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Bird Watching |
If you look carefully through the reeds and marshes or up into the sky and trees you may see more birdlife than you ever imagined!
Take your binoculars and bird watching manuals! For more information on birding and organized nature walks please contact the North Okanagan Naturalist's Club:
Box 473, Vernon, BC, V1T 6M4
Peter Mayfield 250-549-8478 or Kay Bartholomew 250-542-3977 |
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"Head of the Lake" and Westside Road |
| Accessed via a trailer park, this arm of Okanagan Lake is a nesting area for Western Grebes. You may see Yellow-bellied Loons, Common Loons, as well as Coots and a range of Gulls. |
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Swan Lake |
| Lake access is via Meadowlark Road. This is a nesting area for Marsh Wrens, Common Yellowthroat, Red-winged Blackbirds and waterfowl. Ospreys are often seen. |
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The Heronry |
| Although rookeries may relocate over time, Vernon hosts a respectable group of nesting Great Blue Herons among tall Cottonwoods between 20th and 24th Streets, just north of 48th Ave. |
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Cools Pond |
| You can see Yellow-headed Blackbirds, Redheaded and Ruddy Ducks in this tiny wildlife refuge which has a viewing platform and interpretive signs. |
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BX Creek Falls and Trails Regional Park |
| Dippers have been seen nesting in the area, along with many woodland bird species, such as Warblers, Thrushes and Vireos. |
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Polson Park |
| In the heart of Vernon the whole family can enjoy watching the birds, including ducks, swans and Kingfishers. |
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Silver Star Prov. Park |
| Steller's and Grey Jays (Whiskeyjacks) will be seen along the many trails. At 6,000 feet, Silver Star offers sub-alpine species, such as Pine Grosbeak, Blue Grouse, Boreal Chickadees, Varied Thrushes, Hermit Thrushes, Three-toed Woodpeckers and Winter Wrens. |
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Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park |
| Due to the wide variety of habitat, this is a prime birding location. Species include Golden Eagles, Clark's Nuthatch, Violet-green Swallow, Townsend's Solitaire, Rufous-sided Towhee and Pygmy Nuthatch. In the grasslands, you may find the Western Meadowlark and Vesper Sparrows, while in the cliffs above Cosen's Bay (just before dawn, end of May) look for Common Poorwill and Nighthawks. |
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"The Commonage" & Predator Ridge Areas |
| Renowned for the variety of Raptors on view including Swainson's Hawks, Red-tailed Hawks and Rough-legged Hawks. Bench Row Road has numerous snowberry and rose bushes, attracting the uncommon Claycoloured Sparrows to their southernmost nesting area. Numerous other Sparrows live here as well. |
