Life

15 amazing birds spotted around Vancouver

by Stephen Hui on November 14th, 2013 at 9:19 AM
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      Did you know that Metro Vancouver is home to three important bird areas? The Fraser River estuary, English Bay and Burrard Inlet, and the Greater Vancouver watershed have each earned the internationally recognized designation.

      Indeed, there's an incredible diversity of birds in the Lower Mainland. Here's 15 amazing examples of these winged creatures, all spotted in southwestern British Columbia.

       

      1. American coot

      George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary, Delta.
      Stephen Hui

       

      2. Clark's nutcracker

      Lightning Lake campground, E.C. Manning Provincial Park.
      Stephen Hui

       

      3. Cooper's hawk

      Vanier Park, Vancouver.
      Stephen Hui

       

      4. Dark-eyed junco

      Stawamus Chief Provincial Park, Squamish.
      Stephen Hui

       

      5. Great blue heron

      George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary, Delta.
      Stephen Hui

       

      6. Grouse

      Black Tusk Meadows, Garibaldi Provincial Park.
      Stephen Hui

       

      7. Lesser snow geese

      George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary, Delta.
      Stephen Hui

       

      8. Northern pintail

      George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary, Delta.
      Stephen Hui

       

      9. Red-shafted northern flicker

      Kitsilano, Vancouver.
      Stephen Hui

       

      10. Red-winged blackbird

      George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary, Delta.
      Stephen Hui

       

      11. Song sparrow

      Conservation Area at Maplewood Flats, North Vancouver.
      Stephen Hui

       

      12. Spotted towhee

      Conservation Area at Maplewood Flats, North Vancouver.
      Stephen Hui

       

      13. Whiskey jack

      Taylor Meadows campground, Garibaldi Provincial Park.
      Stephen Hui

       

      14. Wood duck

      George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary, Delta.
      Stephen Hui

       

      15. Yellow warbler

      Spruce Bay Beach, E.C. Manning Provincial Park.
      Stephen Hui

       

      If you're interested in getting into birdwatching, I recommend finding a copy of the book Birds of Southwestern British Columbia (Heritage House) by Richard Cannings, Tom Aversa, and Hal Opperman. The George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary in Delta and the Conservation Area at Maplewood Flats in North Vancouver are two of the best local spots for viewing birds.

      Comments

      5 Comments

      Anon

      Nov 14, 2013 at 9:20pm

      Nice shots, especially the Lesser Snow Geese! We're fortunate to have an abundance of birds in the area. I hope it stays that way.

      Kitz

      Nov 15, 2013 at 1:00am

      There are a few more that are missing from this list. All of which I have personally seen around the UBC Campus. The Stellar Jay, Cider Waxwing, and the Varied Thrush.

      there are also

      Nov 15, 2013 at 1:18am

      kinglets (gold and red), stellar's jays, ravens, many types of owls - snowy, barn, etc., bush tits, chickadees, purple finches, golden finches, eagles (bald, golden), hawks...

      look up their pictures - amazing.

      Rob Ford

      Nov 15, 2013 at 8:49am

      Birds!

      terry slack

      Apr 25, 2014 at 9:10pm

      I am going for the Belted Kingfisher as number 16 ! How could we leave them out ! Terry