Birding near Nelway

[Suzanne and Raymond Simoni]

Birders from the UK are coming and we'd like to take them to the Nelway area, a place we've wanted to go to for a while. We're going around March 16th. Can you give us directions to the best birding spot in that area? 

Thanks,

Suzanne Simoni

[Paul Prappas]

Suzanne and Raymond:

The area you’re referring to is known as the Pend d'Oreille Valley and it can be accessed from the Westside, south of Fruitvale, or from the Eastside, accessible via Pend d’Oreille Road, just before you cross the border at Nelway. 

EASTSIDE (Nelway). From Nelson, you head to Salmo, and turn Left as if you’re heading to Creston.  About 13km, you’ll see the turn-off to the US border (TURN  RIGHT).  

Right before the border  crossing, (9 km) you’ll turn right on Pend d’Oreille Road. You can bird this road  for a good 12km before it starts to get a  bit rough and narrow. There are several dirt roads that you can take up to higher elevation if you want to look for birds  up higher. 

There are some very good wetland areas early on this road. They can contain Bobolinks, Snipe, Northern Waterthrush and more….

Technically, you can drive this road all the way through the valley and come out on the Westside, but there’s a stretch of the road that gets very rough and narrow, and requires a high clearance vehicle. Even then, I avoid it.  For me, birding the Eastside and Westside are two separate trips.  So I  drive in as far as I wish from either side then double back to the highway. 

WESTSIDE: Acessible from Nelson and Castlegar. 

From Nelson, you head to Salmo and turn right at Hwy 3 and head to Fruitvale. You’ll pass Champion Lakes Provincinal Park on your right, which is a good place to bird. Otherwise, keep on into Fruitvale.  In Fruitvale you can connect with Columbia Gardens Road, which is my preferred route.  

Or catch Hwy 22 and bird Beaver Creek Provincial Park. I usually pick up Columbia Gardens Road, right in Fruitvale. As soon as you enter Fruitvale, look for Kootenay Ave and turn LEFT. Head up the hill a couple of blocks and connect with Columbia Gardens Road  Turn RIGHT at Columbia Gardens Road. You’ll bird this road for 8km.

At 8km, the road bends right and shortly intersects with Station Road. Turn LEFT. If you continue, you’ll cross the railroad and head back toward Trail, and Beaver Creek PP. 

Station Road is a short stretch that merges with the highway. Continue on the highway until it intersects with Waneta-Nelway Road.  It’s a local road that offers good birding in both directions from the highway. Easy to stop on these roads and get out of the car and bird.  The LEFT side is 6km of paved farmland road, which is very good for birds. There’s even a pair of Bewick’s Wrens that seem to be breeding on the downward slope of the road, about 4km in. 

Eventually, Waneta-Nelway connects with a dirt road, and you can keep birding. I usually stick to the farmland stretch.

Back at the intersection of the highway, you can bird the right side of Waneta-Nelway, which is a dirt road that takes you all the way to the Dam, then past the dam where it  connects you with the highway that follows the river. Turn RIGHT and head back to Trail, and to Nelson. 

A final note about westside birding. 

One of the more diverse birding spots was Chat Hill which is accessible from the highway just before you reach the intersection with Waneta-Nelway. Sadly, Tech has put up a new fence denying access to that hill, which contain their power lines. They’ve also installed cameras. You’d have to contact Tech and get permission or hop the fence and risk fines,  The hill is home to breeding Yellow-breasted Chats, Dusky Flycatchers, Black-headed Grosbeaks, Lazuli Buntings, Gray Catbirds, Warblers, and more. The surrounding area also has these birds, but not as easy to find. But near that hill you should listen for those birds. They can show up anywhere.

Western Kingbirds, House Wrens, Western Bluebirds, Bullock’s Orioles and Vesper Sparrows all breed around that hill and along Waneta-Nelway. Many other species can be found too.

Hope this is helpful? I’m sure others will have things to add.

Paul

Nelson, BC

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[Paul Prappas]

As a follow-up, I’d say that since you’re heading down around March 16, I’d focus on the Westside, particularly the Waneta-Nelway portion. Probably too early for lots of species, but that stretch is already seeing some action.

Paul

> On Mar 3, 2026, at 10:12 PM, Suzanne and Raymond Simoni <simba...@gmail.com> wrote:
>