Tofino - Clayoquot-Orca Resort Lodge is Birding... and Birding!!!
Welcome!! this page is dedicated to Naturalists from all over the world. If YOU would like to report on a great birding experience in Clayoquot-Sound, we'll be delighted to post it!
Tofino's ancient temperate Rainforest, and the nurturing mudflats have been designated as the 'Important Migratory Bird Area' in Canada. They are an integral part of the 'Clayoquot-Sound UNESCO Biosphere Reserve' and the mighty Western Pacific Ocean is know for hosting many bird species, and sea mammals as they follow migratory routes thousand of miles to and from across the planet.
Some of this incredible Eco activity is evolving daily on our portion of the mudflats, and in our Old Growth Rainforest, just steps away from our Lodge; so I invite you, to tag along with me for the adventure of the day exploring this magical world...' even better, come visit and lets explore it together!
It is All here---shouldn't YOU be!!!
Jan- Apr 2011
Bad weather made birding the past months difficult. We did host our usual winter guest Dabblers, Divers & Geese. The highlight was a single Snow Goose, resting with a big flock of Cackling Geese. For the first time ever we have a 'local' group of Greater White fronted Geese in Town. Check the local lawns, mostly you can find them munching away or having a refreshing bath in a rain puddle. Finally last week brought sunshine and many birds, we been watching the return of Rufuos Humming Birds, American Robin, Orange Crowned Warbler, Ospreys and all kind of Shorebirds like Western Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Dunlin, Black Bellied Plover, Dowitchers, Whimbrels, Greater Yellowlegs, Blue Heron. For over 10 days a Great Egret is visiting here, as well as an American Avocet. Other Water fowl like Mergansers, Gadwall, Grebe, Goldeneye...
Our highlight next weekend the Tofino Shorebird Festival, it is just all about birding!!!
September long weekend
voila, it is fall:
Winston an I are enjoying a day down on our water, it is magical, the wind brushes thru the trees and dried leaves are falling down on the ground, colors are changing to fade brown and beige, berries are ready to be picked...a flock of glaucous gulls are having a fine time, telling the news, inbetween a belted kingfisher lady checking for some sushi, she has trouble to keep herself in the air, the wind is blowing now stronger....on our morning walk we were welcomed by the call of the varied thrush, golden crowned kinglets and of course a squirrel, it wasn't singing, rather making noise for at least 3 bears, by throwing cones down the the ground, swinging from branch to branch, it wasn't the first that I have been fooled....down on the shore there is not alot of activity at the moment, we saw about 50 western sandpiper, osprey and juvenile bald eagle...i think these are the ones from Ralph, down the road, thru a storm a nest has been exposed, so we had the chance to see them getting fed by their parents....
My highlights this year, taking a 6 hour trip to the continental shell, a new bird book, giving guided tours on site and actually see the birds that i predicted, wow and having a german nature photographer and ornitolgist on site for more then 2 weeks, thank you Gottfried.
August Weekend, 2010
guided by George Bradd from justbirding.com
, I went birding a full day of offshore. We discovered Albatross, shearwaters, storm petrels, auklets, murres, jaegers, and fulmars. I learned that you never know what you will see next when birding as far west as possible in Canada where the continental shelf meets the deep water of the Pacific Ocean. If you are a birder this is a must on your Tofino adventure.
Easter Weekend, 2010
Yes, it has been a while, but i was fortunate to travel through B.C. and Europe. I didn't realize how much birding meant to me, but to say at least I watched birds every day of my travels, so I must be a 'birder'. Here some photos from european birds.
When i returned to Tofino, i heard that we are hosting for the first time the Tofino Shorebird Festival. Wow, I am excited to meet more crazy birders. Yesterday i hiked the Schooner Cove trail in the Pacific Rim National Park, watching American Robins, Rufous Hummingbirds and American Oystercatcher on shore. It is wonderful to be home!!!
Dec 06, 2009
Another great day of birding in Tofino. We were on our way to Grice Bay, when we stopped along the highway, to watch a clan of crows attacking a Barred Owl, that was sitting in a lower brach of a Sitka Spruce tree. This went on for over 30 min before the Owl flew away. Finally at Grice Bay we saw circa 60 Aleutian Canada Geese, on their pacific flyway. Almost being extinct it was a great treat to see these geese in our waters. Our Mudflats have been busy, hosting many waterbirds since early November.
Finally i have to admit: WINTER HAS ARRIVED !! Winter Wren, Varied Thrushes, Chestnut-backed Chickadees, Golden Crowned Kinglets and Darkeyed Juncos are the first birds visiting our feeder every day.
Nov 09, 2009
Bright lovely morning, the rays of the sun are filtered through the giant canopy of the forest; and, there a pair of Stellar Jay's in a Sitka Spruce tree. The black crest and iridescent blue wings, and their raucous call make for easy identification. Do you know that the Stellar Jay is the provincial Bird of British Columbia? On my way toward our bay 'Birders Delight' I surprised a Wilson Snipe in the higher sea grasses---the question is...who was more startled?--Me or the Snipe!
There are 1000 or more Waterbirds here at the moment: Mallards, Northern Pintail, Green-Winged Teal, Buffelhead, American Widgeon, Common & Hooded Merganser, Canada & Cackling Geese. I watched a pair of Gadwall Ducks close to the shore, and there in the middle of a group of Mallards and American Widgeon, one male Eurasian Widgeon in its full colors, ... WOW! they are seldom so close to the inside waters. Amazingly beautiful.
Closer to the shore, i realized most birds were enjoying an afternoon snooze. Groups of Canada Geese, heads tucked under a wing, look frozen in time, others indulge in bathing rituals, and appear to be having a fine frolic This peaceful scene got interrupted by the high calls of a pair of Bald Eagles, approaching along the shoreline. Most Ducks flew further out into deeper water, unfortunately. Before I reached the woods, i saw Golden-Crowned Kinglets and Chestnut-backed Chickadees snacking on seeds from an old Douglas Fir. Looked like that they had a fine time... certainly i did.
