We stayed for a week on Vancouver Island staying in 3 different Airbnbs. 3 nights in Campbell River, 2 nights just outside Port Alberni and 2 nights at Maple Bay.
The first day was set aside for a drive to Strathcona Provincial Park for the whole day. Here we visited Sundew Bog, Lupin Falls, Karst Creek, the south end of Lake Buttle and Myra Falls. The scenery was spectacular and it was a great introduction to birding on the island. Highlights were a pair of Barrow's Goldeneye at the far south end of Lake Buttle with MacGillivray's Warbler, Black-headed Grosbeak and Ruby-crowned Kinglet at the same spot making it a real purple patch! Audubon's Warbler is the stunning western counterpart of Myrtle Warbler and until I got home I didn't realise it is split by the IOC - bonus! Great views of Rufous Hummingbird by the lakeside and a close pair of Purple Finches by the carpark at Myra Falls provided the other lifers of the day but a tame Steller's Jay, Chipping Sparrows, Warbling Vireos, Pacific Wren, Wilson's Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Townsend's Warbler, Crossbills, Pine Siskins, Oregon (Dark-eyed) Junco, Anna's Hummingbird, Goosander, Northern Flicker and Spotted Sandpiper made it a great bird-filled day.
Back in Campbell River we had an evening walk to Baikie Island on the edge of town where 6 Blue-winged Teal, Lesser Scaup and Tree Swallow were the highlights together with a Pileated Woodpecker in the garden opposite our digs.
The following day (20 May) was the day we'd booked a 6 hour boat trip out of Campbell River for whales and bears. To be honest it proved a little disappointing as the guide was clearly not a nature guide at all getting the id of bears and porpoises wrong and constantly talking about her culture. If we'd have wanted a cultural tour we would have booked one. When I asked her which species of cormorant nested on some cliffs the reply was 'well, they're black and have long necks'! In the end we saw no whales but singles of both Grizzly Bear and Black Bear, Steller's Sea Lions, Harbour (Common) Seals, 3 Dall's Porpoises and Black-tailed Deer. Birds were difficult with numerous birds whizzed past on the way out. I was pleased to find and both California Gull and Pigeon Guillemot plus Brandt's Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Pacific Diver, Great Northern Diver and Black Oystercatcher.
Back on dry land we had 2 walks - part of the Canyon View Trail near our digs where I added Pacific Slope Flycatcher and Hairy Woodpecker then at Tyee Spit from which the stand out birds were a close perched Bald Eagle, c20 White-winged Scoter, c40 Surf Scoter and an American Herring Gull.
A male Northern Harrier flying through the Wallmart carpark in town was a strange but very welcome sight!
21 May saw us leave Campbell River to make our way south and then inland to Port Alberni. En-route we had several things we wanted to do and the first of these was Bear Creek Nature Park. Here we did a nice walk in mainky deciduous woodland and I scored with my first Golden-crowned Kinglets, a Swainson's Thrush that responded well to playback and Pacific Slope Flycatcher.
Next up was nearby Nymph Falls where we did a long loop walk down to the picturesque falls and back through the mixed woodland. 2 American Dippers and a brief Black-throated Grey Warbler (better to follow!) were followed up by Hammond's Flycatcher and the only Cassin's Vireo of the trip.
After a stop for a while in the quirky village of Coombs and the biggest icecream I've ever had we had a quick visit to Little Mountain. The view from here is fantastically far-reaching but the birding disappointing with just a showy Oregon Junco and Crossbills of note.
Heading inland we then visited a scenic spot that look very intersting - Hole-in-the-Wall near Port Alberni. It is literally a rock hole in a wall of rock with water streaming through. It was hot and birding slow but on the wlk back a stunning Black-throated Grey Warbler gave me the views I wanted!
After checking in to Chanterelle Cottage north of Port Alberni we took an evening short drive to Stamp River and it's water rapids. At the 2 spots I managed 3 American Dippers, Spotted Towhee, Chestnut-backed Chickadee and Yellow Warbler.
22 May was the day we had earmarked to a day trip to Ucluelet and Tofino on the west coast of the island. After all the hype this area gets we were a bit disappointed but looking back it's hard to say we didn't have a good day. It's all relative! Our main walk was around Amphitrite Point at Ucluelet where Orange-crowned Warblers were singing everywhere. Also there I found Marbled Murrelet, Pigeon Guillemot, Grey Flycatcher, Hairy Woodpecker, Anna's Hummingbird, Great Northern Diver, Pacific Diver, Surf Scoter, Hermit Thrush, Wilson's Warbler, Audubon's Warbler, Brandt's Cormorant, Black Oystercatcher and a very distant Humpback Whale. 2 Brown-headed Cowbirds on the carpark at Long Beach were a curious find as they're not supposed to occur on the island.
On to Chesterman's Beach south of Tofino next and and nice beach walk at the 'double' sandy bays out to Frank's Island. Highlights here were 3 Semipalmated Plovers and 3 Sanderling in their summer finery.
Leaving Chanterelle Cottage in the morning a very welcome Brown Creeper by the gate was a nice tick and my only one of the trip. A singing MacGillivray's Warbler there was almost as good. Making our way south to Maple Bay during the day we visited the impressive trees at Cathedral Grove seeing Townsend's Warbler, Pacific Wren and Chestnut-backed Chickadee.
The impressive wooden Kinsol Trestle (railway bridge) was next on the list with 2 Vaux's Swifts, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Chipping Sparrow and Hammond's Flycatcher of note. Checking in to our lovely Airbnb at Maple Bay we had a walk down to the village and spent a relaxing eveing in the hot tub overlooking the bay! Just common birds about but very pleasant indeed! After all these common birds were ticks a few days ago! A showy Raccoon in the next garden was rther good to see as was a Brewer's Blackbird in the street a few miles away while driving.
24 May was a day spent in the lovely city of Victoria visiting the sites, eating and drinking coffee! On the way though I negotiated a quick stop at Khenipsen Marsh not far from Maple Bay. I'd done some eBird homework the night before and found it was a site for Marsh Wren, a bird I needed. It took a while and c3 birds were singing amongst the Red-winged Blackbirds, Common Yellowthroats and Song Sparrows. Eventually I got a tickable view so we left for Victoria in fine mood. While down at Fisherman's Wharf in Victoria we were treated to beautiful close up views of Sea Otter and Harbour Seal along a boardwalk by the marina. The former had been scavenging in the bins!
After returning to Maple Bay that evening I made a solo visit to a couple of nearby sites while Belinda chilled. The first was the Garry Oak Preserve at Cowichan where access is restricted to the lane. I did however manage Cedar Waxwing, Black-headed Grosbek, Purple Finch, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Spotted Towhee and American Goldfinch.
Then it was on to Mount Tzuhalem where dodging the mountainbikers I was delighted to find California Quail, Band-tailed Pigeon, Olive-sided Flycatcher and Bushtit amongst the more regular stuff.
25 May, my birthday! It was also the day we headed for the ferry to leave the island for the next phase of the trip. On the way to Nanaimo for the ferry a roadside stop on Herd Road, Quamichan gave me my birthday tick - 2 Trumpeter Swans on a roadside flood. The ferry journey was extremely quiet with just a 'trip tick' Caspian Tern over as we entered Houseshoe Bay. Heading east out of Vancouver to Langley we stopped for a wander around the so-called 'historic' Port Langley but couldn't see what the fuss was all about. Instead we decided on a walk in the shady woods at nearby Derby Reach Regional Park. The undoubted highlight here was a distant Beaver but Blue-winged Teal, Wood Duck, Western Tanager, Pacific Slope Flycatcher, Orange-crowned Warbler and Yellow Warbler were also not to be sneezed at.
The day was finished with a meal and beers at the Murrayville Town Pub as we looked forward to phase 2 of the trip...
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