story. They are another species that love the high elevations, and again, Cypress Mountain is a good place to see them. Even though they mostly have migrated south by August, I've had males executing a mating display into the last week of that month. For woodpeckers, the most common is the Northern Flicker, which are literally everywhere, and they are a bird that you just can't escape from. ;) Downy Woodpeckers are very common, and you should encounter them in any habitat with evergreens, as well as the previously mentioned Reifel Bird Sanctuary. The Red-breasted Sapsucker is striking looking woodpecker that can be found quite reliably at... Cypress Mountain - it never fails! They are tricky, but listen for their characteristic tapping, and scan up the bases of the larger evergreen trees. Hairy and American Three-toed Woodpeckers are harder than the rest, and you have to mostly journey out of Vancouver to find them.

I hope this helps you, and I can understand how hard it is to scout out birding places in another country - I was just through that for Australia. :roll: :)

I am unfortunately not from Vancouver; I'm from the Interior of B.C., so I won't be in the Lower Mainland in August.

Have a great week, and don't be afraid to fire out more questions! :D

Logan Lalonde ~ 14 years old ~ Kelowna, B.C. Canada
By alexjb497
#60074
Thank you very much both of you :-)

Reifel and Boundary Bay certainly sound good - it's just a case of finding a way to get there as they look a real pain by public transit (the former looking virtually impossible) - if it comes to it I'll just have to book a taxi.
LoganLalonde wrote:Last August, ironically, I found a Ruff at Reifel with two of my good friends, who are also young birders. I know this species is probably old news for you, as you've probably seen them in England, but it's a good bird B.C.!
Yes a reasonably common wader here in the UK. It works both ways though, I remember going to see the UK's 2nd ever Short-billed Dowitcher and 8th ever Western Sandpiper :P


Whilst the north shore mountains look great, I think I'm going to struggle to get there unfortunately.
By Guy L. Monty
#60079
Since you are going to be on the island later on in your trip, I would focus on the more common local birds and migrant shorebirds while in Vancouver, and forget about the North Shore Mountains. You will see all of the birds from the North Shore Mountains on Vancouver Island anyway.

If you can get to Stanley Park, Reifel, and Iona, in three days, you will probably be doing pretty well.

Raccoons are not too hard to find in Stanley Park if you know how to search for them. If you don't see them there, there is no shortage of them on Vancouver Island. Bears on the island are a bit more difficult in August than they are in Spring or Fall, but if you travel up island past Campbell River, you should have no problem finding a few.

Best of luck, and I'm sure you will enjoy SW BC.

Guy L. Monty
Nanoose Bay, Vancouver Island, BC
By alexjb497
#60081
Guy L. Monty wrote:Since you are going to be on the island later on in your trip, I would focus on the more common local birds and migrant shorebirds while in Vancouver, and forget about the North Shore Mountains. You will see all of the birds from the North Shore Mountains on Vancouver Island anyway.

If you can get to Stanley Park, Reifel, and Iona, in three days, you will probably be doing pretty well.

Raccoons are not too hard to find in Stanley Park if you know how to search for them. If you don't see them there, there is no shortage of them on Vancouver Island. Bears on the island are a bit more difficult in August than they are in Spring or Fall, but if you travel up island past Campbell River, you should have no problem finding a few.

Best of luck, and I'm sure you will enjoy SW BC.

Guy L. Monty
Nanoose Bay, Vancouver Island, BC
Thanks Guy. Do you know any way of doing those latter two by public transit? That seems to be my biggest difficulty at the moment!
What is the best way to search for Raccoons in SP?

I am staying near Campbell River with the intention of going further up the island for the birds so hopefully I will find some!

Alex
By birdergirl
#60084
Hard to get to reifel and Iona via bus you can take the train to templet on station in Richmond but it's a long walk to Iona from there

If I'm around I can take you to Iona and same to Reifel because after you take the bus to Ladner exchange it's an impossible walk to reifel.

The only way you can do this is by taking a taxi from temple tom station to Iona and a taxi from Ladner exchange to reifel it won't be too expensive as they are quite close car wise.

Cheers
Melissa
By Guy L. Monty
#60092
alexjb497 wrote:
Thanks Guy. Do you know any way of doing those latter two by public transit? That seems to be my biggest difficulty at the moment!
What is the best way to search for Raccoons in SP?



Alex
For the raccoons at Stanley Park, you want to be there early before the crowds are around, and you want to target places where people feed waterfowl and passerines, because they also feed squirrels and raccoons at the same spots, and if nothing else the raccoons will hang around and steal scraps. Others who live on the mainland can probably give you better advice on current sites than I can, as I haven't spent time over there for years. If you can't find any this way, look for trees which show signs of climbing, and then scan the branches for roosting coons. Generally red cedars are good candidates.

Overall, its not too difficult to find Raccoons in Stanley Park.

Guy L. Monty
Nanoose Bay, Vancouver Island, BC
By GreenJ
#60093
Hi Alex,

I agree with the previous location selections. Within Vancouver proper, Stanley Park is your best location. There's quite a variety of habitat and therefore of birds. And you'd have a hard time NOT finding a raccoon there — but be warned, they're very brazen and they do bite! They can always be found on the trail around Lost Lagoon — don't worry about having to actually search for them. If you can't get to some of the further-out locations, Jericho Beach is another good spot within Vancouver proper and which is accessible by transit.

Some of the North Shore mountains have shuttle buses from downtown Vancouver, many of which I believe are free. If you do want to go up a mountain, these might be a good option. Maplewood Flats on the North Shore is accessible by Transit, maybe a 30-45 minute bus ride from downtown Vancouver. The last time I was there I saw not only many birds, but also four deers, who walked within a few metres of where I was standing on the path, very unconcerned about my presence. So it's definitely a neat place to check out.

Boundary Bay, Reifel, and Iona are not accessible by public transit, but all three would be well worth the taxi fare and are, along with Stanley Park, the best birding locations in the Lower Mainland in my opinion.

As far as transit, Translink's website will become your best friend. Probably your most useful tool will be trip planner: http://tripplanning.translink.ca/ You can enter any departure and arrival destination (it can be a little finicky about the formatting of addresses and locations) and it will give you route options and how long it will take. I recommend researching your route before going, because I can't count how many times I've seen tourists ask the bus driver how to get somewhere and the bus driver has replied with incorrect directions.

Hope this information is helpful!
By birdergirl
#60105
You won't have a problem finding Racoons in Stanley park

Best area is around lost lagoon

Unfortunately many people feed them there even though they aren't supposed to and you won't miss them.

Here is a shot I got of a family there

ImageThe Walk of The Racoons by bcbirdergirl, on Flickr

Other good spots are around prospect point

Good luck and have fun on your trip to BC!

Cheers
Mel
By Birdman
#60237
Just a quick note that I don't think you should be at all worried about whether or not you will encounter a Rufous Hummingbird during your stay, they can be found at virtually any feeder or garden during the summer, although by August most of the males may have moved on so try to become familiar with the female and juvenile plumages of the species. In short, Rufous females and juveniles will have rufous wash on them, Anna's will not.

A really good spot to observe hummers in August is the community garden at Blackie Spit Park (in Surrey/Whiterock) called Dunsmuir Gardens. The plants there attract dozens of hummingbirds and you can see their beauty up close. It's also not a bad place for some other common species.
By alexjb497
#67417
This seems like so long ago, but 2 weeks today I will be in BC :D
Having looked at all the options, I will probably visit Stanley Park, Boundary Bay and Reifel and then possibly some other spots depending on time. SP and BB seem fairly easy by public transport and it looks as if I'll need a taxi from Ladner exchange to Reifel.

Is there anywhere at this time of year that might have Belted Kingfisher?

And finally, not bird related but are there any butterfly species I should be on the look out for and any good spots for them?

Cheeers,

Alex
#67442
Hi Alex,

In Victoria there are many great birding spots. I have compiled a small list in the following post of what are, in my opinion, the best birding locations in the Victoria region and a short explanation why I think so.

Saanichton Spit, Island View Beach--Located about 10 kilometers south of the Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal, this is a great place to see various shorebird species in migration (especially saanichton spit). Also, check behind the beach in the dunes and shrubs for various sparrows, northern flicker, chestnut-backed chickadee (if you hadn't seen some already), Cedar Waxwings (a very pretty bird, in my opinion), and various raptors (red-tailed Hawks, coopers and sharp-shinned, Ospreys, Bald Eagle, Turkey vulture, Merlin, etc.). You might even be lucky enough to spot a rare gull or a caspian tern. Don't forget to scan off shore for sea ducks and cormorants as well.

Mount Tolmie: In my opinion, this birding location is only worthwhile checking out in migration seasons. Located just south of UVIC, on Cedar Hill Cross Road at Gordan Head Road, this birding location, during migration, often turns about a wide array of passerines. You can also see lots of raptors, most notably turkey vulture, all year round, however especially pronounced in late August to October. I think it is definitely worthwhile for you to check out (there is regular bus service to get into the area).

Goldstream: I haven't been there for awhile but I have been birding there before. It is a good place for finding birds of the forest (you have a good chance of seeing Stellers Jays. I believe there are also a few Golden Eagles there, which are rare here on Vancouver Island in most places. It might be out of season (however I think they are year-round residents), but you might be able to see an American Dipper or two by the river. Don't forget to keep your eyes out for owls (great horned, barred, saw-whet). It is worthwhile to walk on the hiking paths that enter the park instead of just staying around the river: less people more birds on the paths! Transportation might be an issue, but there is probably bus transit running to Goldststream road or even the parkway that leads into the campground.

Swan Lake: Swan Lake is a great place too, although you have to know where to look and it is a bit difficult to explain. Simply put, check in the reeds on the boardwalks near the nature house for various wrens, and the occaisional American Bittern, Sora or Virgina Rail. Check the shrubs for warblers (Palm Warblers are always a possibility). Check the lake for ducks such as American coots (a very neat bird) and the occaisional shorebird (most likely least or western sandpiper, either yellowlegs are possible). I have been told that there are barn owls on one of the paths near the nature sanctuary but it is hard to explain where. My advice: ask a birdwatcher, if you see one there, they will probably be glad to show you. Swan Lake is also wonderful beacause of its proximity to Downtown, where I assume you are staying. Biking is very easy, as you can get there along the galloping goose in 20 minutes at a moderate pace (it is 5-6 kilometers away from downtown on that path). Public transit is also abundant in the region, so you won't have troubles getting there.

I would like to hear anyone else's input.

I wish you luck on all your birding expeditions in British Columbia; I hope that when you depart back for the UK you will have lots of new birds added to your life list.

Thanks,

Noah

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