If space allows, guests may join for up to three trips, after which they are expected to join the Society.
Codes for Field Trip Difficulty Levels:
LEVEL 1—Easy walking, mostly level paths.
LEVEL 2—Paths can be narrow with uneven terrain.
LEVEL 3—Obstacles in paths or steeper grades, requiring agility.
LEVEL 4—Very steep, insecure footing, or longer hikes requiring good physical condition.
Please—no pets on VNHS field trips.
If you would like to do a talk or know someone who might, please contact one of the presentation night coordinators. If you have an idea for a field trip or wish to volunteer as a leader, please contact the Field Trip Coordinator. Many of you do interesting things either for fun or for work, and it would be great to share! See Contact page for email addresses and phone numbers.
TUESDAY MORNING BIRDING – Meets every Tuesday one block south of the foot of Bowker Ave on the waterfront (off Beach Drive) at 9:00 a.m. or at the foot of Bowker Ave at 9:30 a.m. Birding activities take place at various locations around Greater Victoria. For more information call Bill Dancer at 250-721-5273. Novice and experienced VNHS members all welcome.
SATURDAY MORNING BIRDING –Meets every Saturday morning, usually at 8:00 a.m., rain or shine. Check on the Calendar on the Thursday/Friday before to find out the week’s location. Novice and experienced VNHS members all welcome.
SWAN LAKE GUIDED BIRD WALKS – Every Wednesday 9:00 a.m. Bring your binoculars and walking shoes and meet in the parking lot for this informal and informative walk around the lake area. Walks are led by Victoria Natural History Society members. Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary is at 3873 Swan Lake Road, off Ralph Street.
Fall Migration Birding at the Pedder Bay Banding Station
Fall Migration Birding at the Pedder Bay Banding Station
August 3, 2024 @ 7:00 am - 10:00 am Pedder Bay RV Resort & Marina, 925 Pedder Bay Drive, Victoria, BC V9C 4H1, Canada
FIELD TRIP (Level 3, or 1.5 if you skip the hill loop)
Meet: 7:00 a.m. at Pedder Bay (Park in the grass parking lot at the back.) Join us at the Rocky Point Bird Observatory banding location at Pedder Bay. We will start the morning birding the Pedder Bay census route and contribute our sightings to Pedder Bay’s day list. The location should be busy with passerine migrants, so there should be many birds around. Mid-morning, we will visit the banding station to see the fall bird monitoring program in operation, maybe watch a bird being banded, and meet the RPBO banders and crew there that day.
DIRECTIONS: Drive time from Victoria is approximately 30 minutes. The most enjoyable drive to Pedder Bay is following Metchosin Road, turn right on Happy Valley Road, then left on Rocky Point Road. Follow Rocky Point Road until Pedder Bay RV Resort and Marina. Turn left on Pedder Bay Drive. PARKING: Please park at the back in the grass parking lot behind the logs / RV checkin kiosk. Do NOT park in the paved lot closest to the marina (reserved for boat trailers and marina guests)
August 4, 2024 @ 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm Mount Tolmie, Mt Tolmie, Saanich, BC V8P 4P9, Canada
Join us on our monthly Butterfly Walk. Each outing is intended to help us learn more about local butterflies. This field trip is weather-dependent as it needs to be sunny and warm to make it worthwhile.
We start at the top of Mount Tolmie (off Cedar Hill X Road). Meet at 1 p.m. in the lot by the reservoir where we will have an initial look for butterflies and then decide where to go from there. Car-pooling is encouraged. We try to return by 4 p.m.
Cancellations or special instructions will be posted on the Invertebrate Alert or the calendar closer to the date. Contact Gordon Hart at butterflies AT vicnhs.bc.ca for more information.
August 6, 2024 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Corner of Bowker Ave. and Bowker Place, Victoria
TUESDAY BIRDING. We meet every Tuesday, one block south of the foot of Bowker Ave on the waterfront (off Beach Drive) at 9:00 am, or at the foot of Bowker Ave at 9:30 am, rain or shine. Birding activities take place at various locations around Greater Victoria. For more information call Bill Dancer at 250-721-5273 or Agnes Lynn at thelynns at shaw.ca or 250-721-0634. Novice and experienced VNHS members all welcome.
August 10, 2024 @ 7:30 am - 10:30 am Island View Beach Regional Park, 3215 Island View Rd, Saanichton, BC V8M 1W3, Canada
FIELD TRIP (LEVEL 1.5)
Meet at 7:30 a.m. at the north end of the parking lot.
The Saturday Birding Group will be going to Island View Beach. At this time of year, we may find some interesting shorebirds on their southbound migration, and we will still see a few beach flowers in the dunes as we walk along. We’ll walk back on the trail away from the water to check for interesting land birds.
DIRECTIONS: To reach Island View Beach, go north on the Pat Bay highway, turn right at the lights at Island View Road (Michell’s Market) and follow that to a left on Homathko Road, which leads to the parking lot.
August 13, 2024 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Corner of Bowker Ave. and Bowker Place, Victoria
TUESDAY BIRDING. We meet every Tuesday, one block south of the foot of Bowker Ave on the waterfront (off Beach Drive) at 9:00 am, or at the foot of Bowker Ave at 9:30 am, rain or shine. Birding activities take place at various locations around Greater Victoria. For more information call Bill Dancer at 250-721-5273 or Agnes Lynn at thelynns at shaw.ca or 250-721-0634. Novice and experienced VNHS members all welcome.
August 17, 2024 @ 8:00 am - 11:00 am Victoria Region
Meet at 8:00 a.m. near the bridge at the outlet of the lagoon. This trip will cover the ocean birds along the lagoon and may go into the fields behind the lagoon to provide a variety of birds. This is a good location for shorebirds during the fall migration, which is well underway. DIRECTIONS: Esquimalt Lagoon is in Colwood on Ocean Boulevard, off the Old Island Highway. Meet and park near the bridge.
August 20, 2024 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Corner of Bowker Ave. and Bowker Place, Victoria
TUESDAY BIRDING. We meet every Tuesday, one block south of the foot of Bowker Ave on the waterfront (off Beach Drive) at 9:00 am, or at the foot of Bowker Ave at 9:30 am, rain or shine. Birding activities take place at various locations around Greater Victoria. For more information call Bill Dancer at 250-721-5273 or Agnes Lynn at thelynns at shaw.ca or 250-721-0634. Novice and experienced VNHS members all welcome.
August 24, 2024 @ 8:00 am - 11:00 am 886 Hyacinth Ave, Victoria, BC V8Z 2S4, Canada
Meet at 8:00 a.m.–Join us at one of the best spots for shorebirds and waterfowl, in the ponds. Many birds can be found around the edges too. DIRECTIONS: Turn off Interurban Road at Hyacinth and follow the road to the end.
August 26, 2024 @ 9:00 am - 4:00 pm Sidney Spit Ferry, 9835 Seaport Pl, Sidney, BC V8L 4X3, Canada
FIELD TRIP (LEVEL 1.5)
Meet at 9 a.m. at the Sidney Spit Ferry (purchase tickets online)
Each year around this time, we take the ferry to Sidney Spit to look for interesting shorebirds on their southbound migration. Possibilities include Baird’s Sandpiper, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Sanderling, Semipalmated Plover, and maybe the elusive Buff-breasted Sandpiper. We will also check out the Purple Martins at their nest boxes on the dock and enjoy other passerines migrating through.
The group will take the 9:30 ferry from Port Sidney Marina. We will have lunch on the island. Bring food and water as there is no drinking water within the park.
Purchase your ticket online at SidneySpitFerry.com to reserve your spot (remember to book your return time as well). The cost is $25 for adults ($21 for seniors and children). The return ferry leaves the island at 1:00, 3:00, and 4:00 p.m. so you can choose how long you wish to stay.
DIRECTIONS: Port Sidney Marina is at the end of Seaport Place in Sidney. Parking can be found a short distance away in the residential areas.
August 27, 2024 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Corner of Bowker Ave. and Bowker Place, Victoria
TUESDAY BIRDING. We meet every Tuesday, one block south of the foot of Bowker Ave on the waterfront (off Beach Drive) at 9:00 am, or at the foot of Bowker Ave at 9:30 am, rain or shine. Birding activities take place at various locations around Greater Victoria. For more information call Bill Dancer at 250-721-5273 or Agnes Lynn at thelynns at shaw.ca or 250-721-0634. Novice and experienced VNHS members all welcome.
August 31, 2024 @ 7:30 am - 10:30 am Cattle Point Dark Sky Urban Star Park, 1 Scenic Dr, Victoria, BC V8R, Canada
FIELD TRIP (LEVEL 2)
Meet: 7:30 a.m. at the Cattle Point parking lot.
Cattle Point is a good place to look for birds during fall migration, both on land and offshore. On the water, we should see various alcids and other seabirds with the possibility of spotting a passing tern or jaeger or something rarer.Uplands Park's Garry oak/riparian meadow habitat can be full of fall migrant sparrows and warblers with possible rarities.
