Birds of Vancouver Island

We would not have described ourselves as "twitchers" but it would be fair to say that since we began travelling and because of the many new and different birds we have been lucky enough to encounter we do now find that we are interested in the different local birds and various species.

The common local birds here on Vancouver Island include the Canada Goose, of which there are lots especially grazing on wide open grassland (including football pitches) and we regularly see them flying past in the familiar "V" formation.

Our back garden here backs on to a golf course and a medium sized pond. There are a dozen or so Mallard who have made the pond their home. In addition, the garden birds we have seen here include the Northern Flicker, Dark-eyed Junco, Black-capped Chickadee, American Robins and the good old house sparrow.

Interestingly and unlike the European Robin, the American Robin is much bigger and roosts communally at night.








At the beach and in the sea we regularly see several types of gulls (yet to accurately identify them!), Black Turnstone, Black Oystercatchers, Plovers and Sandpipers.






Another wonderful sighting was of the Pileated Woodpecker - this bird has a chisel-like bill and a large crimson crest with white neck and facial markings.









The most impressive of our sightings have undoubtedly been the Bald Eagles (see previous entry).