Every season, Todd and I load up the kids and make the short trip to the Reifel Bird Sanctuary, located on Westham Island, just south of Vancouver, BC. To quote the sanctuary’s website, it is “one of Canada’s top bird-watching sites in the heart of the Fraser River estuary”, and it really is something to see.
So, a couple of weeks ago, with a 20lb bag of feed in the truck, we headed off to see the ducks. The kids get a kick out of the incredible tame resident birds, and delight in watching the wild ones cackle as they swim in circles just out of reach. When we went, it was sunny and warm, and there were not many ducks around.
The photo is from one of our winter trips (a couple of years ago), and it shows how surrounded you can get. You have to be careful where you step! In addition to the mallards, there are several coots in the mix, trying to get at the feed. Coots are funny little waterfowl that resemble ducks, with their feet being one of their most distinguishing features (see below).
For more information, or to visit the Reifel Bird Sanctuary, please check out their website at www.reifelbirdsanctuary.com
