| A Tour of Vancouver Island Seasons with a | | | | phosphorescence at night are magical experiences |
| Naturalist From Sandy Seashores to Mountain | | | | not to be missed. Alpine flower meadows peak in |
| Meadows | | | | July and August, popping up as the snow melts. |
| The mild Vancouver Island climate provides year | | | | The pink salmon usher in autumn in early |
| round access to nature hiking, wildlife viewing and | | | | September, followed by Chinook salmon peaking |
| bird watching. Subtleties mark your passage from | | | | in October, then Coho salmon and Chum salmon |
| the months of the leaping salmon, vibrant moss, | | | | continuing through November and December. You |
| herring spawning, singing frogs, brant geese, | | | | can watch them leaping over obstacles, jockeying |
| blazing flowers, alligator lizards, berries and back | | | | for position or stare eyeball to eyeball with a 50 |
| again. There's plenty to do and see every month | | | | pound Chinook the size of a garbage can in an |
| for the avid eco tourist on Vancouver Island. | | | | underwater viewing area. Black bears and eagles |
| The herring return to spawn in March and in hot | | | | gather to enjoy the feast. Massive bird migrations |
| pursuit come thousands of sea birds and hundreds | | | | pass through in the fall, especially along the coast, |
| of sea lions, seals and eagles. April to June is the | | | | so bird watching is a delight while autumn rains |
| best time for wandering down fragrant paths | | | | spark technicolour explosions of mushrooms. |
| alight with spring wild flowers. Salmon berry, red | | | | The winter moisture makes the Vancouver Island |
| currant, fawn lilies, bleeding heart, trilliums and | | | | mountains among the snowiest places on earth, |
| violets are just a few of April's flowers. | | | | receiving up to 10 meters of snow. When you |
| Summer is a parade of berries beginning in June | | | | want snow, you can have it by driving up Mount |
| with the orange salmon berries and black | | | | Washington between December and May and |
| raspberries, then trailing blackberries, red | | | | enjoy snow shoeing in the winter wonderland |
| huckleberries, Himalayan blackberries, blueberries, | | | | Unique nature exploration opportunities are |
| black huckleberries and cranberries. Where there | | | | available every month of the year on the island. In |
| are berries, there are bears and lots of birds. | | | | addition to each season's unique features, beaver, |
| More than 300 species of birds use the island and | | | | mink, otter, seals, eagles, juvenile salmon, many |
| surrounding waters at least part of the year. | | | | bird species and tide pool life can be seen year |
| Summer brings some of the lowest daytime tides | | | | round. During the September to May season the |
| revealing tide pools with a colourful array of | | | | trails are less busy and offer some fantastic |
| bizarre marine life. Visit during a full or new moon | | | | wildlife viewing opportunities. Discover nature's |
| to take advantage of the lowest tides and the | | | | delights in the secret corners of Vancouver Island |
| greatest variety of marine life. Snorkelling the lush | | | | with a private nature tour by a professional |
| eelgrass forests or wading through the sparkling | | | | biologist. |