Esquimalt Lagoon MAIN BIRD SPECIES Shallow waters: American Coot, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, American Wigeon, Hooded Migratory Bird Sanctuary Merganser, Black Oystercatcher, and Pacific Great Blue Heron. Esquimalt Lagoon is located just west of in Colwood. The Esquimalt Lagoon MBS was established on December 12, 1931. This Deeper Waters: Canvasback, Bufflehead, Cormorants 134 hectare sanctuary includes tidal waters from the bridge on Ocean Blvd, and many gull species. to Coburg Peninsula west to the toe of the lagoon and includes 100m of the surrounding land. The shallow tidal waters of the lagoon support thousands of Regionally Rare birds: Eurasian Wigeon, America waterfowl from October through May, making this one of the top birding spots Golden-plover, Common Tern, Horned Lark and Western in the region. The lagoon harbours rich feeding grounds and a sheltered place Meadowlark. for birds to rest on their long migrations up and down the Pacific coast. Several small streams flow into the lagoon year round, providing habitat for Cutthroat Esquimalt Lagoon is one of the most popular birding Trout and Coho Salmon and other aquatic species. In the lagoon itself bivalves, sites in the capital region. As many as 75 species can be seen there in a single day. sand dollars, sea lettuce and eelgrass are abundant.

The lagoon becomes critically important for waterfowl, particularly for those win- tering inland, during periods of cold weather when freshwater lakes and ponds freeze. Mudflats, eelgrass and estuary fringe marsh habitats provide excellent foraging and nesting habitats for resident and migratory birds. Two gravel-bar The Esquimalt Lagoon Stewardship Initiative (est. islands and a rocky outcrop near the entrance are important refuge areas for 2001) is a coalition of community and environmental waterfowl. Gulls and herons are often seen feeding here in large numbers. groups, citizens, institutions and government agencies (including the Canadian Wildlife Service) working While there remains excellent bird habitat within the sanctuary, disturbance together to protect, enhance and restore the ecosystems of birds from boaters and off-leash dogs; habitat loss due to urban develop- at Esquimalt Lagoon. Activities include outreach and ment pressure, erosion and park use; and contamination entering the lagoon education, bird and fish surveys, habitat inventories, environmental monitoring and habitat restoration. from failing septic systems and road run-off remain concerns. In 2008, the City of Colwood established a dogs-on-leash bylaw to comply with federal MBS regulations and established an off-leash area west of the public washrooms. In 2009, concerned groups worked with boaters and government agencies to establish Wildlife Refuge Areas to provide “disturbance-free” areas for the birds to feed and rest.

Below: Among the most beautiful and striking birds in the capital region, the Hooded Merganser (drake shown) is easily observed close to the shore in salt and brackish water. Hooded Mergansers, along with Common and Red-breasted Mergansers, are common wintering ducks in the Salish Sea.

Above: Pacific Great Blue Heron is listed as a Species of Special Concern under the federal Species at Risk Act but is commonly seen in the three Migratory Bird Sanctuaries of the capital region. Herons and other coastal marine wildlife depend on healthy ecosystems and intact food webs to sustain their populations. All bird photos by Stuart Clarke. S RD M PU CA BELMONT RD

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EsquimaltBee Lagoon Migratory Bird Sanctuary Creek U S RD M P D CA V BELMONTL RD B C N O A S RD L E PU L C T CA M EG ERSI Y D R E O BELMONT RD N IV 1 R U D CO 4 LL EG E Colwood Creek R D PO R TSM O U TH D R Colwood Creek 2 Bee Creek SEAFIELD RD D V L

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LAGOON RD ER3SITY D R N IV 1 ERSITY D R U 4 N IV 1 U R TSM O U TH D 4 PO R 2 R D MILBURN DR Bee CreekY E SEAFIELD RD L D T V A L Bee B H HEATHERBELL RD Creek N A E G D C V O R A L Selleck A ANCHORAGE AVE Creek L B T O T H N Metres O A A LAGOON RD N A E V SM O U T C 0 200 400 600 3 R E O R T H D P R O D RD 2 Projection: UTM ZONE 10N NAD 83 SEAFIELD RD This map is for general information only and may Rcontain inaccuracies. HEATHERBELL RD D MILBURN DR Oct 07, 2016O R - MapTS Document:M O EsqLagMigBirdSanctLetter_Ortho.mxdU TH D Y P R E Selleck 2 L Creek T

A Shoal LAGOON RD Wildlife Viewpoint3 Creek/Ditch H SEAFIELD RD Harbour 1 MBS G R A HEATHERBELL RD Dog On-Leash Area Water Body SALISHA L ANCHORAGE AVE T O R T H Metres D MILBURN DR O A Y N A Selleck E Bladed kelp CreekL Dog Off-Leash Area V 0 200 400 600 T R E A METCHOSIN RD D LAGOON RD H SEA Projection: UTM ZONE 10N NAD 83 Victoria 3 Wildlife Refuge Eelgrass G R HarbourA This map is for general information A L ANCHORAGE AVE O Migratory Bird Sanctuary T MBS T H Metres only and may contain inaccuracies. Map O A N A Oct 07, 2016 - Map Document: EsqLagMigBirdSanctLetter_Ortho.mxd V 0 200 400 600 R E R D Area METCHOSIN RD D MILBURN DR Projection: UTM ZONE 10N NAD 83

Y E This map is for generalShoal information L 1 Wildlife Viewpoint Creek/Ditch T only and may containHarbour inaccuracies. A Oct 07, 2016 - Map Document: EsqLagMigBirdSanctLetter_Ortho.mxd H MBS Dog On-Leash Area Water Body G Shoal R A 1 Wildlife Viewpoint Creek/Ditch A L ANCHORAGE AVE Harbour O Bladed kelp T MBS Dog Off-Leash Area T H Metres O A Dog On-Leash Area Water Body N A V 0 200 400 600 R E Victoria Wildlife Refuge Eelgrass Dog Off-Leash Area Bladed kelp METCHOSIN RD D Projection: UTM ZONE 10N NADHarbour 83 MBS Migratory Bird Sanctuary Victoria Wildlife Refuge Eelgrass Map Harbour This map is for general information Migratory Bird Sanctuary Map MBS Areaonly and may contain inaccuracies. Oct 26, 2016 - Map Document: EsqLagMigBirdSanctLetter_Ortho.mxd WILDLIFE VIEWINGArea HOT SPOTS 1 Near Lagoon bridge, great spot to view dozens of Pacific Great Blue Herons feeding in shallows Shoal 1 Wildlife Viewpoint Creek/Ditch 2 HarbourAll along Coburg Peninsula MBS 3 Toe of the lagoon, lots of dabblingDog On-Leash ducks congregateArea here Water Body 4 Colwood Creek estuary. Look for the Western Purple Martin nest boxes on the University dock. Dog Off-Leash Area Bladed kelp Eelgrass Victoria Wildlife Refuge Harbour Migratory Bird Sanctuary (MBS) MapThe lagoon was formed afterMBS the last ice age, when a large chunk of ice became grounded here and formed a “kettle” as gravel and sediment outwash was deposited around it forming the barrier spit we Areanow call Coburg Peninsula. Abundant food sources and sheltered waters provide ideal feeding and resting habitat for migrating birds and other wildlife.