BIRD FINDING - BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA
#23 - Ferry Route:  Tsawwassen (Vancouver area) to Swartz Bay (Victoria area)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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This is the main route between Vancouver and Victoria.  It is good much of the year, quietest from mid-May through mid-July.  Normally the best area is near the terminals and through Active Pass (about half way along the route).  At times there are thousands of Pacific Loons, Brandt's Cormorants and Bonaparte's in the pass and out into Georgia Strait to the east.  Parasitic Jaegers are present in Active Pass and off the Tsawwassen Jetty much of September and October.

This write-up describes the route from Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay.  There is no travel direction that is preferable, although the birding during your wait will be better at the Tsawwassen terminal.

If you have a strong preference to travel on a certain sailing, we advise making a reservation (see www.bcferries.com for details).  Birding is normally quite good at Tsawwassen terminal.  We typically arrive one hour prior to departure, then spend half an hour along the informal trail along the shore.  You need to be back across the exit lanes before the ferry arrives, otherwise you may be dangerously trapped by a solid stream of fast moving vehicles.  Gull, terns, shorebirds, waterfowl - the works - can be seen on a good day.  In spring, Brant frequent the adjacent eelgrass beds, in summer 100+ Caspian Terns forage nearby, and in September many Common Loons stage here.  Rock inhabiting shorebirds such as Black Turnstones and Black Oystercatchers are regular visitors.

Once on board, head immediately for the stern of the ship.  From here to can get a good few of the strait and nearshore waters.  This area is one of the best near Vancouver to find Heermann's Gulls, Ancient Murrelets, Rhinoceros Auklets and Parasitic Jaegers.

Once the ship has departed and turned around, you may want to move towards the bow.  Where you can go on the ship depends on the design of the particular ferry, but there is almost always a good viewpoint somewhere.  It can be windy, both from the ship's movement and weather, so you will need to dress very warmly most of the year.  The open stretch of water here (Georgia Strait) is often very dead birdwise, but some goodies do turn up, so be patient and you may be rewarded.

30-40 minutes out, you will approach Active Pass which cuts between Mayne Island (left) and Galiano Island.  Normally, this is where the main concentrations of birds are found.  In winter the most noticeable inhabitants include Pacific Loon, Brand'ts Cormorant, Bald Eagle, Mew Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Common Murre and Pigeon Guillemot.  Migration brings even more Pacific Loons, plus thousand of Bonaparte's Gulls.  During the brief Common Tern migration, many jaegers can be encountered as well.  During the summer months, the whole route is quiet - a few alcids are still present, and you will likely see Turkey Vultures and Bald Eagles over the islands.

Heading south from Active Pass, it's more of the same birdwise, but keep checking out the small flocks you encounter.  Rhinoceros Auklets and Marbled Murrelets are fairly easy to find from May through September.

Nearing Swartz Bay (the last 15-20 minutes or so), you get fairly close to some of the islands, so you can pick up a few more waterfowl and songbirds for your list.  Swartz Bay itself can sometimes be good, especially in winter.  Pigeon Guillemots, Pacific Loons and Brand'ts Cormorants are good bets at that time.  On the rocky shores you may spot Surfbirds, Black Oystercatchers and Black Turnstones.
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