Cowichan Bay
On the south side: Linda Hill reports that a new birder named Doug showed up valiantly in the pouring rain to hold a large umbrella over our heads as we quickly counted these birds:
28 gull species; 3 common goldeneye; 3 horned grebes; 90 Buffleheads; 6 Double crested Cormorants; 2 Hooded Mergansers; 1 Great Blue Heron
On the north side: The following birds were seen three very wet bird counters – Kurlene Wenberg, Bob Nation, and Daryl Johnson.
Trumpeter Swan,31; Surf Scoter, 13; Bufflehead, 269; Common Goldeneye, 262; Common Merganser, 63; Double-crested Cormorant, 14; Bald Eagle, 14; Shorebird species; 35; Mew Gull, 31; Glaucous-winged Gull, 47; Gull species, 430; Northwestern Crow 1.
Jim & Lyn Wisnia had to start counts earlier, so avoided rain for Verdier Point area, though got it for Mill Bay area. Despite reduced visibility we were able to see the long string of Western Grebes way out in Saanich Inlet and quickly counted by tens to get the estimated total, an encouraging number.
Verdier Point:
1. American Wigeon, 17
2. Mallard 10
3. Surf Scoter 9
4. Bufflehead 21
5. Common Goldeneye 27
6. Barrow’s Goldeneye 15
7. Red-breasted Merganser 31
8. Common Loon 5
9. Horned Grebe 18
10. Brandt’s Cormorant 1
11. Pelagic Cormorant 6
12. Great Blue Heron 1
13. Bald Eagle 2
14. Mew Gull 5
15. Glaucous-winged Gull 6
16. gull sp. 7
17. Belted Kingfisher 1
18. Northwestern Crow 1
Mill Bay:
1. Mute Swan 8
2. American Wigeon 34
3. Surf Scoter 13
4. Bufflehead 65
5. Common Goldeneye 17
6. Hooded Merganser 2
7. Common Merganser 2
8. Red-breasted Merganser 15
9. Pacific Loon 8
10. Common Loon 2
11. Horned Grebe 2
12. Red-necked Grebe 2
13. Western Grebe 450 see comments above
14. Pelagic Cormorant 1
15. Double-crested Cormorant 5
16. Mew Gull 7
17. Glaucous-winged Gull 44
18. gull sp. 14
19. Belted Kingfisher 3