Bird Watching
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Every day out on the water we are viewing birds and learning.
Much of our local area in the region of Broughton Strait,
Johnstone Strait and Queen Charlotte Strait is steep and rocky
with habitats that include forested and rocky islands, rocky
shores, estuaries, sheltered bays, kelp and eel grass beds,
tidal upwellings, mud flats, and open marine waters.
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| The Broughton Archipelago |
Fresh and salt water mixing along with levels of ocean turbulence
enhances plankton growth. This in turn supports an abundance
and variety of fishes, snails, eels, clams and crustaceans
which provide food for birds. As a result the region is a
critical area in the world for water birds throughout the
year.
Over a 100 species of marine birds, from numerous countries
and three continents breed, migrate and / or spend the winter
here.
Throughout the months that we operate our whale watching and
marine wildlife viewing tours, we get to view a variety of
seabirds.
Birds common to the area year round that we see daily while
on tour: Bald Eagles (their nests and Eaglets when hatched)
Great Blue Herons, Pelagic Cormorants, and gulls: Bonaparte's,
Mew, Herring and Glaucous-Winged.
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| Red-necked Phalarope |
Other species we see over the summer months include: Harlequin
Ducks, Surf Scoters, White-Winged Scoters, Black Oyster Catchers,
Common Murres, Pigeon Guillemots, Marbled Murrelets, Rhinoceros
Auklets, Belted Kingfishers, Red-Necked Phalaropes,
Herring and Bonaparte's Gulls, Surf, White-Winged and Black
Scoters.
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| juvenile Bald Eagle |
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The month of September brings
greater numbers of birds. Of special interest are the arrival
of large flocks of Sooty Shearwaters stopping
to feed and rest before continuing on their journey south,
where they will breed off the coast of Australia and New Zealand.
Large gatherings of Common Murre, Rhinoceros Auklets, Surf
and White-Winged Scoters will also be viewed at this time.
In Fall, Winter and Spring we continue to Bird Watch!
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| Lesser Yellowlegs and Gull |
From our accommodations 'On the Beach' we are rewarded with the sight and activity of water birds, river otters, mink, harbour seals and ocassionally humpback whales, resident and transient orcas and minke whales.
Most common bird species to be seen in November through April are Pelagic Cormorants, Double-Crested Cormorants, Great Blue Herons, Buffleheads, Barrow's Goldeneye, Common Goldeneye, Common Mergansers, Hooded Mergansers, Red-Breasted Mergansers, Harlequin Ducks, Common Loons, Pacific Loons, Red-Necked Grebes, Western Grebes, Herring and Bonaparte's Gulls a few Greater and Lesser Scaups.
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| Great Blue Heron |
Belted Kingfishers are frequently observed diving for small
fish from the piling out in front of the suite, as well, Great
Blue Herons often frequent our dock and pilings and when the
tides are low, they can be seen fishing on the shore.
The Ecological Park is a unique place from which to view
birds year round. The sound of Woodpeckers working on the
dead Cedar trees of the Ecological Park are wonderful and
Bald Eagles can be viewed sitting high on top of the cedar
trees.
A dedicated bird watcher or amateur naturalist may well find
a visit to Cormorant Island fascinating and enjoyable.
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