This week we were reduced to just 5 counters and so we squeezed into one vehicle which was admirably handled by Kurlene although the participants in the back seat were doing a lot of groping, it appears that the seat-belts were trying to get into the wrong receptacles. This week saw a new high for…
Hi There are times when us as birders encounter incredible sights, as was the case this Wednesday when we saw trees loaded with eagles down off of Sahilton and Boy’s Roads. Incredible numbers in just one tree left us in awe at what nature had to offer. Although we tried to count most on Sahilton…
Gail Mitchell, Hilary Stead, Kathy Coster, Linda Hill, Jane Kilthei, and John Scull gathered on a cold but beautiful Sunday morning to count the birds from Hecate Park. The bird list can be found at http://www.cowichanestuary.ca/wildlife/birds/#Coastal_Waterbird_Survey. The new bird for the day was a Killdeer who appeared to be uncomfortably cold. After the count most…
Three observers, Daryl Johnson, Carol Hartwig and Kurlene Wenberg, conducted a Coastal Bird Survey on Cowichan Estuary North-Khenipsen Road Sunday, December 8, 2013 from 10 AM to 11:25 AM. Visibility was excellent during the high tide and there was no human disturbance. There were a total of 15 species that included 515 American Widgeon, 230…
It was a cool morning that brought 6 eager birders out to count and it was slow going for the first couple of hours with other than Canada Geese not much was put on the list. The tally keeper had not even had to sharpen her pencil as things were so bad. Just two Trumpeters…
Hi Our numbers are growing, both in counters and swans. 6 people in two cars headed out through roadworks and dikes hoping that the good weather would hold and yes it did with ideal if not a little bright conditions for the whole count. This week I teamed up with Eric & Dorothy and the…
Hi We got off to a wonderful start to our annual count with record early number of both swans and geese. Our day started by trying to find our way to the dog park, this is a true test of ones road rage, North Cowichan in it’s wisdom had blocked off nearly every road with…
On Sunday, October 13, four birders, Daryl Johnson, Kurleen Wen, Ray Demarchi and Carol Hartwig, conducted a Coastal Bird Survey on Cowichan Estuary North-Khenipsen Road. The beautiful sunny day with excellent visibility afforded the viewing of 14 species including: 950 American Wigeon, 260 unidentified Gull, 33 Double-crested Cormorant, 27 Mute Swan, 16 Common Merganser, 7…
Four observers, Daryl Johnson, Christine Gilbertson, Carol Hartwig and Kurleen Wen, conducted a Coastal Bird Survey on Cowichan Estuary North-Khenipsen Road Sunday, November 10 from 11 AM to 12:10 PM. Visibility was excellent during the high tide and although gun shots were heard, generally the birds did not seem to be too disturbed. There were…
Hi Birders, Thanks for the nice evening together birding. I just entered the birds and you were right, Bob, there was no way to record the swallows or even the purple martin on the form even once I asked for the longer form!! I did enter them in the comments at the bottom of the…
Hi Yesterday I met up with 7 or 8 enthusiastic butterfliers and we walked the train tracks at Cowichan Station the weather was spot on and was not long before we spotted our first butterfly a Cabbage White. At the meeting place a Red-breasted Sapsucker was drilling some wells in a large Maple. On the…
Hi There are days when you just know that it is going to be an exceptional day. My day started on a bit of waste land along Cowichan Bay Road where I found a pair of discarded kitchen catchers loaded with empty beer cans, over forty in total, what a start to the day. Then…
Early on a sunny Sunday morning five bright-eyed birders gathered with no time to waste – observations had to be complete by 0904, two hours after high tide. First “waterbird†of the day was a Turkey Vulture, on beach patrol right in front of Ray and Carol’s place. But most of the estuary was calm…
Hi Birders Well spring has arrived with all sorts of weather so I guess it must be April. Rufous Hummingbirds abound and are coming into feeders and stationed along the Dock Road on hydro lines. Chipping Sparrows are making an early debut with one at my feeder and another on Corefield Road. First sighting of…
Hi When you got to go, you got to go, as was the case for the swans and geese this past week with a mass migration from the valley. Just 47 Trumpeter Swans were counted and even the remaining few looked eager to leave us to go north. A group of four immatures on Sahilton…