BOB’S REPORT
Four birders set out along the usual track, without stalwart leader Derrick, but fearlessly facing the prospect of making our own decisions, all day. Daryl led the charge from the back seat. At Somenos Lake, 108 Ruddy Ducks still parked on the calm surface. But Trumpeter Swans, our raison d’etre, were scarce for most of the route, except for the faithful band on the green farmland by the Highway near Mt. Sicker Road. Finally, late in the day, the recorder’s pencil got frantically busy with a windfall of more than 160 swans along Koksilah Road east (north of Bench School) mixed with over 400 Canada Geese. An old acquaintance Neck-band 01UK was in the crowd.
Two adult Tundra Swans could also be picked out. That added to the two Tundras earlier at Bench Road for a respectable total of four for the day. At Bench Road another regular, Blue-band P297, kept its head down at the back of the flock, trying to avoid our notice, but with Kurlene’s thorough knowledge of the back roads, we made a deft flanking movement and had an excellent close view.
The raptor count produced only one Red-tailed Hawk, but 19 Bald Eagles were still on the job, and remarkably, two Peregrine Falcons — one patrolling over winter corn fields, and the other perched in a favorite bare tree.
Without Derrick’s strong guiding hand, the happy-go-lucky team was easily distracted by non-Count observations, like Indian Plum coming strongly into leaf at two sites, and a headless Pileated Woodpecker high up in a tall snag — which on scopal examination proved to be only a large, woodpecker-shaped black hole. Despite Christina’s firm hand on the steering wheel, we may have set a record for “longest swan dayâ€. But all were ready for more next week: –Wednesday, 10 am at the Beverly Street Dog Park, everyone welcome.
Bob
DERRICK’S REPORT
Being waylayed for the early part of the count I headed to Bench Road at about 1:00pm and there I sat waiting, but the counters were a no show, so I headed off to Kelly Road to check out another view for the birds off Koksilah Road west, alas no swans were visible. Back to Bench Road surely the group would be here by now, but no? Where were these eager counters, i sat and waited again, but in the end I thought they must be going so fast they could be in Cowichan Bay by now, so off I went to the Dock Road whereIi walked the dog for twenty minutes and still no counters. By this time my throat was getting dry and my eyes were getting tired so I headed home for a cuppa and a snooze.
Little did I know that these four counters were having so much fun that they were running almost 2 hours late.
I do feel sorry for Bob as he is easily lead and the three woman took advantage of this and kept him out birding to an unholy hour, this poor lad must have been tired and hungry by the time they dumped him out at Beverly Street at 3:45. I do hope Daryl fed Bob some biscuits to keep him going. Too much Indian Plum I think for these ladies.
Next week will see the return of the professional gang and there will be much order returned to the group, none of this staying out most of the day having fun.
Derrick