As the BC Bird Trail expands throughout the province, we wanted to shine a light on the people on the ground in these communities. Learn more about the bird-watching experiences in these destinations through the eyes of the experienced locals with our BC Birders profile series.
Kate Paton, keen amateur wildlife videographer documenting urban wildlife in BC with a passion for the respect of wildlife, nature and birds.
Born in Zimbabwe, with a ten-year stint in New Zealand before moving to Canada in 2012, Kate Paton has always been surrounded by incredible birdlife. But she didn’t get into birds and birding until she settled in Richmond, BC. Initially drawn to the pursuit for the mental health benefits, Kate was struck by “the variety and amount of birds in an urban setting. My family bought me a camera, and birding gave my life focus, hope, new joy and my life’s passion!”
“In every video or photo I take, I stress the importance of respect for wildlife—especially for birds who have flown thousands of miles to rest and feed on our shores. I try my best never to disturb or be the reason a bird is put under stress.”
Kate Paton
Kate hadn’t experienced the change in seasons before Richmond. The seasonal variety and size of the migratory birdlife flocks, which can number in the thousands or millions, astounded her. “Richmond is a birder’s paradise—no question about it. Even for, and maybe especially for, new birders – there’s always something to see!”
What can birders in Richmond look forward to seeing? The list is long: pileated woodpeckers, red-breasted sapsuckers, great horned owls, chickadees and nuthatches, to name very few. Kate has witnessed flocks of 40,000 dunlins (a small migratory sandpiper that visits our shores and marshes in the winter). Her favourite to watch is the northern harrier. She adores watching “as it soars over the salt marshes in its circling flight! They are the most beautiful birds with stunning disc-shaped eye sockets and feathers! Spectacular!”
For birding, Kate recommends wearing layers and waterproof gear for the West Coast weather and bringing comfortable boots—it involves much walking and standing. The Richmond Public Library also offers birding backpacks for hire. These are available at several libraries across the Province and include binoculars and a field guide.
Where to start? Iona Beach is an excellent place for birding, although it can be noisy, as it’s near YVR. The West Dyke Trail from Steveston to Terranova is a great walk, too, “lots of raptors like to hunt the salt marshes there (red tailed hawks, short-eared owls, northern harriers), and the hedgerows along the trail are full of the most amazing little birds.” Kate notes that many trails are also wheelchair accessible. Other popular birding spots are Terra Nova Rural Park, Paulik Park, Richmond Nature Park, Garry Point Park, Minoru Park and McDonald Beach Park.
Kate prefers video to photographs as video catches the action of that moment – and she always tries to be an “ethical bird watcher.” “No photo is worth disturbing wildlife. I’m vehemently against baiting, stressing, chasing birds for that ‘money shot.’” She uses her camera’s zoom over binoculars. Sunrise is her favourite time to bird as it’s quieter, and the light is stunning. “I document urban wildlife every season and have photo and video records going back ten years. I watch bald eagle nests every year and explore the avian world through their life cycle; the first snow goose as it arrives on our shores in late fall, having flown from Wrangel Island in Russia (its summer breeding grounds) to overwinter in Richmond, BC, Canada – over 3,750km…It never gets old.”
Very active on social media (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube) and in the community, Kate hopes her “bird, wildlife and nature videos make others realize how much beauty and wonder there is in the natural world that will be lost if we keep destroying our environment.” And her last words? “You don’t need a lot to “go birding” here. Just get outside!”
