© Penny Hall
The Somass Estuary, where the Somass River empties into tidal Alberni Inlet, is the Alberni Valley’s premier birding hotspot — nearly 180 species have been reported on eBird.
© Penny Hall
The estuary’s diverse habitat offers mudflats, salt marshes, meadows, ponds, upland areas of deciduous and coniferous forest, a poplar plantation, a cultivated field, sewage lagoons. Much of the area is held and protected by Ducks Unlimited; other landholders are Catalyst Paper Corporation, City of Port Alberni, Island Timberlands (Mosaic), and Tseshaht First Nation.
© Penny Hall
Ducks, geese and other waterfowl are abundant, especially in late fall and winter. Often present are Cackling Goose, Canada Goose, Trumpeter Swan, Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, American Wigeon, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Ring-necked Duck, Greater and Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Hooded and Common Merganser, Pied-billed Grebe, Virginia Rail, American Coot, among others.
Gulls include Mew Gull, California Gull and Glaucous-winged Gull...
Shorebird visitors include Killdeer, Least Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper, dowitchers, Spotted Sandpiper (nests here), Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs…
Year-round species include Great Blue Heron, Bald Eagle and Red-tailed Hawk (all nest here).
Other raptor visitors are Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned and Cooper’s Hawks, Great Horned Owl, Northern Pygmy-owl, Barred Owl, Short-eared Owl…
Other notables: Tree and Violet-green Swallows (both nest here in boxes), Barn Swallow, sparrows (Fox, Golden-crowned, Song), woodpeckers (Red-breasted Sapsucker, Downy, Hairy, Pileated, Northern Flicker), wrens (Bewick’s, Marsh, Pacific), Red-winged Blackbird…
Be cautious of bears in spring, summer and fall, especially when mothers are with cubs.
© Penny Hall
© Penny Hall
© Penny Hall
From the Visitor Info Centre (2533 Port Alberni Hwy, at the Y-junction with Hwy 4), take Hwy 4 west through Port Alberni for ~7.8 km. After crossing the historic ‘Orange Bridge’ (it’s no longer orange), turn L at the first road, Tsuma-as Dr (just past the Tseshaht First Nation building); there is a left-turn lane. Continue along Tsuma-as Dr, past Gallic Rd and Mission Rd, for ~0.6 km to a fork in the road. At this point you have two options for parking and accessing the estuary:
(1) Taking the L fork puts you on a gravel road (the old Airport Road) that runs along the Somass River; park ~200 m down this road by the gate. Continue by foot on this road for ~1.3 km until you reach a large field (owned by Ducks Unlimited). This area is good for all manner of species, including geese and other waterfowl, raptors, swallows (note the nesting boxes), Western Meadowlarks and more. At the NW corner of the field is a trail which runs along a berm to a gravel road beside the elevated water pipeline. This bushy trail is good for sparrows, finches and surprises, and has good vantage spots overlooking a small tidal marsh.
(2) Taking the R fork keeps you on the paved road, and Tsumas-as Dr becomes Shoemaker Bay Rd. Follow Shoemaker Bay Rd for ~1 km until you reach a yellow gate. Park just before the gate, either in the pullout on the right or on the other side of the road facing the way you came in. (Be advised that the gate can be locked at any time, so it’s best to park as indicated above and not get trapped behind the gate!) At this point, a large pipe emerges from the ground and runs eastward across the estuary. The pipe carries water from Stirling Arm of Sproat Lake to the Catalyst Paper Mill. We do not condone walking along the elevated pipeline due to potential hazards. Instead, walk through the gate for ~150 m and follow the gravel access road on the left into the estuary; this road meets up with the pipeline after ~850 m. At the pipeline, turn R and continue along the gravel road for ~430 m to reach the first sewage lagoon.
Unfortunately (for birds and birders), the sewage lagoons are being upgraded, so access to them is currently restricted. The project, including habitat restoration, is expected to be completed by June 2020.