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; Â Bufflehead 188; Â Common Goldeneye 23; Â Hooded Merganser 3; Â Iceland Gull (Thayer’s) 2; Â Glaucous-winged Gull 2; Â gull sp. 87; Â Double-crested Cormorant 2; Â Bald Eagle 2; Â Belted Kingfisher 1; (and two harbour seals).
Jim and Lyn Wisnia saw the following (along with lots of Steller’s sea lions) on a drizzling Nov. 9 in the Verdier Point area:
Bufflehead 17; Common goldeneye 11; Barrow’s goldeneye 8, Red-breasted merganser 25; Horned grebe 2; Red-necked grebe 3; Mew gull 37; Glaucous-winged gull 6; gull sp. 16; Pacific loon 13; Common loon 3; Double-crested cormorant 1; Cormorant sp. 1;Belted kingfisher 3; Common raven 1.
And in the Mill Bay area:
Canada goose 1; Mute swan 5; American wigeon 57; Mallard 19; Surf scoter 1; Bufflehead 61; Common goldeneye 31; Barrow’s goldeneye 4; Hooded merganser 5; Red-breasted merganser 1; Horned grebe 1; Red-necked grebe 1; Western grebe 2; Mew gull 7; Glaucous winged gull 23; gull sp. 41; Common loon 1; Pelagic cormorant 3; Bald eagle 1; Belted kingfisher 1; Northwestern crow 1.