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 an Osprey was one sitting on a crane in the woodyard in Cowichan Bay on the 9th, but haven’t seen it since so it might have moved on north as this fellow was at least a week early.
3 Red Crossbills came down to my sunflower feeder on the 11th with 2 handsome males showing up the dull green female.
Common Yellowthroats are in full song along the boardwalk at Somenos Marsh and all Swallow boxes appear to have residents with a waiting list already posted.
Coots and Ring-necked Ducks are hanging in around the marsh and a young lady wearing wellies finally managed to find her yearly Wilson’s Snipe in one of the wet fields. I personally bumped into one at the foot of Corfield Road on the 10th as it sat in a puddle. No not a young lady in wellies but a Snipe, it of course took off in it’s zig-zag flight.
A great report from an old birding friend of a group of up to 40 Sandhill Cranes that passed vocally over Cowichan Bay on the 10th and passed right over my house while I was busy cleaning house, so of course I missed them.
A strange occurrence while myself and Winston were walking along Hecate Park a large Beaver was on the beach right below the viewing tower, we are used to having a run in with Otters who like to groom themselves in the bark mulch, but a Beaver is a rare sighting at any time of year in Cowichan Bay. It gave us nasty look and then swam off slowly out into the bay. Not sure if males get shoved out by one another at this time of year or not.
Butterflies are coming out in good numbers and I have heard of at least 6 species being seen around the valley already, mind you as I look out the window at this dreary morning all good butterflies are tucked up in bed.
Many species of Wildflowers are out with Trilliums and Shooting Stars looking wonderful amongst the leaf matter.
Well keep your eyes peeled as it is all happening now.
Proud to be a Naturalist
Derrick