I am making a trip over to the mainland to go to Reifel and Boundary Bay. Shockingly, I haven't been to Boundary Bay before. From what I can gather the best access is at the end of 72nd St. Can someone confirm this? Is there a better direction to walk on the dyke/trail?

I am hoping the Snowy Owls are still hanging out - it would be a real treat to see one. And no, I won't be chasing and harassing them. I will be the one on the trail/dyke with the shiny new scope

Also, does anyone know what is being seen at Reifel lately? I hear that Common Redpoll is popping up all over the mainland, but I am not sure if they are possible at Reifel.

Thanks,

Christina Ball
Victoria, BC

Hi Christina,
I was at Boundary Bay last Friday and there was 32 Owls there. 72nd St. is the best access, follow it right to the water and you will come to a bit of a parking lot but it was quite full but there is lots of room to park on the side of the road. The Owls were less than a minutes walk from the big sign, just go up to the trail and turn right and they were right there. They were very close to the trail so there is no need to go into the marsh and when I was there everyone except 2 people were being very respectful of the Owls. The Owls seemed to actually be enjoying all the attention.
I didn't get over to Reifel's but a lady that I spoke to at Boundary Bay said that other than Snow Geese it had been very quiet over there.
I hope you have a great day, I really did, you won't be sorry you made the trip.

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Keith MacDonald,
Nanaimo
http://www.flickr.com/photos/keithmacsphotos/
http://www.kmacsphotos.com

Don't think you will need a scope unless you want to see just it's eye.

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Mike Baker

http://mikebakerphotography.zenfolio.com/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/canonshooterman/

I was just there yesterday and maybe because people have really started to respect the area the owls are just beside the trails, I counted 15 that were close to each other. There were also some golden crowned sparrows, uncommon to the area so hopefully you'll still see them when you visit. If you go today, there might be some traffic because a movie is being filmed, just before the airport (railroad track). If its not too busy check the park beside it, lots of eagles in that area

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Location: Vancouver
My Flickr page : http://www.flickr.com/photos/juvethski/

I just went there today and the filming is done, so no traffic in that regard.

It was nice in the morning having a bit of snow on the ground with the snowies, but there were significantly less of them around so maybe they're leaving now.

Also way less photographers there today too. I was there on Thursday morning and there was probably 30+ photogs in the marsh. Today it was just myself in the marsh.

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My Site: www.millionflame.com
Birding Gear: Canon 7D and Sigma 150-500mm OS

On my third visit February 1 at foot of 72nd street along the dyke I counted 34 Snowy Owls, all bar a few were within 50 feet of the dyke. Don't see why other photographers with 300+ mm lens have to go on the marshlands and come in behinds them. The owls are here due to a shortage of food.

Canon 7d 100-400mm.

Hi all,
This is a bit off topic.
Does anyone know if it's possible to get to Reifel by transit? Also is it possible to see nutchatches there? Are they common? On an average trip is it possible to see woodpeckers? What kinds?
Thanks. FJ.

Hey!

I don't believe I've ever seen a bus around there, so I'm thinking no on transit. I've seen nuthatches there quite often. I usually see them with the flocks of chickadee's. As for woodpeckers, on my last trip about a month ago I was 1 pileated woodpecker, and 1 downey. and always see at least 1 or 2 flickers.

Hope you make it out there sometime. it's i nice walk.

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John Platt
Ladner, BC.

Thanks for response John! I hope you had a great weekend I have seen pileated woodpeckers, flickers, downey and hairy woodpeckers by my house. I have bird feeders outside the huge window where I practice to inspire me. I see towhees, chesnut backed chickadees, juncos, house finches and pine siskins! I also saw a brown creeper. Today I saw a downy woodpecker, a female! I should find a way to get nuthatches to come to my tree with feeders Then I won't need to go to Reifel Sanctuary. Is there a bird feeding group or forum around in the GV area?

Thanks for answering my questions. I did take a peek at the website for reifel sanctuary today, it would be worth it for me to go to see the Sandhill Cranes! Best Wishes - FJ

I was finally able to get to boundary bay on Tuesday. I saw quite a few snowys, a short eared owl, several harriers and eagles.

I know this is an older thread but I felt compelled to answer.

Depending on the time of day and where the sun is situated in the sky it can make or break a nice photo opportunity. You'll notice the sun will be behind the photographers when they are out in the marsh. Most of the owls were facing south. They used the sun to warm themselves and the photographers wanted full frontal shots with lots of light on them. Shooting from the dyke will force you to point your lens in the direction of the sun unless you wait until much later in the day and that will ruin many a shot not counting getting the backside of the bird.

I went there a few times and walked about 10 feet off of the dyke and that was only to get myself at eye level to the owls which were off by quite a few feet. Other than that I wouldn't dream of encroaching on the birds and I didn't think too highly of the photographers with their camo outfits and lenscoated bazookas that were tramping out where they knew they shouldn't have been. I managed some nice shots with my 7D & 100-400 and didn't walk away with a guilty conscience.

I walked off the dike in November for the first time, going after a Snowy, but if i went back again i would obey the posted signs (that were not yet up when i visited) and stay on the dike.
Snowy owls are nice and all, but i would hardly consider them a challenging subject to shoot, kind of like shooting fish in a barrel, they just sit there, thus the 1000's of shots posted that look alike.

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Paul Kusmin
http://www.flickr.com/photos/revs45
http://45revs.blogspot.com

Digital (photo) Life List:
283 birds B.C. / 427 birds N.A. / 706 birds World (including NA)

Depending on where you are you can take the Canada Line and get off Bridgeport Station and catch the 620 bus and then get off at the Ladner Exchange, from there is you have the money catch a taxi to the George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary, they also have a taxi phone at the Sanctuary.

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Rob Alexander
North Vancouver
http://www.flickr.com/photos/northvanrob/

I have to add my three cents worth to this thread.

I visited the snowy owls at boundary bay on March 8. It was a beautiful day and there were many owls present, near the dyke on the drift wood and also further out on the marsh nearer the water line.

Having watched the proceedings for most of the morning, I saw birders and bird photographers watching and or taking pictures from the dyke but also out on the marsh.

I've read many posts from folks who are upset about people walking out on the marsh to view the owls but I have to admit that I really don't understand the concern. All of the people I saw out on the marsh stayed a very respectful distance away from the owls and in many cases were further away from the birds than those on the dyke.

For me the critical issue is not to harrass or make the owls uncomfortable by your presence regardless of where you are. It appeared to me that these birds have either become accustom to people or they are just not that skittish by nature. I never saw any of them fly off as a result of someone being too close to them (although I understand that there are and were some people who felt they needed to flush these owls for better pictures ) and they didn't appear to me to be uncomfortable with all the people around them. Although I have to admit that I wouldn't know what behaviours these owls would exhibit if they were in fact uncomfortable, other than flying off.

However, I did witness a couple of "confrontations" between people who got pretty animated about whether or not they were following the correct protocol or not by being out on the marsh or on the dyke. All in all it was not very pleasant to witness. Too bad that people just can't respect these wild animals, get along and appreciate the beautiful nature sitting just a few metres in front of them.

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Doug McLennan

That pretty much sums up my feelings on the affair. As much as I would love the million dollar shot I just won't do it if it entails bothering the critters.