Paddling around Saturna Island means sharing the water with some remarkable birds. From the cliffs near the kayak launch to the tide-swept rocks at East Point, the island’s birdlife is one of the ever-varying delights that draws us onto the water. Not all of these birds are seabirds in the strict sense, but they’re all part of what you’ll encounter out here.
No need to be a birder to enjoy them. And if you are… you can teach us more 🙂
Bald Eagle
Eagles are frequently spotted on Saturna and visible most of the year along the shoreline and above the tree line. You’ll mostly see them alone or in pairs, perched high in a Douglas fir or circling high up and scanning the waters for prey. Once in a while you may see one dive into the water.
On a recent tour around the southwest shore, a group of paddlers watched an eagle swim a large fish to the rocky shore, wings beating the surface, completely focused to get to shore with its prey. We held our position and let it pass and watched in awe.
Note that young Bald Eagles don’t have the distinct white head and tail until they’re four or five years old.
I was able to take this picture of a bald eagle from my sea kayak close to Tumbo Island near Saturna Island.
Bald Eagle standing on intertidal rocks at Tumbo Island photographed from a sea kayak by Ruth Daber.
Pigeon Guillemot
These small black-and-white diving birds with bright red feet nest in the cliff crevices along Saturna’s south shore from spring through summer. They hunt sand eels and herring in the shallows.
They’re easily startled, so move slowly and give them space. Drift quietly alongside the cliffs and you’ll hear their thin, whistling call before you see them. They specialise to dive to hunt.
We have a video of guillemots near the cliffs that shows how cute they are. Filmed by Wendy Wiens from a sea kayak.
Great Blue Heron
There’s a reason these birds look like they belong in another era. The heron family first appeared around 60 million years ago, not long after the dinosaurs disappeared, and the Great Blue Heron you see, frozen on a tidal flat today is almost identical to its ancient ancestors. That prehistoric stillness with the long coiled neck, the eye fixed on the water feels entirely deliberate.
They favour sheltered coves and low tidal zones, and are easiest to spot at dawn or dusk. Get too close as you follow a shoreline and they’ll lift off with a slow, creaking wingbeat, settling just out of reach ahead of you, only to make their displeasure known again a few minutes later as you try to pass gently.
We occasionally have a resident heron around the dock.
Great Blue Heron on the Saturna Island Government dock next to the KayakingSkills dock. Photo: Katie Dentry
Cormorants
If you arrive by ferry, you’ve probably already met the cormorants. They gather on the pilings at the Saturna ferry dock, wings spread wide to dry in the sun.
That wing-spreading has a purpose. Cormorants have less oil in their feathers than most waterbirds, which gives them less buoyancy and lets them dive faster and deeper when hunting. The tradeoff is that their feathers absorb water, so they need to dry off after diving.
Pelagic Cormorants are the most likely species here, nesting on the same south-shore cliffs as the guillemots. Double-crested Cormorants may also be present.
The cormorant welcome committee at the Saturna Island ferry dock. Photo: Ruth Daber
Bonaparte’s Gull
Named after Charles Lucien Bonaparte, Napoleon’s ornithologist nephew. These small elegant gulls pass through the Southern Gulf Islands during spring and fall migration. They travel in large flocks and move together in often coordinated lifts, the whole group taking off at once, like a single organism maneuvering as one. It is quite the spectacle to watch.
In breeding plumage they have a striking black hood. Outside breeding season, look for a small dark ear spot on an otherwise white head. Their call is softer than the usual gull screech but noticeable and unique. I have noticed them on the northern and southern shores around Saturna Island, most reliably near East Point.
Bonaparte’s Gulls near East Point showing variable plumage. Photo: Katie Dentry
Belted Kingfisher
You’ll often hear a kingfisher before you see it. They make a dry, rattling chatter that follows you along the shore. They’re territorial birds, and that call is likely a reminder that this stretch of coastline belongs to them. They’ll fly ahead of you, perch, call again, and repeat the performance all the way around a cove.
Watch for them hovering over shallow tidal pools before diving headfirst for small fish or little crabs.
Black Oystercatcher
Loud, red-billed, and often seen on wave-battered rocks Oystercatchers are frequently spotted at exposed points like East Point and Boiling Reef. Their sharp, piping whistle carries a long way. They work the intertidal zone year-round, hammering mussels and other shellfish. We also spotted a couple around reefs near Winter Cove on a recent tour too.
Turkey Vulture
From spring through fall, Turkey Vultures are a regular sight above Saturna’s ridges. Up close they’re unglamorous. High in the sky from a distance they soar with effortless authority, tipping slightly on a V-shaped wingspan, scanning the shoreline below.
At a distance, a large dark bird circling overhead can be tricky to read. A Turkey Vulture tilts and rocks slightly as it rides the updrafts, wings held in a shallow V. A young Bald Eagle, dark with some grey and brown mixed in, before it develops its white head and tail, holds its wings flatter and glides more steadily. Both may look similar at first glance.
Canada Goose
Canada Geese are a familiar presence on Saturna’s beaches and grassy shoreline areas, grazing in loose groups and announcing themselves before you see them. They’re year-round residents on many of the Gulf Islands.
Canada Geese at Narvaez Bay
Surf Scoter
In the cooler months, Surf Scoters raft offshore in loose groups, diving for shellfish and invertebrates. The males are striking, dark body, white patches on the head, bold orange-and-white bill. They are entertaining to watch and often move simultaneously.
Other duck species move through the sheltered bays around Saturna through the colder seasons as well, the mix changing as the year turns. We spotted some other ducks at East Point in May, featuring white patterns on their heads against their allover black appearance.
Swallows
Come summer, Violet-green Swallows work the airspace above the cliffs and calm bays, catching insects on the wing. They’re fast and precise, and if you’re paddling near cliff faces they’ll fly close overhead. A useful reminder that the wildlife here operates at every level: on the water, under it, and above it.
Hummingbirds
Saturna is a small island and the shoreline is never far from the interior. In spring especially, Anna’s Hummingbirds turn up near coastal gardens and flowering shrubs close to the water’s edge. If you see a flash of iridescent green as you paddle and a buzzing sound, that’s probably a hummingbird that went by.
Watching birds from a kayak
The best encounters come from patience and an open mind. If a Pigeon Guillemot dives near you, stop paddling and watch. If an eagle is fishing, take it in. A kayak is quiet and slow; wildlife is easily startled, but you can reduce your impact by slowing down, keeping voices low, and giving space when possible.
Give nesting birds an extra wide berth, especially along the cliffs during breeding season. We like having them around for seasons to come.
Taking pictures from a kayak can be tricky, and is often easier from a tandem and when winds are light. Keep one eye on your surroundings, as boat wakes, nearby rocks, and your paddle have a way of demanding attention without much notice.
If you’d like to experience Saturna’s birdlife from the water, our Scenic Saturna by Sea Kayak tour is a great introduction, and the Around Saturna in 2 Days trip gives you the most time on the water to take it all in.
