Shorebird Count – Cowichan Bay – Sunday January 11th, 2015
A high number of 18 species of waterbirds were observed in the fog on the North Side of Cowichan Bay by Daryl Johnson, Bob Nation, Christine Gilbertson and Carol Hartwig.
Horned Grebe 2
Double-crested Cormorant 2
Great Blue Heron 1
Canada Goose 6
Trumpeter Swan 26
American Widgeon 3
Mallard 74
Surf Scoter 6
Buffleheads 89
Common Goldeneye 7
Hooded Merganser 2
Bald Eagle 2
Mew Gull 12
Thayer’s Gull 2
Unidentified Gull 148
Northwestern Crow 1
Common Raven 3
Total birds 386
South Side count
An unusual number of both birds and birders on a foggy morning. Robin Lawson, Theresa McKeown, Gail Mitchell, Dave Aldcroft, Linda Hill, Kathy Coster, Pamela Williams, Hillary Stead, Kirk Holmes, and John Scull saw:
8 Horned Grebe
17 Double-crested Cormorant
1 Canada Goose
120 Trumpeter Swan (finally on this side of the bay)
2 Mallard
15 Greater Scaup
63 Bufflehead
47 Common Goldeneye
9 Hooded Merganser
1 Thayer’s Gull
29 Glaucous-wing Gull
3 Unidentified Gull
3 Northwest Crow
Total 318 birds