Hi Birders
The last count of the season has come and gone and we had almost an identical number of swans as the last count last season. Swans were found in only four localities this week with the main flock on Koksilah Road west and even these were trying their best to hide from us.
This season has seen a major decrease in the number of swans down over half from what we recorded in our first year 2009/10, what this means i don’t know, maybe birds stayed further north or possibly they passed us by and headed further south. We can only hope that they return to us next time.
This season we also counted raptors and from my personal files the numbers of eagles appear to be low in the valley this year, maybe due to the lack of fish being available to feed on. We will have to wait and see how the numbers stack up next year for comparison.
Many counters came and went this year but overall we had a good attendance and the hard core counters kept coming back for more. Most weeks we had at least 6 people come out and at the worst only two vehicles were used. I have to thank the drivers for the use of their cars and trucks without them we could not achieve our counts each week.
A real big thank you to A&W for the use of their facilities at our halfway point, not sure what it would have been like without this little room to use.
To all counters a big thank you for your company and for those little details that I added into my report each week, the feedback that i have received has been all good and supportive.
This week we had some nice sightings with the Red-breasted Sapsucker and Downy Woodpecker stand off at nest holes on Drinkwater Road at Somenos Lake being the high-lite also here was my first Yellow-rumped Warbler of the year. Another first was the female Brown-headed Cowbird on St. Catherine’s Drive most surely an over wintering bird that went undiscovered this winter or young lady eager to get north for the lads. The Northern Shrike that caused a major turn around on Herd Road our first along this road. Thanks to senior Derrick for his keen eye.
We battled the weather this week, but it was not as bad as the forcasters had foretold, being caught in just a couple of major showers.
We were greeted at our meeting place by a woolly Mute Swan splashed across the front of birthday girl Helen, a nice sweater find for her, as it turned out this was the only one we saw this week.
Listed Below is how our first three years have gone, make of it what you will, but for me personally I think we need a few more seasons under our belt before making any assumptions from the data
Cumulative totals for all weeks added together.
>>>>>> Trumpeter Swan A >>> immature >>>> Canada Goose
2009/10 >>>> 10,473 >>>>>>>>> 1,951 >>>>>>>> 12,765
2010/11 >>>> 8,888 >>>>>>>>> 2,140 >>>>>>>> 18,104
2011/12 >>>> 5,524 >>>>>>>>> 1,002 >>>>>>>> 21,236
Average per week
2009/10 >>>> 557 >>>>>>>>>>>>> 102 >>>>>>>>> 672
2010/11 >>>> 488 >>>>>>>>>>>>> 112 >>>>>>>>> 953
2011/12 >>>> 276 >>>>>>>>>>>>> 50 >>>>>>>>> 1062
Let’s hope Shaw does not mess this up as it gets transmitted to you.
Until next season good birding and good health to you all
Derrick Marven