There is no weather forecaster in Canada that can beat the force of a Swan and Goose counter doing the no rain dance, with rain in the forecast and me still suffering and hardly able to walk i called upon Barry; little did we know that Barry had just returned from Dancing with the Stars…
Only Linda Hill and I were there to do the count without a telescope. It was chilly and overcast, but the sea was perfectly still, reflecting the sky and the mountains, We were accompanied on our walk along the shore by two river otters. We saw on the south side of Cowichan Bay: 71 Bufflehead;…
Yes it was another sunny Wednesday, a little nippy to start but then that sun packed a lot of heat. 7 people left the dog park in two vehicles, we did manage to get rid of 3 along the way as they had more pressing things to do than count birds, how could they? Our…
The weather man had forecast strong winds and we managed to dodge most of it until the end of the count at Cowichan Bay where small white caps could be seen coming in from the south east. It did not take long for everyone to hide back in the vehicles. Today saw only 6 eager…
The numbers went up and so did the temperature as 8 birders set out on today’s count, two cars were all we needed, now all we had to do was find some birds. Barry had already got a Northern Shrike for the day in Somenos and a whole wack of Canada Geese. I had called…
South Side of Cowichan Bay. A beautiful afternoon with the mist and clouds swirling around Saltspring Island, Mount Tzouhalem, and Mount Prevost. Four eager birders (John Scull, Willie Harvie, Linda Hill, Bruce Coates, Donna Zipse, and Ken Bendle) with a telescope from the Cowichan Estuary Nature Centre counted: Mute Swan 7; American Wigeon 7;  Bufflehead…
Cowichan Bay South In spite of it being Thanksgiving weekend, volunteeers John Scull, Barry Hetchco, Linda Hill, Donna Zipse, Ken Bendle, and Olene Russell were joined by Oline’s husband Mike and children Kosian, Koia,Kolyna, Kazka, and Kealey along with Felix Fraillon from France. Some of the counters were inspired by Graham Sorensen’s session last week. …
South Side of Cowichan Bay. We met by the Cowichan Estuary Nature Centre in Hecate Park at 3 pm on a breezy Sunday, September 8. John Scull, Linda Hill, Kathy Coster, Donna Zipse, Ken Bendle, and Pamela Williams were joined by Derrick Marven and his telescope. Derrick seemed to be with us to polish his…
Cowichan Bay – south side. It was a joy to see that the osprey have returned as Carol Milo, John Scull, Barry Hetschco, Robin Lawson, and Gail Mitchell met between brief showers at the very civilized time of 1 pm. Since we began these surveys, 57 people have counted birds at the Cowichan Estuary Nature…
It was another fine Wednesday morning when 7 counters turned up at the dog park, one counter was almost in fine spring plumage, whilst most of the others still retained their winter coats. We headed straight off and started counting Canada Geese right away at the school and this trend continued for most of the…
Friends, It is a hard life being a Swan and Goose count leader, you have to make sure that the right people are in the right vehicles and that we have all the gear required to ride around in a nice warm car on a nippy spring morning, for the most part our group…
South side of Cowichan Bay. Six intrepid birders (who had all remembered to change their clocks) watched sunrise on a cold but beautiful morning by the Cowichan Estuary Nature Centre: Donna Zipse, Ken Bendle, Bruce Coates, Linda Hill, Gail Mitchell, and John Scull saw two harbour seals, a group of pine siskin, and the following:…
Friends Today ended the tenth season of our count and with sunny weather that we have come to expect every Wednesday. 8 counters set out from the dog park in two cars, this week we were missing our good friend Barry and our thoughts were with him today on what could be our last Swan…
Immature Bald Eagle Friends 10 counters set out in 3 cars and with gas now sitting just below the $1.40 mark, talk of using bikes next year could be heard although some baulked at this suggestion. What a day we had, the weather was tremendous although it made…
I often wonder how the birds cope in these harsh conditions, we see the swans asleep in the fields I assume they are saving energy, when I go to Art Mann park in the morning the ducks are all huddled together and the gulls look a bit fatter…