The Young and Improved Derrick (he now has a bionic knee) has commissioned us to write the account of this week’s Wild Goose Chase and you must admit his is a hard act to follow.
Four tried-and-true counters set off with Old Derrick at the wheel. We tallied 58 Canada Geese on Somenos Marsh and saw redwing blackbirds, coots and various ducks. Our stop at Somenos Lake yielded only some cormorants over the far side and some violet-green swallows skimming the lake.
We saw widgeon, mallards and one tweagle tree from TransCanada Highway. (A tweagle tree has two bald eagles perching in it!). By the time we arrived at Mt Sicker Road having seen no swans, zero, zilch, we were worrying that our Leader would feel we’d let him down, however we then found nine swans – all juvenile trumpeters.
We drove through Westholme finding only 12 Canada Geese, but Dorothy got her horsey fix when she spotted two Norwegian Fjord Ponies. On Richard’s Trail we saw only a few duckies. Tom Windsor Road yielded TWO Canada Geese – in past weeks we’d scan the geese and say “Oh, put down 300 – that’s a good enough estimate†and today we got excited over just two!
On Herd Road, by Avalon Farm, we watched two large birds wheeling and soaring overhead and we came to a consensus that they were Golden Eagles. (I’d never seen a Golden Eagle in my life, but agreed with the others that they were not of the Bald variety.)
From Highway 18 we saw two geese from the Park & Ride and three further down the road. On Auchinachie Old Derrick spotted a Post Hawk. Old Derrick has excellent peripheral vision and an even better imagination!
Finally on Sahilton we came up trumps. Derrick will be proud – 12 adult and 14 immature Trumpeters and two adult and one immature Trundras. (Honest, Bionic Derrick, we had two scopes and we watched intently – hopefully the portraits Old Derrick took will convince you.)
After that success we had a short hiatus for shopping (bird food, honest) – which would not have been allowed if our Leader had been present. Then nothing till we arrived at Dougan’s Flats and saw 19 Canadas, eight deer and one bald eagle.
St Catherine’s had no swans and very few birds on the feeders – no quail. Koksilah Road East provided 36 adult and 11 juvenile trumpeters.
Driving through the quaint village of Cowichan Bay we noticed a local leading his goat into one of the stores – don’t ask – anything goes in Cowichan Bay!!
Arriving at Dinsdale’s Flats we all agreed that Bionic Derrick would be envious when we saw the most Y-fronted – sorry make that White-fronted Geese we’ve ever seen in one flock – 31; but there were only three juvenile trumpeters and two Canada geese.
From Dock Road we saw four mute swans and one (the injured?) trumpeter.
Although total numbers were lower than previous weeks the drive took even longer because the hesitant, amateur birders felt the need to check and recheck every bird, without our fearless leader to guide us.
Later in the day we saw the two mute swans happily going about their life on the DU pond next to the Forestry Discovery Centre. Presumably they were again making whoopie in the bushes during the official count.
We are all looking ahead to next season when Derrick will put his best foot forward and lead the Wild Goose Chase again.
Good Birding!
Dorothy & Eric.