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ENGLISHMAN RIVER ESTUARY, PARKSVILLE

ACCORDING TO A local legend, indigenous people in this area found the skeleton of a Caucasian man near present-day Englishman River Falls, thus giving the river its current name. Prior to that, Spanish mapmakers had named it the Rio de Grullas, presumably because of the large number of Great Blue Herons that feed around the estuary (grulla being Spanish for “crane”).

Fast-forward to today and fortunately the dead bodies are all long-gone but there are still plenty of herons. In an area abundant with rich estuaries and beaches, the Englishman River Estuary is one of the best spots for birding year-round and it’s conveniently located right beside downtown Parksville. A Nature Trust reserve covers 68 hectares (168 acres) of lovely coastal habitat including a tidal estuary, gravelly beach, mixed woodland, and even native grassland. A 2.4 km (1.5 mi.) loop trail, which includes a viewing tower over the estuary, on the west side of the river (Shelly Rd. access) gives visitors access to most of these habitats, while Plummer Rd. on the east side supplies another viewpoint of the estuary and easy access to the beach along Georgia Strait.

Outside of summer, the coastline around Parksville and Qualicum teems with water birds, including the distinctive Harlequin Duck that nests in the rushing mountain rivers of the Interior before wintering in small flocks along rocky ocean shorelines of British Columbia. LIRON GERTSMAN

The tidal mudflats of the Englishman River Estuary are best outside of early summer when shorebird numbers are highest. Check Parksville tide times so you arrive outside of high tide, when the mud is covered. Dabbling ducks migrate through here in good numbers and many spend the winter. Mallard, American Wigeon, Northern Pintail, and Green-winged Teal are the most numerous, but a few Gadwall and Eurasian Wigeon are usually around, and sometimes the Eurasian form of the Green-winged Teal (also known as Common Teal) turns up.

Late February until the end of April is herring spawn season, so if you’re lucky enough to visit when a spawn is occurring (they happen suddenly and usually only last for a couple days at any one site), you can encounter thousands of gulls—mostly Glaucous-winged, California, and Thayer’s, though rarities like Glaucous and Kumlien’s (Iceland) Gull are picked out annually by visitors with sharp eyes. Many other species, such as Brant, scoters, Bald Eagles, and shorebirds, take part in the herring spawn feast too. The estuary is a favoured bathing and loafing place for gulls throughout the area, so even if the herring aren’t going, there’s almost always a good mix of gulls outside of summer. Heermann’s Gull, typically more of a Juan de Fuca/outer coast species, sometimes shows up here between August and November.

BIRDING GUIDE

There are essentially two main sections to the area known as the Englishman River Estuary: The Plummer Rd. side (east) and the Shelly Rd. side (west). Both have their advantages.

EAST SIDE For the quickest way to the tidal estuary where waders, dabbling ducks, and gulls are most likely, as well as easy access to the beach, turn north off the Old Island Hwy. (19A) on Plummer Rd. and follow it along the east side of the river. You may want to check for American Dipper along the river, especially south of the bridge. As Plummer Rd. begins to bend to the right, there is a gravel pull-off area on the left side, with a gravel track continuing straight on with a “No Thru Road” sign. This is just before Plummer Rd. leaves the forest and turns into an old subdivision.

You can park here and walk this track along the east side of the estuary. The first 350 m/yd. take you along a small side-channel of the river with lots of mixed shrubs that are great for small birds year-round. The east side of the Englishman River Estuary will be obvious. It’s a small estuary, so shorebird numbers are never very high, but a good variety of species comes through regularly each spring and late summer/fall. Try to arrive outside of high tide when there is exposed mud. This trail passes a small viewing tower then ends near the north end of San Malo Crescent, where it joins up with the northwestern terminus of Mariner Way.

GETTING THERE

From downtown Parksville, drive east along the Old Island Hwy. Shelly Rd. is on the north side just past Tim Hortons and A&W, while Plummer Rd. is the first left after crossing the Englishman River bridge. If approaching from Nanaimo along the main highway, take Exit 46, signed for Parksville and Rathtrevor; in just over 3 km (1.9 mi.), Plummer Rd. will be on the right/north side (if you cross the bridge over the Englishman you’ve gone too far), and Shelly Rd. will be about 400 m/yd. past the bridge (on the right side).

Alternatively, continue along Plummer Rd., which turns into Shorewood Dr., then turn left at Mariner Way and park at the end of the road near the entrance gate for the art gallery. The eastern corner of the estuary will be obvious on the south side of the road, as will the trail described above. You can continue on foot from this point using the directions above.

Walk south along the outside of the art gallery fence, following a little trail that winds through clumps of broom and moss. The trail then rounds the corner to the right and continues toward the mouth of the main river channel. This trail gives you more opportunity to scan the estuary. The cobblestone bars at the river mouth are where most gulls and some shorebirds concentrate, so have a scope handy if possible. As the trail fizzles out, you can clamber down some boulders onto a sandy bank and turn the corner at the end of the spit where the gallery sits. Note that this is not advisable at high tide. Everything below the tide-line is public land, so it’s fine to walk around to the outer beach in front of the art gallery. From the tip of the point, it’s about a 400 m/yd. walk along the beach to get to a public beach access through-way which will lead you back onto Mariner Way just a few metres from your car, or the end of that estuary trail mentioned earlier. Along the beach, scan for all the water birds and keep an eye on the mowed lawn around the art gallery, as uncommon open-country birds like Mountain Bluebird and Western Meadowlark turn up here in migration and mixed flocks of geese are regular in fall, winter, and spring.

WEST SIDE For access to the west side of the estuary, and its 2.4 km (1.5 mi.) loop trail plus viewing-tower, park at the north end of Shelly Rd., which turns off the Old Island Hwy. (19A) just west of the bridge over the Englishman River. From the parking lot, head due west along the trail that separates the forest from some houses. About 300 m/yd. from the parking lot, the trail bends to the right and the habitat will open up to the west. This is the Shelly Creek estuary, a very important part of the Englishman conservation area as a whole. You can leave the path and explore this expansive meadow area, but tread carefully and do not take dogs with you, as the tidal creek is an important feeding area for shorebirds like Wilson’s Snipe, Greater Yellowlegs, and Long-billed Dowitcher, as well as Green-winged Teal and other dabbling ducks. In late fall, you have a chance of flushing Lapland Longspur from these weedy meadows, so make sure you familiarize yourself with their dry rattle.

The main trail that follows the western edge of the forest gets to its northern-most point at an obvious viewing tower. You’ll have a different angle on the river mouth than that offered by the Plummer Rd. side. Scan carefully for ducks, shorebirds, and gulls with your scope as some birds can blend in well with the large cobbles along the river.

Continue clockwise along the trail as it sweeps back south through the forest to the Shelly Rd. parking area. Most of the westcoast specialty forest birds like Hutton’s Vireo, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Bewick’s Wren, Pacific Wren, and Varied Thrush can be spotted here, and both Barred and Great Horned Owl are sometimes spotted roosting close to the trail.

Thanks to Victoria’s relatively mild winters, Anna’s Hummingbirds are now more abundant here than anywhere else in their range. Listen for the male’s scratchy song as he perches atop a prominent twig. LIRON GERTSMAN