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Richmond's Natural Charms by John Geary Ot you enter the city of Richmond, B.C., you're greeted by signs that proclaim it to be "An lsland by Nature." It literally is an island,

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rrounded by the Fraser

River on two sides, and ihe Strait of Georgia on

third. And there are plenty cf outdoor attractions and :ctivities for visiting nature overs to enjoy. lf you like bird,.vatching or just enjoying

: nature hike, a couple :f parks in Richmond :'ovide opportunities

'cr both. Located in the s and's heart, Richmond Park provides a

\ature

rnique chance to see a ::g ervironment, full of

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nwtravelmag.com

blueberry bushes, Labrador tea and evergreen forests. Open year-round, the types of birds you see will depend on when you go. Hummingbirds hang out there in the spring, owls in the autumn, thrushes in the winter and several other species, such as towhees,

chickadees, downy woodpeckers and fi nches, yea r- rou nd.

lona Beach Regional Park lies at the extreme northwest end of Richmond, on a spit

jutting out into the Strait of Georgia. With two large ponds in the park,

it boasts several species of waterfowl, including

ls, mallards, buffl eheads, northern

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and northern shovelers;

.: rgbirds include warblers, woodpeckers , -d swallows. And, if you hear a flock of .-:ws cawing incessantly in the woods,

-eTe's a good chance they're trying to -rimidate an owl off its perch. Because '-e park also sits on the ocean shore, : u'll see several gull species. Paddling a kayak along the Fraser : 'rer estuary near Steveston, you may :ot great blue herons and red-winged - ackbirds. lf you're lucky, a bald eagle *;ght soar overhead, scouting the river ':r food. You might see a water-based -ammal, such as an otter or a beaver. lf you like to see bigger mammals, . :veral companies offer whale-watching :urs. ln addition to seeing orca pods ,,'.rimming and diving in the ocean, there , a good chance you'll see some seals . rd maybe even a sea lion or two. Prefer to stay on land, pedaling rather

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'ran paddling? Richmond offers more -ore than 5o miles of cycling trails, -any ofthem along dykes and beaches .at skirt river or ocean. Several options

,-e available.0ne of the best is a r5-mile 'ip along the West and South Dykes :rat includes access to the Terra Nova ,atural Area, Sturgeon Banks marsh, and :'aser River's south arm, with plenty of -oportunity to spot birds and wildlife. There's so much nature to experience r Richmond, you may have to spread your :xperiences over several day-trips. â‚Ź"

When You Go: Richmond Pcrrks, ri chm

o n

/p arks. htm

Koymcrcn Adventure Tours, kalmarantours.com

Vqncouver Whcrle Wctch, u

an c o ua

eruh al eu at ch.

Steveston Seqbreeze

Adventures, se

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entur e s. c a

Steveston Ecotours, steaestonecotours. ca

Tourism Richmond, tourismrichmond.com

nwtravelmag.com

May/une

2015