Somass Estuary in the Alberni Valley on Vancouver Island, British Columbia.

I recently ran across a couple at Victoria Quay in Port Alberni. They had the tell-tale sign of a birder and a visitor – binoculars hanging from their necks and hanging around the signs by the Somass River. I approached them and they started asking about how to get to the bird sanctuary on the other side.

I’ve written about the sanctuary, that is, the Somass Estuary Project before on my blog (A Birder’s Site Guide for the Somass Estuary, Vancouver Island) but I realized, in talking to them, that there are quite a number of other places to find birds in the Valley. Here are my top five birding locations in the Alberni Valley.

1. The Somass Estuary

This area is an excellent place to look for birds. It is best in the winter when the waterfowl are wintering. However summer birding is also good. For a detailed guide to it you can follow the link provided above.

Trail access into the Somass Estuary, Alberni Valley, Vancouver Island, British Columbia.

2. Kitsuksis Dyke

This is the most easily accessible spot where you can find decent birding in the Alberni Valley. Kitsuksis Creek flows into the Somass River just beside the Clutesi Haven Marina which you drive by on Highway 4 on your way to the West Coast. The easiest way to visit is to take the right fork just after the little bridge over the creek and park just past the restaurant on the right.

Kitsuksis Dyke, Port Alberni, Vancouver Island, British Columbia.

I have created a map from Google to show the route. The entire route is paved and located on a dyke that was created after the tsunami in 1964. I have marked the main route in red. In green are interesting alternatives. The creek is tidal up to the Gertrude Street Bridge. Across from the Marina is a swampy little wood where I suspect the beaver I often see there lives. The entire creek is lined with willow and there are wooded areas mainly on the west side of the walkway and upstream from the Gertrude Street bridge. There are two foot bridges at the top and at the bottom. Recently a trail has been built from the upstream pavement as far as the railway trestle to a little falls where a strong run of Coho now exists thanks to dedicated efforts of a salmon enhancement group.

The entire walkway is very good for warblers like Orange-crowned, Black-throated Grey and Wilson’s in the spring. In the summer, this area is one of the few areas on Vancouver Island where you can find Green Herons. And of course, there are a variety of sparrows, towhees, juncos and a resident Merlin. In the winter, it’s a good idea to walk up to the little pond where you often find Ring-necked ducks among others.

3. Burde Street Ponds

Located on the east edge of Port Alberni, there are two beautiful little ponds that I enjoy visiting at any time of year. To get to them, you need to take the left fork as you arrive in town off the hill. You will pass the Visitor Information Centre on your right. Follow the road past the West Coast General Hospital and take a left on 17th, 16th or if you miss them 15th Avenue and go a couple of blocks to Burde Street. Turn right and drive past to the 4-way stop sign and past the subdivision on your left. Look for a small parking area with a yellow gate on the left. Park here or across the street if it is full. You will be at one access point to the Log Train Trail. About 100 meters in there is a short path up off the rail grade that will take you to a good view of the lower pond. In June, it is a magnificent place when the Yellow Flag Iris is in bloom. It’s very invasive, but beautiful. This pond and the upper one are excellent places to find Wood Ducks, Bufflehead, Lesser Scaup, and Hooded Mergansers in season. From time to time, you may also see the beaver that make their home in the upper pond. Herons and Belted Kingfishers are also possible here. All along the rail grade, you will encounter a very good variety of forest birds.

Burde Street Ponds, Port Alberni, British Columbia.

After you return to the rail grade, about 100 meters further on look for a trail leading east up off the rail grade. It will take you through the older second-growth forest into a 10-year-old cut block with mostly Red Alder regenerating. The path leads up to the second pond which has a couple of good access points to see what is on the pond. The beaver lodge is easily visible and there is a short side trail to the beaver dam! The path loops back to Burde Street along the logging access road through the young alder and Douglas fir. You’ll find White-crowned Sparrows, MacGillivray’s and Orange-crowned Warblers here as well as Red-breasted Sapsucker in the older fringe of trees along the ponds.

4. McCoy Lake Area

McCoy Lake is a broad shallow lake surrounded by private property and Indian Reserve. The reserve side is undeveloped and consists of swampy bog. The west side is swampy farmland. Bring a spotting scope if you want to see what is on the lake.

McCoy Lake, Port Alberni, Vancouver Island, British Columbia.

This area is interesting in any season. The lake is one of the few places on Vancouver Island where you can reliably find Ruddy ducks in winter. The winter rains create flooding around the perimeter of the lake and attract a good variety of ducks and raptors as well as Wilson’s Snipe, and Killdeer. The open fields attract thousands of migrating Savannah Sparrows, American Pipits and sometimes interesting shorebirds like Whimbrel and Pectoral Sandpipers in the spring and fall. The summer sees good populations of four species of swallows; Violet-green, Tree, Cliff and Barn. This is partly thanks to Bill Thompson Sr. who built twenty or so swallow boxes around his house when he was alive.

To get there, drive up River Road from Port Alberni along the Somass River to the grey iron bridge. After going over the bridge look for the second left turn onto McCoy Lake Road about 500 meters further on around the bend. The road will take you up past the road to the local landfill and then the view opens up when you get to the agricultural area. The road will bend to the right. There will be a turn off onto Stirling Arm Drive. Don’t take the turn but continue straight. You will go past an old farm, across a small creek and up onto a knoll with a house on it. This is the most productive area. There are a couple of turnout spots in the area. But the whole road is a good area to walk along. You can continue along this road until you meet highway 4 again.

5. Taylor River Estuary

The Taylor River flows into the west end of Sproat Lake. The mouth of it has many side channels and sloughs. The vegetation is dominated by alder and salmonberry. Interestingly, a major part of the estuary contains a patch of deciduous old growth that survived the 1967 fire that burned the entire end of the valley. This is extremely unusual. The riparian character of the area below the river contrasts sharply with the hillsides dominated by second-growth Douglas fir. And the views of the surrounding mountains are wonderful. The bird life here is prolific in the summer months but pretty quiet during the winter.

Taylor River Estuary

Finding this area is easy. Follow Highway 4 westward out of Port Alberni. There is a turnoff to the left 20 km past the West Bay Hotel, the last commercial establishment before you get to the Tourist Info Centre at Pacific Rim. Immediately, you will have to choose between a left or right turn. Right leads to a very popular unofficial camping area. Along the road, there is a view of the mouth of the river where you may see Hooded Mergansers, Wood Ducks and perhaps a Common Loon. The dense shrubbery contains Wilson’s, Yellow, Black-throated Grey, Orange-crowned and MacGillivrays’ warblers as well as Common Yellowthroats, Warbling Vireos and even a Red-eyed Vireo if you are lucky. Going the other way takes a short distance to where the road is ditched, making any further progress by car impossible. Half a kilometer up is an old bridge. From it, you may see a Spotted Sandpiper, or Common Mergansers. A Dipper is also possible here. On the other side is a junction where the road runs back to the lake or west to Highway 4.

Back at the initial turnoff, you can also turn right and follow the road up the mountain side. This road has been deactivated and so don’t try to drive this one. However, a short walk up it leads to a rocky bluff where there is a good view of a little pond you can see from the highway. A longer hike takes you up the side of the valley to some dead trees remaining from the fire I mentioned. This area has become a good place for woodpeckers and for Band-tailed Pigeons.

There are a number of other places to bird in the Alberni Valley. Sproat Lake Provincial Park, Mulcaster Slough or Swamp, McLean Mill, and Turtle Lake are some others. In fact, there are so many lakes, swamps, bluffs, and trails around the area that you are bound to find some other interesting places on your own. These places are offered just to get you started.

About the Contributor:

Long-time Vancouver Island resident, Sandy McRuer, runs Rainbird Excursions, an ecotourism and sightseeing business in the Port Alberni & Qualicum Beach area. He is an ex-forester and avid birder. More of his images can be found on Flickr.

Herring roe on fucus, a nutritional meal for many birds and animals. Photo © Guy Monty.

Each year herring spawns around Vancouver Island, British Columbia in early March. This year is no exception. Last week, I heard that the herring were spawning near French Creek between Parksville and Qualicum Beach. This area has traditionally been one of the most important spawning areas on the British Columbia Coast. The spawn attracts tens of thousands of sea birds, as well as seals, and sea lions. It is a real spectacle!

In some ways, it is the foundation of all the ocean life around Vancouver Island. Herring is the most populous fish in the ocean here. It has the largest biomass too. And the wildlife knows this and depends on the fecundity of the herring spawn.
One of the birds that depend on it is a little sea goose called the Brant (Branta bernicla). Smaller than our familiar Canada Goose, it sports a black head and neck. However, the white patch is around the neck not under the chin. It starts arriving on the shores of the Vancouver Island in late February in time to feed on eelgrass that is impregnated with herring roe. This is a vital food source that will sustain them on their migration to Alaska. This little goose has inspired an annual festival, the Brant Festival where there are interpretive tours, a bird-watching competition, art shows, and a number of other events spaced across March & April.

Brant (Branta bernicla) feeding on seaweed and herring roe. Photo © Sandy McRuer.

Other sea birds that depend on herring roe are vast flocks, or rafts, of sea-ducks like Black Scoters, Surf Scoters and White-winged Scoters, Greater Scaup, Long-tailed Ducks, Mergansers, and Goldeneyes. These rafts can contain as many as 13,000 birds. They all time their migration to coincide with the spawn. They gorge on the eggs. It has been documented that Scoters, for instance, experience a significant weight gain from feeding on herring roe just prior to their migration to their breeding grounds. You can think of these large rafts of birds as a staging area before migration.

A mixed flock of Brant, gulls and ducks waiting for the spawn. Photo © Guy Monty.

Gulls also gather from all parts of the Salish Sea (Strait of Georgia), interior island lakes and the Alberni Inlet. Sorting through enormous flocks of up to 10 different species of gulls can be rewarding. Rarities like Iceland Gulls, Slaty-back Gulls, Ivory Gulls, and Glaucous Gulls show up at this time of year. Keep in mind that sorting through groups of upwards of 100,000 gulls is very time consuming and patience and a spotting scope are both required. The gulls often erupt into whirling masses of birds when a predator like a bald eagle scares them up or when the herring fleet goes to work.

Countless gulls gather in Parksville and Qualicum Bay on Vancouver Island, BC during the herring spawn. Photo © Guy Monty.

Yes, the herring fleet, another “creature” that gathers to await the spawning of these fish. It is a very controversial fishery. Old timers tell stories about how abundant the herring were even 20 years ago! They say the herring is much less abundant now and the fish are smaller. And they are disgusted to see it still happening when the abundance of the herring is a mere shadow of their former numbers.

The fishery was closed for four years starting in 1967. Before this the harvest techniques and use of the herring was primarily for rendering into fish meal and fish oil. When fishing started again, the goal was to produce high-value roe for the lucrative Japanese market.

Herring boats gather for the herring fishery. Photo © Sandy McRuer.

As a result, there are stories all over the west coast of fishermen making over $30,000 in a few days fishing for herring. It is very intense and very exciting. There are stories about herring skiffs sinking from the amount of fish they have caught! The fleet converges in one spot. Herring skiffs go out and jockey for position. Spotting planes fly overhead looking for the choicest spots. And larger buyer boats sit nearby with large signs announcing that they are willing to buy the herring on the spot.

Both residents and visitors to Vancouver Island are advised to head for Parksville and Qualicum Bay to view this wildlife spectacle. The Brant Wildlife Festival has a number of excellent events and activities in March and April that celebrate the return of the herring, the Brant, and the other birds and animals that depend on the herring spawn.

About the Contributors:

Long-time Vancouver Island resident, Sandy McRuer, runs Rainbird Excursions, an ecotourism and sightseeing business in the Port Alberni & Qualicum Beach area. He is an ex-forester and avid birder. More of his images can be found on Flickr.

Thanks to Guy Monty for additional images under a Creative Commons Licence. See more of Guy’s photography on Flickr.

]]> http://islandnature.ca/2010/03/spawning-spectacle/feed/ 0 http://islandnature.ca/2010/02/rainfall-on-the-wet-coast/ http://islandnature.ca/2010/02/rainfall-on-the-wet-coast/#comments Sun, 28 Feb 2010 15:00:31 +0000 Sandy McRuer http://islandnature.ca/?p=182

It's always a good idea to bring an umbrella.

One of the questions I often get asked is, “How much does it rain on Vancouver Island? Good question. After all, we live here in a temperate rainforest. And the answer, of course, is “It varies!” But it is a considerable amount.

I pulled out some precipitation data from the Environment Canada Weather Office site. I selected a few communities from up and down Vancouver Island, and on both the east side and the west side. A chart of the data is below.

Monthly Rainfall on Vancouver Island, BC

The trends are quite interesting. Holberg, on northern Vancouver Island, gets close to 4 meters, or 12.5 feet, of rain. Wow! That’s a lot of rain! And Tofino, about a third of the way up the island on the west side gets a similar amount, 3.3 meters or 11 ft. But Henderson Lake takes the cake at 6.6 meters or almost 22 ft of rain a year! All these locations are on the west side of the Island.

An enjoyable wet day at Dixon Falls.

The east side of Vancouver Island is much drier. At 0.83m, Victoria gets about 4 cm more precipitation a year than Toronto. That’s not much. Less than two inches difference considering that both cities get less than a yard of rain a year. It’s less than ¼ of what Holberg gets. About half-way up the east side of the island is Campbell River. It gets more precipitation, about 1.3 m or 4.4 feet. But still much drier than the west side. Port Alberni lies in the middle of the Island at the end of a long inlet or fjord. The precipitation here is about half of Tofino’s. And Tofino is only 80 km away.

Rainfall locations on Vancouver Island, British Columbia.

How does this compare to say, a tropical rainforest like Costa Rica? Simply put, the wettest parts of Costa Rica are about as wet as the wettest parts of Vancouver Island receiving over 6 meters in a year, comparable to Henderson Lake. It rained every day for 359 days in one location. But the driest parts of Vancouver Island are actually drier than the driest parts of Costa Rica.

Enjoying the rain at Weiner Falls.

The lower precipitation levels on the east side of Vancouver Island can be explained by the mountains in the middle of the island. The prevailing winds are from the west. Moisture-laden air is pushed up over the mountains. And in doing this, the air temperature drops and the air cannot carry as much water. It falls on the west side, leaving the air drier when it arrives further east. As the air moves back down the other side of mountain range, it also warms, and it’s ability to hold moister increases. This of course, is called the rain-shadow effect. The further south you get on the east side of the island, the more pronounced this effect becomes. Astonishingly there is a cactus that grows on the southernmost parts of Vancouver Island and on some of the islands in the straight of Georgia, called the Gulf Islands.

Red-legged Frogs like the rain as much as we like them!

The driest months of the year are reliably June, July, August and September. Over the east island, you can count on it raining less at this time of year than in Toronto at this time of year. So unless you want to do some winter storm-watching on the west coast, the time to visit is during these months. Isn’t it handy that it coincides with summer vacations?

About the Contributor:

Long-time Vancouver Island resident, Sandy McRuer, runs Rainbird Excursions, an ecotourism and sightseeing business in the Port Alberni & Qualicum Beach area. He is an ex-forester and avid birder. More of his images can be found on Flickr.