Bird Watching
Although the best birding in Victoria and southern Vancouver Island is during the spring and fall migrations, winter can be equally good, as many species can be found here throughout the year. Victoria's waterfront, Esquimalt Lagoon, and the Martindale Flats in Saanich are rich birding areas, and farther from the city, Goldstream Provincial Park, Cowichan Bay, and East Sooke Park provide superb vantage points.
Visiting birders are likely to record up to 150 species in a three-week period. The list includes sandpipers, phalaropes, loons, grebes, albatrosses, ibises, and many species of swans. The variety and diversity of habitat, including high Alpine to tidal mud flats, dense old growth rain forest to open ocean, promises an exciting tour for any bird watcher and nature enthusiast.