George C. Reifel Bird Sanctuary

I've lived here in Vancouver pretty much all my life, and yet it was only recently that I had heard about the George C. Reifel Bird Sanctuary, located a mere 30 minute drive away. Apparently, it has been around since the 1960s!

Now that I know about it, I can't stop going. And whenever a visitor comes to Vancouver, this is one of the Must See places I'll be taking them to!

Last November, some friends and I went to check it out and for an admission price of $5, we ventured into this protected area that was full of marshes, wetlands, and birds! At the time, the Snow Geese were the main attraction, and we witnessed some flying through the sky, but it wasn't till we were leaving that I spotted the field where hundreds of them were all gathered, trying to stay warm from the day's wind storm that had hit the Lower Mainland.

Can you see that sea of white? Yep, those are all snow geese.

We also saw lots and lots of ducks, from the lustrous Mallards to a black duck called an "American Coot." Upon a second visit just last month, I saw another variety of duck - the Wood Duck.

The second time I visited, the place was full of these Sandhill Cranes. At first we weren't sure what they were, because they would just be hanging about on the path and they were the size of humans!

It was crazy windy that first day I went, with branches flying all over the place, trees falling over, and we had climbed a tower to get up onto an observation deck, only to fear for our lives that we'd be blown over the edge!

On my second visit, I was smart enough to follow the hard-core bird watchers who were there and wound up spying on a hawk perched on top of a giant tree.

It's the perfect place to be outdoors and appreciate the wonders of nature right in our own backyard.

So serene. So peaceful.

I can't wait to bring other folks out here whether they be fellow Vancouverites, or out of town visitors! A highly recommended thing to do and see if you're in Vancouver!