Vancouver Island, Canada

7th-25th September 2011

Witty's Lagoon & East Sooke

Witty's Lagoon

The exposed mudbanks at Witty's Lagoon attract several species of shorebird during migration periods.  The main flock I saw was composed of about 80% Western Sandpipers, 20% Least Sandpipers and a few Pectoral Sandpipers and Dunlin.

Western Sandpipers (Calidris mauri)

The beach is very popular at the weekend but midweek in September it is pretty much deserted even when the temperature is 30°C.

female Grasshopper

male Grasshopper

A little bit further along the coast at East Sooke Regional Park, a River Otter gave me a superb birthday treat when it clambered out of the water and posed on a rock less than 20m in front of us for a few minutes. 

North American River Otter (Lontra canadensis formerly Lutra canadensis) - East Sooke

Shortly after the otter disappeared back into the water, Erin clambered down onto the shoreline and only a few seconds later was frantically gesticulating at me.  She had found the otter's den and it was staring out at her only inches away!

North American River Otter (Lontra canadensis formerly Lutra canadensis) - East Sooke

8cm-long centipede (Chilopoda) - Mathieson Lake

When on a walk around Matheson Lake, I came across this 8cm-long centipede taking a drink from a muddy puddle.  It had quite an impressive-looking set of fangs and I certainly wouldn't want to be bitten by one of these.

Pacific Banana Slug (Ariolimax columbianus) - Mathieson Lake

The Pacific Banana Slug is a common native of the forest floor of coastal coniferous rainforests and is the second largest slug in the world, growing up to 25cm long, although all the individuals I saw were considerably smaller (about 10-15cm on average).

Pacific Banana Slug (Ariolimax columbianus) - Mathieson Lake