British Columbia is renowned for its large population of wild protected birds, including bald eagles, great blue herons and trumpeter swans. During the fall and winter months bald eagles and trumpeter swans migrate to their winter feeding grounds along the Harrison River and throughout Harrison Mills region, while great blue herons inhabit the region year-round.
The area supports a large, resident population of bald eagles, and during the fall months thousands more mature and immature bald eagles migrate from as far away as Alaska to converge on the Harrison River, where they’ll spend the entire winter feeding on dead salmon carcasses. During the winter months every tree along the river’s edge holds four or five eagles hunting for their next meal. Often, 10 or more eagles will share a tree, with larger trees holding 20 or more eagles at once. Pretty Flats is locally referred to as the “Sea of White” because of the countless eagles converging on the beaches and feeding on dead salmon. Bird watchers can use their scopes and cameras for many hours, enjoying incredible wildlife viewing without ever disturbing the natural setting.
Once the eagles have finished gorging on salmon they take up residence in specific areas and rivers throughout the Fraser Valley. Matsqui Island near Mission is home to more than 100 eagles, which arrive in late winter and remain well into spring. These magnificent birds are best viewed from the shore, or even better from a jet boat during a sturgeon fishing trip. The best time to view bald eagles on the Harrison is during November and December, but good numbers of eagles can be seen in October as well.
White trumpeter swans also converge on the productive Harrison region every winter. These birds migrate to the Harrison Valley during the cold winter months, feeding mostly on corn left over from the fall harvest. Trumpeter swans are often spotted swimming in the region’s many sloughs or feeding in the corn fields along scenic Highway 7 between Mission and Harrison Hot Springs. The fertile region straddling Highway 7 is also home to hundreds of blue herons.
Visitors to the Harrison region are encouraged to explore the area’s abundant bird and wildlife. Several guides in the area offer tours of some of the best viewing areas in the valley. And the best part – this natural, pristine environment is only a short 90-minute drive from Vancouver.
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