I never seem to get the timing right when it comes to the spectacle that is the herring spawn on the east side of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. I’m usually a little too early or a little too late and I have to settle with looking at the amazing photographs of other birders and naturalists like Guy Monty who have …
Brant
Spawning Spectacle!
Herring roe on fucus, a nutritional meal for many birds and animals. Photo © Guy Monty. Each year herring spawn 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 …
20th Annual Brant Festival – March 5 to April 28
Brant (Image © Guy Monty) The return of Brant geese to the estuaries and bays of Vancouver Island in late February and early March on their migration from California and Mexico is celebrated annually by the Brant Wildlife Festival in Parksville/Qualicum Beach. This year’s festival runs from March 5th to April 28th and features a wide range of activities and …
California Gulls, California Gulls
A flock of mostly Thayer’s Gulls (Larus thayeri). Note the yellow legs of the California Gulls (Larus californicus) in the center of the image. I happened to be down in Parksville yesterday and did some pre-meeting birding at the Parksville Community Park on the waterfront. It was a blustery day but the gulls were out in numbers. Birds are beginning …