Wildlife
Newcastle Island is home to a number of species of birds and waterfowl, all of which you may spot on your trip here! The beautiful Purple Martin is the largest of the swallow species and the male is identifiable by its rich deep purple plumage. Cormorants are easy to spot in the water and along the shore, and you may even hear a Pileated Woodpecker tapping away at a tree trunk in search of its favourite insects! Keep your eyes open for a sighting of a majestic Bald Eagle soaring overhead.
Have fun looking for the abundance of interesting wildlife, including the elusive but adorable beaver who has left his mark around the island in the form of gnawed tree trunks, and a beaver dam! River Otters are fun to spot playing along the shoreline and somersaulting in the water. If you're very lucky you might see a very rare and special critter... a golden raccoon! These raccoons are much lighter in colour than a regular raccoon - they have less pigment in their skin and fur and are essentially albino.
In the early evening it's not hard to spot a Black Tailed Deer or two grazing in an open meadow or along the trail edges. These little deer are much smaller than their Whitetail cousins and can be found throughout most of British Columbia. Depending on the time of year you might see a buck with a full set of antlers in the fall, or a doe with new twin fawns in the spring!
Click here for information on the Purple Martin. Newcastle Island has been participating in Purple Martin conservation efforts for a number of years.
Newcastle Island is home to a number of species of birds and waterfowl, all of which you may spot on your trip here! The beautiful Purple Martin is the largest of the swallow species and the male is identifiable by its rich deep purple plumage. Cormorants are easy to spot in the water and along the shore, and you may even hear a Pileated Woodpecker tapping away at a tree trunk in search of its favourite insects! Keep your eyes open for a sighting of a majestic Bald Eagle soaring overhead.
Have fun looking for the abundance of interesting wildlife, including the elusive but adorable beaver who has left his mark around the island in the form of gnawed tree trunks, and a beaver dam! River Otters are fun to spot playing along the shoreline and somersaulting in the water. If you're very lucky you might see a very rare and special critter... a golden raccoon! These raccoons are much lighter in colour than a regular raccoon - they have less pigment in their skin and fur and are essentially albino.
In the early evening it's not hard to spot a Black Tailed Deer or two grazing in an open meadow or along the trail edges. These little deer are much smaller than their Whitetail cousins and can be found throughout most of British Columbia. Depending on the time of year you might see a buck with a full set of antlers in the fall, or a doe with new twin fawns in the spring!
Click here for information on the Purple Martin. Newcastle Island has been participating in Purple Martin conservation efforts for a number of years.