Many years ago I used to do surveys with a very good friend Dr.J.Murray Speirs in Ontario mostly in the winter, well today it felt like I was back there in Ontario as it was frigid as the 7 swan counters headed out from the dog park. The fields around the schools were whiter than white with not a blade of grass to be seen, this in turn caused the birds to look elsewhere for sustenance. A few had kept a bit of water open near the rest stop at Somenos and both Trumpeter Swans and Geese got our tally sheet going. One family of swans had two immature with strange bill color which I believe is the second time we have encountered this over the years, their plumage was a little more white than the other immature pointing to an advanced molt or some other strange occurrence. Somenos Lake had many geese working the edges of the water and a few Ruddy Ducks were far off on the other side.
We headed up the highway and on arrival at Quist’s farm the eagles were all over the trees, just a few of the many seen today as they also appeared to not like this nippy spell of weather. A very strange sighting was had out on the farm field, a small green colored bird with a wash of yellow was jumping up and down out on the snow, it was quickly joined by a second they were a pair of Ruby-crowned Kinglets picking up some small bugs, maybe snow fleas or some other fly type that had some sort of protein in them. It always amazes me how these little ones survive when it gets like this, maybe they don’t, but I’m sure their bodies don’t go to waste with all the Crows and Ravens around.
Westholme Road was next and a few swans were spotted in the last unfrozen piece of water, they would surely have to find a new spot after this evening’s cold. We turned onto Richards Trail and we were soon confronted with a small sparrow like bird pecking away at something on the road, just as I alerted Barry that it was a Hermit Thrush it jumped up on a branch beside us, we edged a little closer and the lens started to beat on my head and one keeper picture was had and Barry had a lifer shot. The girls who were behind us just managed to see the bird as we inched over the other side of the road.
We pottered along the trail but not much was seen on the frozen tundra, just a few duckies eking out a living in the last remaining puddles of water, A Red-tailed Hawk was seen and a Bald Eagle sat high in a conifer waiting for a duckie to make a wrong move. We headed on down to Herd Road and out onto Hwy 18 where once again we were lucky to see some Elk which this week were a little closer and one big male sat looking over the herd of about 18 beasts.
After our break we went to Boys Road where the main crop of Bald Eagles were located and many different plumage birds were encountered from the very dark 1st year birds to the multi colored 3 and 4 year olds. This week saw our highest count of eagles of the season. Sadly the same can’t be said for the swans as the numbers dropped again with way less than half of last weeks total with 85 adults and 15 immature. Maybe it’s me who drives them off as last week with me absent the group found plenty, or could it be this weather that has dispersed the birds far and wide.
This week Deb brought the largest box of choccies I have ever seen, 30 odd different flavors, which when shared had mixed reviews as some got some nice centers and others not so, thanks Deb.
After drifting along Koksilah Road west and only finding a couple of Steller’s Jays we found ourselves up on Bench Road where the major flock of geese have relocated. The goose numbers have been steady through the last three weeks with many birds coming and going, it is always nice to have a Snow or White-front in the bunch, that way when they disappear you know that others have followed. This week saw a pure flock of 21 Cacklers up off Koksilah Road east, now they weren’t here lat week.
Cowichan Bay had it’s usual Mute Swans and a few more Trumpeters and along the Dock Road we got our solitary Northern Harrier for the day, one of the shutterbugs got a nice picture of a Eurasian Wigeon.
We headed around to Khenipsen Road to get a few more swans that were tucked in up the marsh and added to our ever increasing Bald Eagle numbers.
Our day was done, we tried our best, but just like the birds the counters were ready for some warmer climes.
Just one more count before we take our holiday break.
Photo credits
Hermit Thrush by Barry Hetschko
Eurasian Wigeon by Zan Stenhouse
adult Bald Eagle by Kurlene Wenberg
1st Year Bald Eagle by Zan Stenhouse
Trumpeter Swan family by Zan Stenhouse
Derrick frozen toes
Comox Valley Swan Count tallies for December 13th . This weeks Trumpeter tally was 571 adults and 114 juveniles for a total of 685. In comparison, the total tally for the same period in 2015 was 1313 swans and in 2014 the total was 1280 swans.