celebrating the pulse of a truly beautiful place
The Chocolate Lily (Fritillaria affinis for the botanically-minded) is one of the coolest and yet commonly overlooked spring-flowering plants on the Island. They may not be as showy as Camas or Shooting Stars, but I think their bell-like shape and subtle shading is absolutely gorgeous. Fair warning, they don't have the nicest scent (think skunk cabbage rather than wild roses!).
One of my favourite places on the peninsula to hang out for an hour or two is Patricia Bay (Pat Bay to us local folk). For a small cove area with a roadway running right alongside it, there's an astonishing array of wildlife and activity to be found at the water's edge. Combine this with phenomenal sunsets, and the place pretty much can't be beat. There's also an incredible amount to be learned by taking the time to relax, sit a spell, and observe the goings-on of coastal life in the bay.
As I've mentioned before, I'm not the world's most patient or observant birder, but you positively can't miss these guys. They are enormous (about the size of a Great Blue Heron) and make a noise kind of like you'd imagine a pterodactyl might make. Also, they're pretty used to their human neighbours in the park, so they'll casually stroll down the path toward you. It's a little disconcerting being that close to such large pointy beaks, I'm not going to lie! I was completely intrigued by these cool-looking birds, and I immediately wanted to learn a little more about them.
Today I want to point you in the direction of a super accessible local park that you may not have heard too much about. Shoal Harbour Bird Sanctuary is right in downtown Sidney, and while definitely an urban park rather than a wilderness one, it boasts some pretty fantastic ocean vistas. My favourite way to check out the view and the birds there is to head out onto Resthaven Island, a little point of land that's separated from the mainland by an itty bitty channel (and joined by a short and sturdy two-lane bridge). There's a well-maintained loop trail there - it's actually a municipal park, a narrow one that skirts the edge of the island.
On our trip to Vancouver last weekend to see the visiting Snowy Owls at Boundary Bay, we also took the opportunity to check out George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary. They are both just a short drive from the ferry terminal, so combining the two made an easy day trip from Vancouver Island. The 300 hectare (740 acre) sanctuary is located on the outskirts of Vancouver, on Westham Island in Delta. It is part of the Fraser Valley Estuary, and consists of managed wetlands, marshes, and low dykes with established walking trails running through them. Even though it's technically on an island, the sanctuary is easily accessible by a short bridge.
Last weekend, two friends and I made a day trip to the Vancouver area to do a little birdwatching. We on the West Coast are very lucky this year to have a large number of Snowy Owls wintering at Boundary Bay. This is not a yearly event, as Snowy Owls tend to remain in the northern Arctic. However, the owls occasionally venture this far south when their main food source (lemmings, primarily) is scarce in the arctic tundra. This happens every four years or so, as the lemming population cycles through boom and bust phases. This year the Snowies were first sighted in the bay in late November; their last visit to this area in high numbers was about five years ago.
Confession: I have a deep and abiding fascination with waterfalls. On any road or hiking trip I take, if there's any chance of working a waterfall into the mix, it's got to be done. I love the sound of the rushing water, and its powerful plunge over a cliff edge or gentle tumble down a hillside. Most of all, I love the way the continuous flow of water has shaped the surrounding landscape bit by bit over more years than I can possibly imagine
Heart of the West Coast 