Victoria, BC - Part 1

19 June, 2026 

     We were picked up a little after 05h:00 and left for Pearson International Airport in Mississauga. It was a trouble-free journey all the way and traffic was moderate. We settled in for the long wait for our Porter Airlines nonstop flight to Victoria.

     As seems to happen so often these days, there was a call for volunteers to fly later since the flight was overbooked.  The amount of the travel voucher offered as compensation climbed and volunteers came forward until no more were needed.

     We were a little late taking off, but most of the time was made up and Jan, Miriam's sister, met us at Victoria International Airport. 

     It was good to be back in British Columbia!

     Jan had packed a picnic lunch and drove us to a delightful spot, where a quaint church and a pet cemetery exist, and we ate in a lovely setting under bright sunshine.

     There was a fitting dedication to St. Francis of Assisi, that early champion of animal rights.

     Lawn Daisies (Bellis perennis) were delightful.

     Buttercups (genus Ranunculus) matched our sunny mood.

     It was here that we saw our first Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus) of the trip; always a special sighting for us.

     Bees (epifamily Anthophila) were busy in the Brambles (genus Rubus).

     Many of these western forms are unfamiliar to me, so I am unable to identify the species.

     This old bench is no longer used for its original purpose but it seemed perfect to me, clad in its gown of lichens.

     This attractive yellow flower is found in the Oxtongues, Hawkbits and Allies (subtribe Hypochaeridinae).

     After a pleasant half hour or so wandering around the tombstones, we left for Island View Beach Regional Park.

     It's difficult to read on the above picture of the sign (impossible?), but the various peaks visible from the shore are identified. 

     Here is what we saw, with a snowy-capped Mount Baker off in the distance in the State of Washington.

     I always enjoy visiting this location where the beach is delightfully cluttered with the detritus of the ocean, with driftwood and seaweed aplenty, and never a dune buggy or the like.

     A Northwestern Crow (Corvus brachyrynchos caurinus) found a convenient perch.

     If a single flower has universal appeal around the world and across cultures it is probably the Rose (genus Rosa), wild or domesticated, pure or one of the myriad hybrid forms engineered by humans.

     A Western Bumble Bee (Bombus occidentalis) delved deep for nectar.

     I was thrilled to see many American Sand Wasps (Bembix americana) going about their business.

     Yellow Sand Verbena (Abronia latifolia), sometimes known as Coastal Sand Verbena, is a salt-water dependent endangered plant, so it was very satisfying to see it doing well at Island View Beach.

     Several Great Blue Herons (Ardea herodias) worked the shallows, but given the distance and the intense light, were not amenable to good pictures.

     Miriam and Jan resemble each other more with each passing year; in fact all the Bauman sisters do. Even making allowances for my bias, you will agree I am sure that they are a lovely couple.

     Searockets (genus Cakile) dotted the beach.

     In places, stands of Ragweeds (genus Ambrosia) were quite dense.

     Ragweed is the bane of allergy sufferers and, sad to say, a Harvard study found that ragweed grows 10% taller and produces 60% more pollen as the temperature warms.

     Long-horned Bees (genus Mellissodes) were active.

     The above picture clearly shows how they come by the designation "Long-horned."

     Beewolves (genus Philanthus), also known as bee-hunters or bee-killer wasps, are solitary predatory wasps that prey on bees. They pack a powerful sting.

     This individual, on Yarrow (genus Achillea) is probably P. crabroniformis, a species that likes to nest in packed sand, of which there is an abundance at Island View Beach Regional Park. 

     A female House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) found a perch much to her liking.

     Coastal Barley (genus Hordeum) is exceptionally attractive to my eye.

     We left to go into Victoria, to the enchanted enclave of Oak Bay where Jan lives - our home until the end of the month.

     Jan prepared a fine dinner of quiche, green beans and a Greek salad, with a crisp, dry white wine, followed by fresh strawberries we had picked up en route, served with ice cream. It was all delicious.

     We turned in at 21h:00 (midnight for us), happy to be in Victoria again, with the promise of many adventures ahead of us.

American Dipper (Cincle d'Amérique) at Goldstream Provincial Park, Langford, BC

06 April 2018

     Dippers, it seems to me, are among the most enigmatic of the world's birds. They live in wild, rugged places with rapidly flowing streams, in regions often the least modified by humans. And they are endearing. Their name is derived from their habit of bouncing up and down as though on a spring - "dipping." They plunge into icy rapids with abandon, emerging with caddis fly larva which they pound into submission, ridding the larva of its protective shield of pebbles, to gulp down their prize. Their whole lifestyle is wedded to water and it is only in their mountain haunts that we find them going about their lives.

     There are but five species of dipper in the world, and I consider myself fortunate indeed to have enjoyed four of them. The fifth, the Rufous-throated Dipper (Cinclus schulzi) of the remote, almost inaccessible regions of northern Argentina and southern Bolivia will probably remain a mere vision in my mind.

     On a recent trip to Vancouver Island off Canada's west coast one of our targets was American Dipper (C. mexicanus) and we were able to locate it in Goldstream Provincial Park.

     Miriam and I have had several previous encounters with this species, but for Franc, Carol, Jim, Francine and Judy, our fellow birders, it was a first. Fittingly, it seemed, the first four individuals mentioned above saw their first dipper ever last year, White-throated Dipper (C. cinclus), in Slovenia when we also travelled together. With two species under their belt they have already seen 40% of the world's dippers!

     Dippers use their nictitating membranes frequently to protect their eyes from hazards in the water and Miriam was able to capture this photograph of a bird drawing the membrane across its eye while on a log.

     There were at least two individuals and possibly three in the area and they put on a show for us for at least ten minutes.

     It gave us ample opportunity to really enjoy them and observe many facets of their unique lifestyle.

    A complete report of our trip will be posted in the next few days.