Vancouver Island Nature Tours

It is near the end of November and business has dried up completely. But the weather hasn’t dried up! It’s coming down in torrents right now. So what does a tour operator do in the off season? Plan for next year!And I have put a bunch of irons in the fire. First, Rainbird Excursions has [...]

It was one of those rare days on Vancouver Island; the weatherman called for sun and it was the weekend! So, the nature tour season having ended about two weeks ago, I said to my better half, lets go for an outing this afternoon.  I suggested we go and see if the Sockeye Salmon were [...]

Long Beach Originally uploaded by TheRainbird This was taken a couple of years ago near Combers Beach parking area. I love how the walkers have their shoes in their hands. And how the flock of gulls are nearly hidden in the fog. And how she has turned to watch a gull flying. The peace, tranquility [...]

Thanks to a very strong web presence and new marketing strategies, Rainbird Excursions’ Magical Mushroom tour went off without a hitch this weekend. In fact I had to turn down some people. Next year promises to be bigger and better than ever. I plan on having more expertise on site and accommodating more people. Planning [...]

The more I go to Stamp Falls, the more I am convinced that this Provincial park is the best place to see salmon migrating on Vancouver Island.  And by way of a photo essay I will prove it to you. It is a little off the beaten track. Those of you who are fixated on [...]

Rainbird Excursions and Batstar Cafe & Picnic have teamed up to create a unique outdoor and gourmet experience. Ron Storey, Batstar’s gourmet chef and creator of the superb meal served last year to a lucky group of guests, will again create a meal fit for an epicure. But first, guests will be escorted to a [...]

It’s way past time for another entry. I’ve got plenty of irons in the fire these days. One promising iron is a pelagic birding trip for the American Birding Association. They are having a regional convention in Vancouver and Victoria from 30 August to 6 September 2008. And they have asked Rainbird Excursions to put [...]

This is one contribution to a monthly column on tourism I wrote for our local newspaper, the Alberni Valley Times, on Vancouver Island. It might interest you. By now everyone knows the Logo and the tag line for Alberni Valley Tourism, “Bear Tracks & Lumberjacks”. Like it or not, this is what we will be [...]

In my spare time I also write a column on tourism in the local newspaper. The local community is in transition from a logging and milling town to something else. What, we don’t know yet. But tourism is likely going to play a much larger role in the economy in the future. Anyway, I will [...]

It’s not often you find a guest who demonstrates to you how much he and his family enjoyed their trip with Rainbird Excursions. But Micheal Pratt has done just that. He sent all 130 of his photos to me. And some of them are really nice. So I thought I would share them and his [...]