Surrounded by water and blessed with short, mild winters, Greater Victoria is a birder's paradise. More than 380 species have been recorded in the region!
A visiting birder can reasonably expect to sight up to 150 species during a three-week stay. Many species make Greater Victoria their home for some part of the year, including bald eagles and the critically endangered North American sky lark. The best birding happens during the spring and fall migrations, but hundreds of species live in the region year-round, so any time's a good time for birding in Victoria.
Some top bird watching spots in and near Victoria include Blenkinsop Lake, Witty's Lagoon Regional Park, Swan Lake, Esquimalt Lagoon, East Sooke Regional Park, Goldstream Provincial Park, Island View Beach Regional Park, and Ogden Point/Dallas Road.
Blenkinsop Lake
While the birding is good year-round at Blenkinsop Lake, it's at its peak from May to September when migratory birds are in residence. Some of the species on view during these months are: green herons, black-headed grosbeaks, warbling vireos, yellow warblers, tree swallows and spotted sandpipers.
During the winter months, birders are likely to see a number of duck species, trumpeter swans, bald eagles, peregrine falcons, red-tailed hawks and great blue herons. Blenkinsop Bridge provides one of the best vantage points for birding at the lake. At the north entrance to the bridge, there are interpretive signs to help identify many of the birds. Blenkinsop Lake is a 20-minute drive north from downtown Victoria.
Witty's Lagoon Regional Park
Witty's Lagoon Regional Park teems with birdlife every month of the year. More than 160 species have been documented in the area, including rare belted kingfishers, orange-crowned warblers and dark-eyed juncos.
Almost any place near water in this park makes a good birding vantage point: around the lagoon itself the species on view are simply too numerous to name, while on the tidal flats birders may spot great blue herons, western sandpipers and other shorebirds as well as bald eagles.
Enrich the experience of Witty's Lagoon by visiting the park's Nature Centre, which provides brochures and interpretive displays on the lagoon's natural and cultural history. Witty's Lagoon Regional Park is a 35-minute drive west from downtown Victoria via Highway 1A.
Swan Lake
The birding is excellent year-round at Swan Lake, but it's particularly good in late winter/early spring when the lake floods and expands into a wide, waterfowl-welcoming marsh. The fall migration also brings birds to the lake in great numbers, and don't discount visiting in winter when great blue herons, pied-billed grebes and other waterfowl are in residence.
Swan Lake offers excellent viewing conditions: surrounded by fields and hedgerows, a 250m/820ft floating boardwalk runs through it, while floating wharves and bird blinds facilitate up-close viewing.
Enrich the experience of Swan Lake by visiting its Nature House, which features interpretive displays, a native-plant garden, a live bee "house" and a natural history reading room. There are also interpretive signs along the boardwalk to help identify bird species. Swan Lake is a 10-15 minute drive north from downtown Victoria.
Esquimalt Lagoon
Esquimalt Lagoon is a federally designated migratory bird sanctuary. Double-crested cormorants and other shorebirds use an island in the middle of the lagoon for a favourite roosting place.
At low tide, gulls lounge in great numbers on several exposed gravel bars. Look carefully to spot Heerman's, Bonaparte's, ring-billed or California gulls lounging among more common species. Listen for Northern flickers or Steller's jays. Eagles, turkey vultures and Cooper's hawks swoop overhead from time to time.
The best time for viewing is during the spring and fall, when migratory birds take up residence. At these times, expect to see black oystercatchers, black-bellied plovers, sanderlings, killdeers and myriad other species. Esquimalt Lagoon is a 25-minute drive west from downtown Victoria via Highway 1A.
East Sooke Regional Park
East Sooke Regional Park is one of the best places in the region for viewing raptors. Put in a dedicated effort at the right time of year and it's possible to log up to 13 raptor species!
Southbound red-tailed hawks and turkey vultures stage at Beechey Head in the park from mid-September to late October. At times, it's possible to see flocks of up to 1,000 turkey vultures flying over the hills toward Juan de Fuca Strait.
Other raptors stage here, too: peregrine falcons, merlins, American kestrels, osprey and bald eagles. With a sharp eye and a little luck, birders might catch sight of a golden eagle or a rough-legged hawk. East Sooke Regional Park is a 1-hour drive west of Victoria via Highway 14.
Goldstream Provincial Park
Bald eagles are the avian stars of Goldstream Provincial Park. They return here annually to feed on the salmon spawning in Goldstream River. While December is the peak time for sighting eagles, the viewing is excellent anytime from mid-November through January.
A video feed and telescopes in the Visitor Centre provide clear, close views of the eagles' activities. The centre also has a life-sized bald eagle nest on display and naturalists on hand at all times to answer visitors' questions. Goldstream Provincial Park is a 25-minute drive northwest of downtown Victoria via Highway 1.
Island View Beach Regional Park
Seabirds and shorebirds are the main birding attractions at Island View Beach Regional Park. In spring and fall, watch migratory seabirds, some of them endangered, grazing in the grass or probing for worms and clams in the sand. Be quiet and step lightly: the shorebirds need to build their strength before and after long migrations; some also lay eggs on the ground. A few species of interest in the park are: Brant geese, oystercatchers, short-eared owls, Northern harriers, shrikes and various types of marine ducks.
From the parking lot, head north along the beach, taking one of the access trails through the fore-dunes. Return by way of the inland trail through the old salt marsh and back-dunes. Island View Beach Regional Park is a 30-minute drive north from downtown Victoria via Highway 17.
Ogden Point/Dallas Road
Birds are the wildlife most in evidence at the intersection of Ogden Point and Dallas Road. Start out from Ogden Point and walk toward Clover Point for the best chance of sighting Caspian terns and red-backed phalaropes. Also watch for alcids, black oystercatchers, Heermann's gulls and harlequin ducks.
The birding is good at any time of year here. black oystercatchers and harlequin ducks, for example, are permanent residents. Interested in Heermann's Gulls? Visit in late summer. For rhinoceros auklets, go in spring. Tufted puffins may be seen from late June to early July. September through early October is the best time to view common terns and parasitic jaegers.
Ogden Point/Dallas Road is a 5-minute drive from downtown Victoria, within walking distance of the Inner Harbour.
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