Best Birding Spots in Metro Vancouver: A Complete Guide for Birdwatchers (Part 2 of 4)
Best Birding Spots in Metro Vancouver: A Complete Guide for Birdwatchers
Metro Vancouver Is One of Canada's Best Birding Destinations
Metro Vancouver is on of North Americas most productive birding regions where coastal mudflats, freshwater marshes, old-growth forests, estuaries, and mountain valleys create habitat for hundreds of bird species throughout the year. In fact, Metro Vancouver is home to over 400 species of birds that either live here throughout the year or spend part of the year here.
This is part 2 of a 4 part series on birdwatching in Metro Vancouver. If you have not read my part 1 article CLICK HERE to read it.
Best Birding Spots in Metro Vancouver
Iona Beach Regional Park (Richmond)
Iona Regional Park is approximately 30 minutes south of Downtown Vancouver and adjacent to YVR airport.
Iona regional park has three main areas to explore.
Jetty Walkway
The Jetty is the most popular spot in the park. It is essentially a walkway built on-top of a sewage outflow pipe going into the ocean. It is a 6km round trip if you plan on going to the end and back.
The jetty provides a great spot to go for a long walk but in terms of productive birding it is not the best spot in the park. Here you can generally find shorebirds on each side of the walkway. The occasional bald eagle can also be seen flying above. This location has also been a productive spot for seeing Snowy Owls during winter. Personally I have only ever seen them during early sunrise.
Inner-ponds
The inner-ponds are located to the right of the parking lot. This area is a very productive area. Common birds in the spring and summer are:
Waterfowl & Ducks (Very Common)
- Mallard — Year-round, abundant
- American Wigeon
- Northern Pintail
- Green-winged Teal
- Gadwall
- Blue-winged Teal and Cinnamon Teal (more in spring migration)
- Wood Duck
- Lesser Scaup and Greater Scaup (especially spring)
Other Water Birds
- Pied-billed Grebe — Very common on the ponds
- American Coot
- Double-crested Cormorant — Often in flocks
- Great Blue Heron — Frequently seen hunting in shallows
- Canada Goose
Blackbirds & Marsh Birds
- Red-winged Blackbird — Extremely common and noisy in spring/summer around the reeds
- Yellow-headed Blackbird — Regular in the marshy areas
- Marsh Wren
Once you have finished walking around the ponds walk past the ponds on the main path westwards, parallel to the river and you will eventually come to a spot where you can see nesting osprey in the summer. If you sit and wait long enough you might see one of the ospreys catch a fish and bring it back to its partner.
Beach Area
The beach area to the left of the parking lot is a good spot to find nesting kill deer birds. These birds often display a “broken wing” move to persuade you to follow them away from their nest. If you see them doing this its best to back off and give them space as you are probably near their nest.
Richmond Nature Park (Richmond)
Richmond Nature Park is a well maintained park located in central Richmond off Westminster Hwy. The park is very well maintained and is well known for its hummingbird population and song birds. The best area to birdwatch is directly behind the Richmond Nature house. There are about 4 well maintained hummingbird feeders here. Anna hummingbirds are present year round at the park but in the summer Rufous Hummingbirds come here and utilize the feeders. The hummingbirds that reside here are very photogenic. In fact I find this to be the best place to photograph Rufous hummingbirds as they are so tame. It is also a great spot to see both Anna and Rufous hummingbirds fight!
This area of the park also has a covered picnic area which you can stand under if its raining to photograph the hummingbirds.
Other birds you can see here include:
Year-Round Residents (Very Common)
- Black-capped Chickadee
- Bushtit
- Song Sparrow
- Spotted Towhee
- Anna’s Hummingbird (especially at feeders)
- Dark-eyed Junco
- Steller’s Jay
- American Robin
- Northern Flicker
- Downy Woodpecker and Hairy Woodpecker
Spring & Summer Highlights
- Rufous Hummingbird (common migrant/breeder in spring/summer)
- Cedar Waxwing
- Warblers (e.g., Orange-crowned, Yellow, Wilson’s)
- Pacific-slope Flycatcher
- Tree Swallow and other swallows
- Purple Finch or House Finch
Other Notable Birds
- Barred Owl (occasional, especially in wooded areas)
- Cooper’s Hawk or Sharp-shinned Hawk
- Pileated Woodpecker (less common but possible)
- Mourning Dove
- Fox Sparrow (more in winter but can be seen in shoulder seasons)
- Bewick’s Wren
Terra Nova Park (Richmond)
Terra Nova Park and surround area is one of my favorite parks to photograph in Metro Vancouver. It has a very wide range of wildlife to see other than birds such as beavers, otters and muskrats frequently seen in the dykes along the trail.
Terra Nova Park is probably the best spot in British Columbia to see Barn Owls. This park usually has at least 4 nesting pairs of Barn Owls that utilize the bird boxes built for them. If you park near the community garden off Westminster Highway in Terra Nova Park just before dusk you may see barn owls flying around. Walking slowly along the trails in that area during the day you may be lucky and spot a roosting Barn Owl. Barn Owls are a species of owl in decline in Canada so if you do see one make sure to give it plenty of space.
The southern portion (south of Westminster hwy) usually has a pair of Great Horned Owls and owlets each year as well.
Other notable species is the Barred Owl. Barred Owls are very common in Metro Vancouver but if you are interested in seeing one they are frequently seen in the field at the end of Westminster Hwy. Early mornings or early evenings are best times to go see them.
Make sure to check out the fields along West Dyke Trail as they are a productive birding spot for many species of birds.
Birds you can frequently see at Terra Nova and along the dyke / marsh area include:
Waterfowl & Wetland Birds
- Mallard
- Gadwall
- Northern Pintail
- American Wigeon
- Green-winged Teal
- Pied-billed Grebe
- Great Blue Heron
- Canada Goose
- Snow Geese (winter)
Shorebirds & Waders (Good in Migration Seasons)
- Greater Yellowlegs and Lesser Yellowlegs
- Killdeer
- Various sandpipers during spring/fall migration
Songbirds & Woodland Birds
- Red-winged Blackbird (common in marshy areas)
- Song Sparrow
- Spotted Towhee
- Black-capped Chickadee
- Bushtit
- Anna’s Hummingbird and Rufous Hummingbird (especially spring/summer)
- Common Yellowthroat
- Marsh Wren
- Yellow Warbler and other warblers in spring
Raptors
- Bald Eagle (very common)
- Red-tailed Hawk
- Northern Harrier (over fields)
- Owls (including Barred Owl occasionally)
Other Common Sightings
- Barn Swallow and Tree Swallow
- Northern Flicker
- American Robin
- Gulls and occasional terns along the shoreline
If you are interested in wildlife sightseeing make sure to check out my article on THE ULTIMATE BRITISH COLUMBIA WILDLIFE GUIDE.
Interested in knowing what camera gear I use? Check out my gear list HERE
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[…] 3 of a 4 part series on birdwatching in Metro Vancouver. If you have not read my part 2 article CLICK HERE to read […]
[…] 3 of a 4 part series on birdwatching in Metro Vancouver. If you have not read my part 2 article CLICK HERE to read […]