Tourism Challenge - Vancouver and Squamish

As mentioned in a previous post, Edith was participating in a Tourism Challenge and I took a couple of days off to accompany her on outings in Vancouver, Squamish and Britannia Beach.

Day 1 was spent in downtown Vancouver around Canada Place and the waterfront. I did not see any birds there, but in the afternoon we walked west to the Bayshore Hotel and then went on a Zodiac Cruise of Burrard Inlet and False Creek.

The most common Gull in Vancouver is the Glaucous-winged. Here's a nice specimen near the Bayshore Hotel.

Glaucous-winged Gull - Vancouver BC

I was hoping to see some grebes or ducks on the Zodiac tour, but no luck there. However, I also expected to see Pelagic Cormorants in False Creek and I was not disappointed. They are colony nesters and love the bridges along False Creek, nesting in the girders and gangways underneath the bridges. They are easily identified by the white patch at the base of their tail. Here's a couple of photos taken from the zodiac.

Pelagic Cormorant - Vancouver BC


Pelagic Cormorant - Vancouver BC

The next day, the tourism challenge took us to the Sea to Sky Gondola in Squamish. For views of Howe Sound and the Chief (backside) it's hard to beat. This is the day lodge at the top of the Gondola.


While Edith waited here, I took a brief walk on the Panorama Trail. It was quite cloudy so none of my scenery photos turned out. I did see some wildlife, starting with this Chipmunk.


Yellow-pine Chipmunk - Sea to Sky Gondola, Squamish BC

Last year on our visit I saw a Sooty Grouse, so I was watching the ground nearby for any signs of movement. Something caught my eye, not a grouse, but a Varied Thrush. I only managed one poor shot.

Varied Thrush - Sea to Sky Gondola, Squamish BC

Another small mammal popped out, this time a Squirrel.


American Red Squirrel - Sea to Sky Gondola, Squamish BC

Finally a couple of birds appeared in the tree branches above me.The first was a Junco, a common visitor at home in the winter, but now at higher altitude for nesting season.


Dark-eyed Junco - Sea to Sky Gondola, Squamish BC

And then a good look at a Yellow-rumped Warbler. This is one of the Western Audubon's race as told by the yellow on the throat. The Eastern Myrtle race has a white throat.


Yellow-rumped Warbler - Sea to Sky Gondola, Squamish BC

We took the gondola ride down and headed for the Britannia Mine tour. No birds were seen, but this photo shows the stairs the workers had to climb in the morning, fully loaded down with all the gear they needed for the day. They go up much higher than the photo shows.

Britannia Mine Museum, Britannia Beach BC

That was the end of our tourism challenge mini-vacation. It was back to work the next day and back to regular birding on the weekend.