Subject: Directions to Reifel
Date: Mar 9 12:58:42 2001
From: Kyle Hamish Elliott - kelliott at physics.ubc.ca


Hi Chris and anyone else who cares,

Take I-5 to Highway 10. When you go westbound on Hwy 10, the "off-ramp" of
Hwy 99 (the Canadian version of I-5) ends with a set of lights. Turning
left will be Highway 10. Rather, keep going straight through the lights
and then turn immediately left on Burns Drive. The second driveway on your
right is the Ladner Hospital. Drive up and park in the parking lot,
overlooking the fields. Scan any gull flocks for an immature Glaucous
Gull (look for a large bird with a pink bill and black tip among the many
Glaucous-W's) and a Slaty-backed Gull. Sometimes the gulls are more
easily seen from elsewhere along Burns Dr, and sometimes of course
they are not there. Return to highway 10, turn right at the lights and
continue on Highway 10 to Highway 17. Search any gull flocks you see.

To go to Reifel: continue through the lights at the intersection of Hwy 10
and Hwy 17 (ie. continue on Hwy 10 also called the Ladner Trunk Rd)
through the small town of Ladner. The road is now called River Rd, and
continue along until you see a big sign for the Reifel Refuge. Turn right
here and go over the wooden bridge. Just keep following this road, which
eventually curves sharply to the right, left and then right again. It will
lead you right to Reifel. Ask the people at the Reifel entrance about what
is around.

To see the Gyrfalcon: this one is tricky and it will likely take you a
few tries before you see it. It is not usually seen at Reifel, but rather
in the surrounding farmland. Your best bet is to go to turn left on
Highway 17 rather than following the directions "to go to Reifel" and then
take the exit to Deltaport Road. The gyrfalcon (grey phase) is most
reliably seen on the grey hydroelectric towers at the base of the Roberts
Bank coal port jetty. Since it is grey and the towers are grey this bird
can be difficult to spot! If it is not on the towers, it is somewhere in
the fields around here, and you'll just have to drive the fields and look
for a large grey falcon.

Other sites to see:

check any Mew Gull flocks for the Black-headed Gull that is hanging around
this general area.

both the Tsawwassen and Roberts Bank jetties are excellent for birding.
The Tsawwassen jetty is at the end of Hwy 17. These jetties can be good
for ducks, seabirds and shorebirds.

Brunswick Point, the dyke between Roberts Bank and River Rd is also an
excellent place for birding. This area is good for shorebirds, sparrows
and raptors.

for the Hawk Owl: another species that needs a little patience. Take the
first exit from I-5 after crossing the border back into the US. Check the
tweeters archive for directions to its most recently seen location.

I hope this helps and keep us posted about what you find!

Kyle Elliott
Langley BC

PS. I am leading a field trip to Roberts Bank and Brunswick Point on
St Patrick's Day Sat. Mar. 17. for the Vancouver Natural History Society
(www.naturalhistory.bc.ca/VNHS for more details) & I'd love to have you
out. We'll be catching a leprachaun and he'll show us where the gyrfalcon
is...



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On Fri, 9 Mar 2001, Chris Southwick wrote:

> I am interested in traveling to Reifel from Seattle, hopefully this Sunday.
> I will be traveling from Seattle.
> Once I cross the Canadian border, where do I go from there? Is there a
> place that the gyrfalcons most commonly are found? Are there other "must
> see" sights (since I have never been there, and don't personally know anyone
> who has)? What's the cost to enter the Refuge, and where can I get a map of
> the Refuge?
> Also, on the way back I will probably try to find the Hawk Owl in Blaine.
> What exit do I take?
>
> Thank you in advance for any replies.
>
>
> Chris Southwick
> Seattle, WA
> mailto:chriss at micronics.net
>