As the BC Bird Trail expands throughout the province, we wanted to shine a light on the people on the ground in these communities. Learn more about the bird-watching experiences in these destinations through the eyes of the experienced locals with our BC Birders profile series.
Before retiring with his wife in Windermere, Brian Wesley was an active Calgary backyard birder — feeders out, heated bird bath running through winter. Once in the Columbia Valley, he got serious: picking up eBird and joining in on bird surveys. He continues to run Owl, Nightjar, and Breeding Bird surveys, and leads birding events for the Wings Over the Rockies Nature Festival. The Upper Columbia Valley and its wetlands keep him coming back, offering a steady source of birding through the spring and fall migrations, with a wonderful cast of resident species year-round.
“Learn ten birds,” is Brian Wesley’s seasoned advice to new birders, “it can be overwhelming. Start with ten.” In 2007, Brian retired. He and his wife, Joan moved to their recreation home in Windermere, BC, after fifteen years in a Calgary inner city community. However, Calgary is where his passion for birding first took flight. Despite the location, Joan suggested a bird feeder for the yard. Brian hadn’t really seen many birds, but was game. They started noticing birds in the tall elms that lined the street. Approaching the local birding store one day, they were astonished and delighted by all the wood peckers, nuthatches, sparrows and other birds enjoying the amenities. They bought feeders and baths and two birders were born. Once living in the Upper Columbia Valley, Brian took up serious birding in 2012 and began participating in owl, nightjar and breeding bird surveys. “You may not see them, but you can hear them.” Brian shares that his wife, who plays piano, has more of an ear, but prefers birding casually.
“Learn ten birds,” is Brian Wesley’s seasoned advice to new birders, “it can be overwhelming. Start with ten.”
Brian Wesley
The Upper Columbia Valley is home to the Columbia wetlands, offering 180kms of nourishing, protected wetlands to resident and migrating birds and other wildlife. This valley is part of the Pacific Flyway, one of North America’s migration corridors, geologically referred to as the Rocky Mountain Trench. Sitting at the convergence of forest, wetland and mountain habitat, the Upper Columbia Valley is a birders’ nirvana. Many birds migrate via the wetlands during the Spring and Fall. During migration season, “you can easily spot 40-50 species in a morning outing,” Brian beams.
Resident birds include the Red-tailed Hawk, Brown-headed Cowbird, Trumpeter Swan, Mountain Bluebird, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Common Merganser, Great Blue Heron, Sandhill Crane and the strong, crow-sized Pileated Woodpecker. The wetlands also welcome migratory Snow Geese, American White Pelicans, Western Grebes and many, many more. Brian’s eyes light up as he describes the quirky, at-risk, Lewis’s Woodpecker with its blazing pink chest and preference for catching flying food, not drilling into wood. Top spots to bird here include a one-hour walk at Fairmont Meadows, right by the wetland. There is also a federal bird sanctuary featuring waterfowl on its extensive sloughs and wetlands north of the small community of Wilmer.
Like many birders, Brian uses eBird and Merlin locally and other apps when he and his wife are travelling. He has witnessed Andean Condors in Patagonia, 1000s of Kittiwakes in the Canadian Arctic and 250,000 snow geese near Estevan, Saskatchewan, “No matter where you go, birds are always different,” he exclaims.
But the Columbia Valley’s crown jewel , Wings over the Rockies Nature Festival, reigns supreme for Brian. This May, week-long nature-focused bonanza has flora and fauna tours, birding events, presentations, music and film events, a Gala dinner and key-note speaker, crafts, socials, paddles, wanders and, for the enthusiast and beginner alike, a huge variety of birds. Brian leads birding events and encourages everyone to come.
“80% of birding is listening,” Brian shares. He prefers Spring and Summer early morning birding. You have to get up early to hear and perhaps spot the birds. Now, permanently based in his avian metropolis, Brian welcomes the birds and the birders who follow them.
Looking to start your own birding adventure in the Columbia Valley? Check out the Radium and Invermere Bird Trail!
