Swan Lake

Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary

 

Attached is a map of Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary. Swan Lake is located in Saanich, B.C. conveniently located right beside the Saanich Municipal Hall. If you live in Victoria, B.C. it is a 10 - 15 minute drive.

 

This place is home to all kinds of wonderful wildlife. Marine Birds, Raptors, Song Birds, etc. Depending on the time of year who knows what you might come across. Some of my favorite sightings have included: Common Yellowthroat, Barred Owl, Bald Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk, Pied-billed Grebe, Wood Duck, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, etc.

 

The trail takes you around Swan Lake, over a board walk, through a couple fields, and also through a few wooded areas. The trail can also be used to access Christmas Tree Hill (an elevated view area) which is close by.

**Please click the picture above if you would like a quick link to Google Maps**

Witty's Lagoon

Witty's Lagoon Regional Park

 

 

Attached is a map of Witty's Lagoon Regional Park. Witty's is located in Metchosin, B.C. which is about a half hour to forty five minute drive from Victoria, B.C. This place is home to all kinds of wonderful life. A river, waterfall, and a large lagoon which connects to the ocean.

 

The route marked with the orange/red colour is the trail you would take to your left when you are just getting started on the path. It is a more wooded route which consists of nice views of the lagoon and ocean. I would say this trail is probably the more bumpy of the two with a few ups and downs. Keep your eyes peeled for all kinds of wildlife/birds. (Pileated Woodpecker, Belted Kingfisher, Osprey, Hawks, etc.)

 

The route marked with the yellow colour is the trail you would take if you are looking to get to the ocean. This trail crosses a bridge near a waterfall at the beginning of the path. You descend down through the forest until your reach the flats and beyond that lies the ocean. Lots of marine birds can be spotted here throughout the year. Winter is especially a good time to check it out. Also, the flats give you a great view which you can almost certainly see a couple of raptors patrolling over head. (Mergansers, Western Sandpiper, Lesser Yellowlegs, etc.)

**Please click the picture above if you would like a quick link to Google Maps**

Wizard Of The Wind

American Kestrel

 

We took a trip over to Saanich to walk around the Cedar Hill Golf Course. We knew a head of time that the Kestrel had been spotted in the area and were hopeful we would cross paths. We are very happy and grateful to come across such a beautiful sight. Props to Lauren for taking this awesome photo. One of my favorites for sure.



Blog Update

Hello folks,

Soooooo... I joined Flickr a while back and have been posting some of my most recent work there.

**If you would like to check it out or follow me on Flickr, please follow the link below.**

https://www.flickr.com/photos/125267575@N08/

I also plan to continue posting articles on this blog. My next project is to post some locations including maps to some of my favorite spots to go birding on Southern Vancouver Island. Wishing you all the best and happy birding!

Cheers,

Nick

Respectful "Guidelines" For Birding

In this article I am going to outline some useful advice for anyone who is seeking it or finds it to be helpful. You can take this information however you would like to and apply it to your own adventures or disregard it completely.

 

 "Respect" is probably the most important behaviour one can possess while appreciating/admiring anything on our planet... or on any planet for that matter. While you are out on your hikes, make sure to respect all of your surroundings and the wildlife in which you come across. Do not litter. We share this wonderful world with all creatures who inhabit this earth and some of them are a great deal smaller than we are. All of our waste belongs in a garbage bin or a recycling bin. Cigarette buds are no place for the forest floor or trails/pathways. They pose fire risks and also poison our soil. Please dispose of them in a proper place.

 When you are out on your hike a good way to take a photo of something is to time your approach slowly and remember that if you don't catch a glimpse of the subject right away, the opportunity will come again. It may not always be as quickly as you would like but patience is the key to every great photo or sighting. It is not a good idea to keep chasing things down until you alone are satisfied (that is selfish). Remember that what you are admiring also has a brain and doesn't necessarily want to be chased around all day. Let the opportunity come to you and you will be rewarded.

Make sure to always watch where you are walking and be mindful not to damage any of the vegetation that you are walking through. The best way to avoid damaging any plants is to stick to the trails or pathways. Every little thing that grows plays a role in helping keep the planet a habitable place. If we just walk all over everything and destroy it then eventually it will come full circle and destroy us.

 If you ever happen to stumble upon a nest full of baby birds move slowly and be extremely careful with the way you move. Try to stay a respectable distance away so that you do not scare them. If they fledge too early then they most likely will not make it. A good way to snap a photo is to take one from further back and use a zoom lens so that you do not disturb the nest (or use binoculars if you are only there to view them). The mother will certainly let you know if you have gotten too close. If she does send you this message then please respect what she is saying and back away from the nest.

No one is perfect and everyone makes mistakes. As long as we learn from our mistakes and help each other out, that is all that matters. It starts with respect and ends with respect, as do all situations in life. I hope this article is helpful and that you enjoyed it while taking the time to read it.

Cheers,

Nick

Favorite Places To Go Birding On Southern Vancouver Island

The following are some GREAT places you can go birding or hiking in and around Victoria, B.C.

-Beacon Hill Park
-Government House
-Swan Lake
-Ogden Point/Breakwater
-Colquitz River Park
-Mt. Douglas Park/Beach
-Mt. Tolmie
-Panama Flats
-Esquimalt Lagoon
-Island View Beach Provincial Park
-Sidney Spit
-Goldstream Provincial Park
-East Sooke Park
-Witty's Lagoon
-Gowland Tod Provincial Park
-Mt. Wells
-etc.

**Don't be scared to go further North or check out the Gulf Islands either. So much beautiful land to explore and admire.**



This is a good list to start with but keep in mind that the Island is full of great wildlife and places to go for a hike. I hope this helps anyone who is interested in enjoying the great outdoors and looking for a nice place to go for a hike.

Cheers,

Nick

A Walk In The Park

Great Horned Owl

Barred Owl

Barred Owl

Coopers Hawk Fledgling

Coopers Hawk Fledglings

 

Any day is a good day to walk down to the park. The fresh air, trees, friendly people, you name it. It's all there. When we go to the park, we like to admire all the nature that presents itself to us.

 

On this specific day we were grateful to see quite a number of birds having a grand ole time. One Great Horned Owl has returned to the park. Being tipped off about this and informed that it returns every August, we were quite excited to go check it out.

 

We also got the opportunity to visit the Coopers Hawk fledglings who were hanging out in a tree together. They were very vocal and waiting on a meal to return to them.

 

The Barred Owls are also still in the park. The male adult seems to be keeping to the Chestnut trees these days. One of the Juveniles however seems to be calling the Gary Oak forest it's home. Due to the fact that the Great Horned Owl is the Barred Owls only real threat, we are likely to assume the Barred's will not be hanging out in the SEW (South East Woods) any time soon.