While hundreds of thousands of resident seagulls — from the common glaucous-wing variety with a big yellow bill to the black ring-billed seagull — gulp down the junk food we toss them and then reel over the waterfront in a dazzling display of joyous aggression, this region’s location at the mouth of a great river allows it to support many more species.
The best place to see a concentration of songbirds, shorebirds, waterfowl, roosting owls — and, in late autumn, incredible flocks of migrating snow geese — is the George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary (5191 Robertson Road, Westham Island, Delta, 604-946-6980). Comprising 890 acres at the very mouth of the tremendous Fraser River, this is not only a primary spring and autumn stopover for birds winging it in every direction, but also a rich, pristine natural setting intertwined with peaceful walking paths.
Those who take their birds where they find them can lean on the considerable resources of the Vancouver Natural History Society (604-737-3074, www.naturalhistory.bc.ca). The group was founded in 1918 by a Scottish botanist, John Davidson, who laid the foundations of gardening in BC. Today, a large membership hosts regular hikes and naturalist outings, including bird-watching in locations such as waterfowl-rich Boundary Bay and Queen Elizabeth Park, which is warbler territory. For super-serious birders, a Bird Alert (same phone number) reports precise sightings of rare or out-of-season species
perhaps a gaggle of oyster catchers at Spanish Banks or an American black duck in Lost Lagoon.
Many people come to this part of the world solely to witness the largest concentration of eagles anywhere in North America, along the Squamish River near the village of Brackendale, north of Squamish (Highway 99 from Horseshoe Bay). Between November and January, you’re assured of seeing hundreds of bald-headed eagles sitting in clusters in the towering trees on the far bank, and diving for spawning salmon in the cascading river.
If standing and gawking isn’t enough, Canadian Outback Adven¬tures (604-921-7250, www.canadianoutback.com) hosts a two- to three-hour float down the river, giving you an intimate view of these huge birds. The company supplies all the wet-weather gear, and winds up the event with a lunch at a nearby pub.
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