Sooke Takes Flight on the BC Bird Trail

The BC Bird Trail invites you to soar into fall with the launch of bird watching experiences across BC, including Sooke!

Grab your binoculars and get ready to experience the beauty of BC’s birding migration this fall! Sooke is joining several birdwatching communities on its vast list of self-guided experiences found on bcbirdtrail.ca, a platform designed to inspire people of all ages and levels to explore and enjoy the best birdwatching BC has to offer.

In partnership with Destination BC, birdwatching trails launching this season, in addition to Sooke, include the Vancouver Island North Trail encompassing Port McNeill, Port Hardy, Port Alice, Sointula and Alert Bay along with individual outposts in Prince George, Nelson & Kootenay Lake, Vancouver’s North Shore, Vernon, Shuswap, Vancouver, Southern Gulf Islands, Kelowna, Sooke, and Tofino.

“As we launch the 4th year of this campaign, it’s so rewarding to see our biggest year of growth ever! With so many new communities getting on board, we’ll be able to introduce the practice of birding to even more people across the province,” says Ceri Chong, Director, Destination and Industry Development at Tourism Richmond.

“We are so thrilled to launch the Shuswap Outpost! The Salmon Arm Economic Development Society MRDT Program collaborated on the BC Bird Trail outpost with our partners from Shuswap Tourism and the District of Sicamous Development Corp because this is the best opportunity to showcase the unique birding experiences in our communities,” says Caitlin Thompson, Project Coordinator with the Salmon Arm Economic Development Society. “Birding is a fast-growing tourism experience in BC, and we have some of the best locations, trail systems, and rare bird species to offer.”

What you can expect on a self-guided birdwatching tour:

In collaboration with tourism and conservation partners throughout the province, The BC Bird Trail develops free self-guided travel itineraries for visitors and locals of all ages to explore some of the most renowned birding areas in the country. Each destination on bcbirdtrail.ca includes key birding-related information like a list of birds you might currently spot in the area, along with birding hotspots (e.g. parks, wildlife centres, and estuaries) to visit.

To help visitors and locals make the most of their birdwatching experience in the communities they visit, each Trail and Outpost also includes key transportation information, bookable outdoors experiences in the community, like golf courses, bike rentals, and wildlife tours, and top picks for shopping, dining, and accommodations.

As a bonus: The BC Bird Trail also has a free mobile app available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store to help birdwatchers track their birding progress, check in at birding hotspots, and earn rewards along the way.

Why fall is a key time for birdwatching

The expansion of The BC Bird Trail is timely because the fall season is when large numbers of bird migrations take place. During this peak migration season, birding is quite exciting, and local birding spots can change overnight, so every outing can potentially offer new surprises for birdwatchers.

What types of birds can you expect to see this fall in BC?

Turkey vultures, trumpeter swans, harlequin ducks, red-breasted mergansers, northern pintails, and warblers are just a few of the spectacular birds that make the list. Nature enthusiasts of all levels can visit bcbirdtrail.ca for an up-to-date list of birds you can expect to spot along each Trail and Outpost.

Birding is trending + it’s good for our mental health

Birdwatching first soared to popularity in 2020 when it quickly became a popular pandemic hobby, with birdwatchers setting a world record for the highest number of bird observations reported in one single day (May 9, 2020) as reported by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Since the pandemic, birdwatching has continued to grow in popularity and today people of all ages are interested in the avian world – to enjoy nature, learn about wildlife, and reap the mental health benefits. Birdwatching has even been recognized as a practice of mindfulness with bird sounds and sights helping to alleviate anxiety. One study has found that locations with higher bird diversity are seeing lower mental health admissions.

To learn more about The BC Bird Trail, and to plan your very own birding experience, visit

www.BCBirdTrail.ca and the Sooke Community Outpost.

Take off with The BC Bird Trail on social media:

About The BC Bird Trail

Launched in September 2020, The BC Bird Trail is the leading source of information on attractions, activities, and accommodations related to birdwatching in the province for novice birders, seasoned veterans and more while promoting personal responsibility, sustainability, and mindfulness. Funding for this program is provided by Destination BC, with support from Birds Canada, Indigenous Tourism BC, Tourism Richmond, and more than a dozen additional tourism partners throughout the province.


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