West Dyke Trail, Richmond

The West Dyke Trail runs along the west side of Richmond, a city close to Vancouver in the British Columbia, Canada. It is popular for jogging, biking and walking the dogs.

Formation Flying

The West Dyke is a place for wintering birds which comes in huge numbers here in the winters from further north like Alaska and Siberia. The birds in the photo above are the Blue Goose. One can read my earlier article on these wintering birds in my previous blog.

Howe Sound Mountains

The trail gives an excellent view of the snow capped mountains and the Vancouver international airport. In the photo below one can see an aircraft landing with the Fraser river in the foreground. The river goes on to form the Fraser Delta and then merges in the Pacific Ocean.

Fraser River & the Vancouver Airport in the background

The dyke is more than five kms long from Terra Nova to Garry Point Park and as Richmond is only a meter above the sea level these dykes keep the city of Richmond safe from flooding due to high tides.

Birds Paradise

The coastal trail is a birders paradise and there are lots of local as well as migratory birds that can be seen here. The Sturgeon Bank marsh is a major migration route of millions of birds including the Lesser Snow Geese.

Sun in the sky as well as water (see the seaplane)

One can also see on the Fraser river seaplanes landing and taking off for the various islands as this is the main source of reaching the remote islands in the British Columbia.

Crested Caracara?

The photo above could be that of a Crested Caracara or a hawk resting on this marshland close to the Pacific Ocean coast.

Instruction to Dogs & their owners!

This notice was not only meant as instructions to the dog owners but funnily for the dogs themselves!