Along Highway 20, you will see some of nature’s greatest wonders. Trumpeter swans spend the winter on Lonesome Lake, which is located in Tweedsmuir Provincial Park.
Be sure to check out the Chilanko Forks Wildlife Management Area, which is a protected marshland. It is located approximately 40 miles west of Alexis Creek. It is home to beaver, waterfowl, woodpeckers and hummingbirds, as well as fifty two species of other birds.
Punzi Lake, north of Highway 20 and a half hour’s drive from Alexis Creek is home to Trumpeter swans in the fall and is the white pelican’s feeding ground each spring. Other areas where these birds can be found include Anahim, Alkali and Pantag Lakes. Do not approach the nests of these bird species or disturb them when they are foraging for food, or they will abandon their nests. These birds are protected by law and heavy fines are imposed on those who infringe on the birds feeding and nesting territories.
Follow Farwell Canyon Road south of Highway 20 to view California bighorn sheep at the California Bighorn Sheep Reserve. The Reserve consists of 1,000 acres (400 hectares,) at the junction of the Chilcotin and Fraser Rivers. More than 500 bighorn sheep scale the sandstone river banks of the area and make up one fifth of the world’s bighorn sheep population.
Caribou Highway
To view eagles and osprey take a side trip to Green Lake. The area is reedy and shallow. The west end of the marsh is a migratory resting and nesting site.
Visit 100 Mile House and participate in Wildlife Watch, which has a viewing station behind the Information Center. Here you will see bald eagles, cranes, majestic moose and a diverse selection of thousands of waterfowl.
The Scout Island Nature Center at Williams Lake focuses on bird species of wetlands. A visit is definitely a great opportunity for birders. Focus your binoculars on yellow breasted blackbirds and other species native to the area.