The birds of the Westshore

At the start of the spring, we put a (bird) call out for your photos of the Westshore's fine feathered friends. Birds have been some of the most popular subjects of Westshore Snaps through the years, and we wanted to highlight some of the best birdwatching you've shared with us in recent months.

See cute, funny, and striking shots of hummingbirds, herons, kingfishers, sapsuckers, ducks, robins, and more.

Special thanks to Gary Woodburn and Glenys Pumfrey for their many submissions, of which we're featuring some of our favourite examples here.

See the full roundup of bird photos below.

Anna's Hummingbird with a flowering red currant. — Gary Woodburn

Hummingbirds of the Westshore — Morris Skrabyk

Female Common Goldeneye preening with a male Common Merganser – Gary Woodburn

A cormorant on Colwood Lake enjoying spring weather. — Glenys Pumfrey

“This red breasted sapsucker was attacking a tree next to my parking spot in View Royal.” — Dell Lang 

The early bird earns its reputation — Gary Woodburn

Esquimalt Lagoon’s resident Kingfisher sitting on the wire — Glenys Pumfrey, Colwood

This magnificent flew by my kitchen window while I was preparing dinner. Although hard to see in the photo, it has a rabbit in its claws. — Jeanette McMillan, Metchosin

Great Blue Heron at Royal Roads, standing up (left) and taking a bath (right) — Gary Woodburn

Birds of the winter 

Many of you also sent in bird photos during our winter photo roundup and for the February cold snap.

From back in February: Here's a photo of a robin who seems perplexed about the snow making getting its dinner more difficult during the recent snowy conditions. — Bennett Guinn

Resident peacocks enjoying (?) a snow day on the Royal Roads campus. — Ali Blythe

From February: “On Frozen Pond” at Thetis Lake. – Richard Steward, View Royal

From February: A swan a-swimming — Frankie Lawrence

A peck on the cheek (literally): Esquimalt Lagoon rock pigeon gives its Valentine a kiss. — Glenys Pumfrey

“Chilly morning at Albert Head Lagoon… but the ducks can stand (on) it.” – Ron Myers, Colwood

A big snowfall and a little bird — Ken Johansen

From last fall:

Northern Saw-whet Owl at Pedder Bay (Rocky Point Bird Observatory migration monitoring station). — Photo by Jannaca Chick

“Cutest owls in the world! :)” – reader Gaylia Lassner, who submitted the photo.

A trailblazing kestrel treated at Metchosin's Wild ARC centre in 2024. It was "accidentslly rescued" by a well-meaning but mistaken local, then hand-reared at the cebtre fir 42 days before being released. Photos: BC SPCA / Wild ARC

Seagull at Esquimalt lagoon — Michelle Hamilton

Ending where we begin, with a hummingbird spotted by Gary Woodburn. He explained: “Rufous Hummingbirds travel nearly 4,000 miles from Alaska and northwest Canada breeding grounds to wintering sites in Mexico. They travel north up the Pacific Coast in spring and return by the Rocky Mountains in late summer and fall.”