Just south of Vancouver, Delta sits at the doorstep of the Fraser Estuary Important Bird and Biodiversity Area, a major hub for birds migrating along the Pacific Flyway. In collaboration with Birds Canada and other partners, the City has launched the Birds Love Delta campaign to spread awareness about bird conservation in this very special place.
Imagine striding along Boundary Bay in Delta, BC and seeing 13,000 Dunlin in murmurations over the water while thousands of Northern Pintails and American Wigeons float on the shallow coastal water.
“Birdwatching kits” allow more people to enjoy the intimate relationship with nature that birdwatching brings. We wondered if it would be possible to extend this opportunity to more people by sharing kits with local libraries.
Environment and Climate Change Canada scientists have concluded that “Project-induced changes to Roberts Bank constitute an unmitigatable species-level risk to Western Sandpipers, and shorebirds more generally.” Unless we act now, the proposed Roberts Bank Terminal 2 project is just one example of threats that will face Western Sandpipers and the Fraser Estuary.
On a spectacular sunny, calm day in mid-November, I had the opportunity to participate in a volunteer effort to document the Fraser Estuary Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA). Starting at first light, 40 experienced birders set out to count birds across the 754 square kilometres of the Fraser Estuary IBA.
