Trip
Information
Date: May
9 - 22, 2009
Duration: 14 days
Leader: Bryan
Gates
Limit: 12
people
Cost: TBA
From: Vancouver,
BC
Featured
Birds and Mammals:
•
Red-breasted Sapsucker
•
Black Oystercatcher
•
Black-throated Gray Warbler
•
Varied Thrush
•
Sky Lark
•
Calliope Hummingbird
•
Marbled Murrelet
•
Rhinocerous Auklet
•
Mule Deer
•
Columbian Blacktail Deer
•
Steller’s Sea Lion
•
Mountain Goat
•
Bighorn Sheep
Trip
Summary
• Moderate walking , some hiking
• Highly variable weather, possible snow in sub-alpine regions
• Good quality accommodation
• 4-8 participants with one leader, 9-12 participants with
two leaders
• One or two 15-passenger vans
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 Birding
in BC is an exciting experience among spectacular mountain scenery
and seascapes. On this tour we usually encounter about 200 species,
including Barrow's Goldeneye, Spruce (Franklin’s) Grouse, Sky
Lark, Canyon Wren, Harlequin Duck, Bald Eagle, Lewis’s Woodpecker,
Flammulated Owl and Rhinoceros Auklet amidst marvelous scenery! We
have a good chance at seeing over 20 species of mammals, from Yellow-bellied
Marmots, California Bighorn Sheep and Mountain Goats to Steller’s
Sea Lions, Killer Whales and Dall’s Porpoises. Our tour takes
us to the Pacific Coast of Vancouver Island, through the Lower Mainland
and the Fraser Valley and the Coastal Mountain range, and into the
arid Okanagan Valley, an area of coniferous mountains and dry valleys.
Our leader is a British Columbian who knows the province well. A leisurely
yet exciting and rewarding tour.
See detailed itinerary
below.
Click
here to download a list of birds from our 2007 British Columbia tour (183
KB PDF).
Click
here to download a list of birds from our 2003 BC tour.
Click here to download
a registration form
Photos: Oystercatcher
by Noam Shany, Lewis's Woodpecker by Cam Gillies
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Itinerary
Day
1 - Arrival and Orientation
The tour begins after dinner in the lobby of our hotel in Tsawwassen,
which is a 30-minute drive south of Vancouver International Airport.
Our leader(s) will meet tour participants to discuss the plans for
the tour and to answer any questions. Time permitting, we will visit
one or two nearby birding sites. Night in Tsawwassen.
Days 2 - 4 - Vancouver and the
Lower Fraser Valley
We spend the next three days exploring the many superb birding localities
in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. One morning, we visit
Queen Elizabeth Park, where large numbers of warblers, thrushes, flycatchers
and vireos stop off during migration, including Pacific-slope Flycatcher,
Black-throated Gray and Townsend’s Warblers. Resident birds include
the amusing Bushtit and Bewick’s Wren.
We visit Iona Island, a waste treatment site famous for its concentrations of
shorebirds, waterfowl and such spring rarities as Black-necked Stilt and possible
stints. We can anticipate seeing a wide variety of shorebirds here including
Western and Least Sandpipers, Short-billed and Long-billed Dowitchers, Dunlin
and Semipalmated Plover.
We travel to Westham Island in search of Barn Owls and to the Reifel Migratory
Bird Sanctuary where the mixed habitats at the refuge have supported 253 species
of birds. We should see Sandhill Crane, many species of ducks, shorebirds, lingering
winter sparrows like Fox and Golden-crowned, and possibly Peregrine Falcon. The
reserve has a large expanse of impenetrable thickets that appeal to songbirds
and we should have no problem seeing the Spotted Towhee.
The Boundary Bay area is considered by many to offer the best shorebirding in
Canada (at least 47 species, over 30 of them occurring regularly). Boundary Bay
is one of the few places south of Alaska where both species of Golden Plover
can be observed with some regularity during spring. We’ll search the bay
for these and other species including Red Knot, Dunlin, Western Sandpiper and
Black-bellied Plover. The only Far Eastern Curlew ever observed on this continent
south of Alaska was photographed at Boundary Bay—might we be as lucky?
At Blackie Spit we hunt for Caspian Tern, Sanderling, Whimbrel and possibly Long-billed
Curlew and Marbled Godwit. The latter three have spent time together at this
location in the last few years. We also visit Campbell Valley Park for a good
selection of woodland species including Western Tanager.
The area east of Vancouver hosts Pitt Meadows, a narrow valley bordered by the
Pitt River and the Coast Mountains. We may take in Minnekhada Regional Park,
which offers superb scenery and good woodland and marsh walks. In spring it is
possible to record 50 species or more in one hour along the park trail to the
Addington Marsh Lookout. We can expect to see a wide variety of waterfowl, marsh
and woodland birds including Ring-necked Duck, Marsh Wren and Sora.
Early on one day we visit Cypress Provincial Park, a wilderness area among the
North Shore mountains where we will watch and listen for Blue Grouse, Band-tailed
Pigeon, Rufous Hummingbird, MacGillivray’s Warbler, Black-headed Grosbeak
and perhaps Cassin’s and Hutton’s Vireos. Among the yellow cedars
we will look for Red-breasted Sapsucker, while throughout the park we will keep
a lookout for Gray Jay, Black Swift and Common Raven.
Finally we may stop at Stanley Park. A wide variety of passerines frequent the
park during migration including White-crowned and Golden-crowned Sparrows, Yellow-rumped
and Wilson’s Warblers, Western Wood-Pewee and Chestnut-backed Chickadee.
Marine birds and waterfowl are prevalent in the surrounding waters including
Barrow’s and Common Goldeneye, Greater and Lesser Scaup, Pelagic Cormorant,
Pigeon Guillemot, scoters and grebes. Nights in Tsawwassen.
Days 5 & 6- Vancouver Island
We begin our journey to Vancouver Island with an early departure for Tsawwassen
Ferry Terminal where we board one of the Government of British Columbia’s
island ferries, bound for Swartz Bay near Victoria. The 1.5-hour ferry ride offers
wonderful views of the Strait of Georgia and Active Pass, where we hope to see
marine species such as Common Murre, Bonaparte’s Gull, Long-tailed Duck,
Pigeon Guillemot and, perhaps, Parasitic Jaeger. Upon arrival at Swartz Bay we
meander towards Victoria, stopping at several interesting habitats, including
the Victoria Airport and Martindale Flats and Doumac Park (Sky Lark and Barred
Owl). Night in Victoria.
During the following day we visit Clover Point, Mount Tolmie Park, Esquimalt
Lagoon, Goldstream Provincial Park and the Highland District as we search for
Black Oystercatcher, Pigeon Guillemot, Marbled Murrelet, Rhinoceros Auklet, Western
Gull, Barred Owl, Western Tanager, Hutton’s Vireo, American Dipper, and
Anna’s Hummingbird. Night in Victoria.
Days 7 & 8 - Manning Park
Today we board an early ferry from Swartz Bay for our return trip to Tsawwassen
before traveling the Trans Canada Highway through the Cascade Mountains to Manning
Park. This ferry ride will give us another opportunity to search for the many
marine species that frequent the waters between Vancouver Island and the mainland,
including Pacific Loon and Brandt’s Cormorant. With luck, we could encounter
Killer Whales and both Steller’s and California Sea Lions in these waters.
And we will count the many Bald Eagles seen from the ferry. With stops along
the way, we should arrive at Manning by mid-afternoon, giving us time to check-in
before heading out for a late afternoon walk and possibly some evening owling
in hopes of finding Barred, Northern Pygmy and Great Horned Owls, and maybe even
the rare Spotted Owl. Night in Manning Park.
The next day, we will explore several trails and birding spots in the park, including
Twenty Minute Lake, Beaver Pond and Strawberry Flats, looking for migrant warblers,
shorebirds and ducks. Four species of flycatchers, Belted Kingfisher, and Lincoln’s
and Song Sparrows nest near the pond. Spruce and Blue Grouse breed in the park,
as do Three-Toed and Hairy Woodpeckers, Gray Jays and Clark’s Nutcrackers.
Night in Manning Park.
Days 9 - 12 - Southern Okanagan Valley
We leave Manning Park early in the morning, stopping at Separation and August
Lakes for waterfowl, grassland birds and Williamson’s Sapsucker. Near Keremeos
we will scan the rugged cliffs for Mountain Goats. In the afternoon, after checking
in at our motel, we will take a drive along Road 22 where we will look for Bobolink,
Wilson’s Phalarope and Long-billed Curlew. Or we may drive to Kilpoola
Lake to listen for owls and early Common Poorwills. Night in Osoyoos.
Considered by many to be one of the best birding spots in BC, Vaseux Lake lies
in close proximity to cattail marshes, antelope bush/sagebrush grasslands and
ponderosa pine forests. Bald and Golden Eagle, Bullock’s Oriole, Willow
Flycatcher, Eastern Kingbird, White-throated Swift, Canyon Wren and Lewis’ Woodpecker
can all be seen in the area, as can California Bighorn Sheep. On one afternoon,
along the Irrigation Creek Road and Venner Meadows, we will search for American
Kestrel, Western and Mountain Bluebirds and Lark Sparrow, to name but a few.
After an early morning visit to the oxbows of the Okanagan River and The Throne
(Yellow-breasted Chat, Western Meadowlark, Rock Wren, Chukar), or possibly along
the Fairview-White Lake Road, we spend the rest of the day traveling Camp McKinney
Road. Originally built to serve the Camp McKinney gold mine, this road is now
used primarily by skiers heading for Mt. Baldy. Along the road, which traverses
almost all of the habitats offered in the Okanagan, we look for Bank Swallow,
Lazuli Bunting, Dusky and Gray Flycatcher, Brown Creeper, and White-breasted
Nuthatch. Woodpeckers here include Pileated, Three-toed, Black-backed and, if
we are extremely lucky, White-headed. Nights in Osoyoos.
Day 13 - The Kelowna Area
During our drive to Kelowna, we stop at several good birding spots including
Hardy Falls, Robert Lake and Alki Lake. We can expect to see Calliope Hummingbird,
Pygmy Nuthatch, Red Crossbill and Red-naped Sapsucker, and possibly American
Avocet, among the many other species present at this time of year. After lunch,
we travel back to Vancouver through the mountains and forests of the Coquihalla
Highway, watching for moose, mule deer, black bears, coyotes and more birds.
Night in Tsawwassen.
Day 14 - Departure
Our trip concludes in Tsawwassen after breakfast.
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