Half-Day Whale and Wildlife Watching Tours – Summer
May 01 - Nov 30
Specialty Bird Watching tours
Do you have a passion for birds? Are you a bird photographer looking to add new species to your life list? Are you a beginner birder who would like to see and learn more about the extraordinary bird life of the Salish Sea?
If you answered yes to any of the above questions, we have some exciting tours coming up for you! In partnership with the Rocky Point Bird Observatory (RPBO) we’re offering three opportunities for you to explore the Salish Sea and get acquainted with its many feathered residents!
Birds and the Salish Sea
In all four seasons, the Salish Sea teems with life. It’s a region defined by the flow of water. Strong nutrient-rich tidal inflow from the North Pacific continually mixes with the nutrient-rich outflow from hundreds of rivers and creeks. The result is one of the most productive and diverse marine ecosystems in the world!
More than 170 bird species depend on the Salish Sea for part or all of their life cycle. Habitats as diverse as rocky reefs, sandy beaches, estuaries, deep fjords, shallow banks and lush kelp forests provide a year-round home for many marine birds. The Salish Sea is also a vital pit stop on the migration pathway for birds looking to rest and refuel during their long journey.
Upcoming Tours
Come and see this spectacular avian diversity for yourself! Join us onboard our deluxe semi-covered catamaran 4 Ever Wild as we explore key bird hotspots around the Salish Sea. Each tour will have an RPBO expert on board to help with IDs, and discuss life histories and conservation challenges. And while each tour itinerary is tailored for certain target species, the name of the game is flexibility. We’ll go where the birds are!
Smith Island and Surrounding Banks
- WHEN: Sunday, August 25, 2024
- WHERE: Fisherman’s Wharf, Victoria, BC
- HOW LONG: departs at 8 a.m. for 6+ hr-tour
- COST: $250/person plus fees
- SEE BOAT HERE
- Target species: tufted puffin, horned puffin, manx shearwater
On this tour we’ll head southeast from Victoria to Smith and Protection Islands in Washington State. Both islands are US National Wildlife Refuges and are known for their breeding colonies of tufted puffins, rhinoceros auklets, pigeon guillemots, cormorants and gulls. Sea conditions permitting, we’ll explore nearby banks, including Hein, Eastern, Partridge and McArthur. These shallow banks are popular restaurants for birds looking to feast on krill and small schooling fish, and in the past have turned up rarities for the Salish Sea such as Manx shearwater, Leach’s storm-petrel, and all manner of rare tube-nosed seabirds. We’ll be on the lookout for baitballs, swirling clouds of seabirds that signal a school of feed fish is just below the surface. We may even see a minke whale or two!
BOOK HERE for this tour – very limited space
Race Rocks and Surrounding Area, Offshore Juan de Fuca
- WHEN: Saturday, October 5, 2024
- WHERE: Fisherman’s Wharf, Victoria, BC
- HOW LONG: departs at 8 a.m. for 6+ hr-tour
- COST: $250/person plus fees
- SEE BOAT HERE
- Target species: red-necked phalarope, parasitic jaeger, short-tailed shearwater, sooty shearwater, Cassin’s auklet
On this tour we’ll make a right turn out of Victoria harbour and cruise along the shoreline past Fisgard Lighthouse and the Esquimalt Lagoon Migratory Bird Sanctuary to historic Race Rocks Ecological Reserve—a great place to see resting and feeding seabirds among the seals and sea lions. We’ll also scan the waters of nearby Whirl Bay, Becher Bay and Bedford Islands for large congregations of marine birds. At this time of year, we often see swirling clouds of seabirds—known as baitballs—that signal a school of feed fish just below the surface. We may even see a lunge-feeding humpback whale or two! Sea conditions permitting, we’ll then move further out into the Strait of Juan de Fuca to search for deeper water bird species!
BOOK HERE for this tour – very limited space
Mandarte and Chain Islets
- WHEN: Sunday November 10, 2024
- WHERE: Fisherman’s Wharf, Victoria, BC
- WHEN: departs at 8 a.m., 4+ hr. tour
- COST: $149/person plus fees
- SEE BOAT HERE
- Target species: glaucous-winged gull, pelagic cormorant, pigeon guillemot
On this tour we’ll head east and north from Victoria harbour to explore some of the known resting and feeding areas for resident, migratory and over-wintering marine birds. This is a great opportunity to develop or hone your winter plumage ID skills! We expect to make stops at the Chain Islets in Oak Bay, Seabird Point off Discovery Island, D’Arcy Island in Haro Strait, Sidney Channel, and other areas. A highlight will be Mandarte Island in upper Haro Strait, site of the largest seabird nesting colony in the Canadian portion of the Salish Sea! It’s also the site of a long-term research project on the population biology of song sparrows!
BOOK HERE for this tour – very limited space
Rocky Point Bird Observatory (RPBO) 
Since 1994, Rocky Point Bird Observatory has been monitoring bird populations on southern Vancouver Island for 30 years, expanding from its initial fall migration project to include multiple monitoring stations for songbirds, owls and hummingbirds. Its work also involves gathering data on seabird movement through the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The data RPBO gathers on tours such as these are used for research projects that provide crucial insights into bird ecology, helping to inform conservation strategies and management practices.
What you might see...
Included in the Specialty Bird Watching Tours
- Onboard “bird experts” from the Rocky Point Bird Observatory
- Special access to these “hot spots for birds” – only by boat
- Incredible wildlife viewing
- Knowledgeable Eagle Wing Tours onboard naturalists/biologists/captain
- Glove, jackets, hats, sunglasses, sunscreen, blankets
- Luxury vessel – heated cabin – multiple viewing areas
- Onboard washrooms
- Snack bar (granola bars, chocolate bars, soft drinks, water – by donation – cash only)
What to bring
- Cameras (and their protective cases)
- Warm clothing, in layers (it’s cool out there!)
- Woolly hats, gloves
- Water in a reusable container
- A smile and a sense of adventure!
Your purchase matters!
$5 of every ticket supports local wildlife
Wildlife Fee
First introduced in 2013, our Wildlife Fee raises money to directly support the southern resident killer whales and conservation in the Salish Sea. All of the money raised is donated directly to the Wild 4 Whales Foundation, the Pacific Salmon Foundation, The Center for Whale Research, and over 25 other local marine research and educational organizations.
Industry leaders since 2011 for environmental protection
1% For The Planet
As Victoria’s first whale watching tour operator to become a proud business member of 1% For the Planet, we happily contribute one percent of our gross revenue to non-profit groups dedicated to the pursuit of sustainability and environmental protection.
Accessibility
This is an inclusive experience open to people of all abilities. We can accommodate a wheelchair on 4 Ever Wild, if you have accessibility or mobility challenges, please contact our customer service representatives. They will do everything in their power to help you safely and comfortably enjoy your adventure with us!
Cancellation policy
Our usual cancellation policy is 48 hours before your tour. However, we understand that unforeseen circumstances can pop up. If this happens, we kindly request that you communicate with us via phone or email as soon as possible!
- minimum numbers are required to confirm this departure time
Private charters
Are you looking for a wildlife experience without the crowds? For the discerning traveller we offer private charters, with the option of setting your own agenda. Contact us and we’ll begin personalizing your West Coast experience today!
Eagle Wing Tours is committed to providing a supportive, safe and welcoming environment that ensures respect and dignity for all employees and guests. Please see our Code of Conduct, which outlines our expectations from guests to help us meet our high standard of service.
