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I am happy to tell you about another way to help children experience nature.

Thanks to Jim Wisnia for writing about this:

The Eric Marshall Memorial Bursary Fund will make bursaries available for children to attend nature and science day camps at the Cowichan Estuary Nature Centre as noted in Amy Clinton-Baker’s article in the May-June edition of the Valley Naturalist.  Eric was enthusiastic about volunteering to share his knowledge and support at these day camps as well as class visits to the Nature Centre.  By continuing to contribute to the Eric Marshall Memorial Bursary Fund we can ensure that finance is not a barrier to children and youths wishing to participate in these nature education programs in the future.

Donations can be made online through Canada Helps <https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/888526407RR0001-cowichan-valley-naturalists-society/>, sending an etransfer to cvns@naturecowichan.net or by mailing a cheque to CVNS, 55 Station St., Duncan, BC, V9L 1M2.  Please include a comment that the donation is for the Eric Marshall Bursary Fund.

It is bird nesting season in the Cowichan Valley. The Spotted Towhee appears on the Cowichan Valley Naturalists’ brochure:

Thanks, again, to Willie Harvie for sending me this photo.

Gail

Thank you Willie Harvie for your generosity in sharing these photos.  Willie uses a zoom lens to photograph flowers as well as birds.  This allows her to get shots without going off the trail – something important for us to remember.  At this time in the Cowichan Valley you can find these beauties:  Blue Camas; Chocolate Lily (with Shooting stars in the background) and Deltoid Balsamroot.

Now is the time to watch for migrating shorebirds.  Here is a Greater Yellowlegs photographed yesterday by Wilma Harvie at Cowichan Bay.  You might find one if you walk along Dock Road or at the end of the Ducks Unlimited trail. Gail

April 13, 2021  by Gail

After a long hiatus, our website blog is up and running again!

This is my first attempt!  I will try to keep it going with nature news from around the valley.  Stay tuned!

The weather finally feels like spring. Here are some of the beautiful wildflowers that can be seen around the valley.  Photos are by Wilma Harvie

Shooting Star Dodecatheon hendersonii ; Chocolate Lily Fritillaria affinis;

Fawn Lily Erythronium oreganum   

October 1930 – 17 December 2020

Eric was born Oct 1930 in King’s Lynn, Norfolk, England. He moved to Blackpool where he completed high school. He graduated from King’s College, London, with a degree in marine zoology. Following a compulsory two years National Service he worked as a librarian for Freshwater Biological Association on Windermere in the English Lake District.

Eric married Dorothy in 1958. He emigrated to Winnipeg with Dorothy and daughters, Lynn and Karina, to take the position of Information Scientist at the Freshwater Institute on the campus of U of M. Eric built up what was reputed to be the best marine science library in N. America. Son Ken was born in 1969.

Eric and Dorothy retired to Cowichan Bay in 1996. Eric enjoyed volunteering with many organizations especially the Cowichan Valley Naturalists Society. Eric died 17 December 2020, from complications after surgery.

Eric will be lovingly remembered by Dorothy, Lynn, Karina (Don), Ken (Angela) and his grandson Carter.

Kenneth Eric Marshall Obituary

 

May 10, 1943  July 24, 2020

Born a 4th generation Californian and growing up in Beverly Hills, John used to jokingly describe himself as consistently downwardly mobile but no less happy for it.

His youthful interests became lifelong pursuits. He was drawn to science, particularly astronomy, reading, chess, music, sailing, and camping. He spent time working with his hands and exploring philosophy with his grandparents. It was also the beginnings of an enduring fascination with adventure and the South Pacific that began by sounding out the longest word he could find on the map on the wall  Kapingamarangi  which was eye-level for him at just the right age.

The following years included studying and working in engineering and then experimental psychology with rats, pigeons and turtles in California, Toronto, the United Kingdom, Mexico and Victoria. Along the way, he and his first partner Jeri Covay built a family, became deeply involved in the politics of social and environmental justice, travelled Europe and gathered more lifelong friends. His daughter Kathy was born in Toronto and Charley followed three years later in Brighton.

During his brief stint in Mexico City he miraculously found himself living next door to his best friend from childhood, Juan Bueno. They have been close friends ever since. Juan describes 12 year old John as a tall, lanky carefree kid with a gift for original thinking.

In 1973, his best friend Don Fernandez arranged for him to come to Vancouver Island on a six-week contract at Cedar Lodge, a school for children with learning disabilities. That contract turned into 10+ years and became a source of many more lifelong friendships. He had fallen in love with the Island, exploring it through sailing, camping, and tramping through the woods. It has been his chosen home ever since.

John later went into private practice, worked for Mental Health Centres on the Island and taught psychology at Vancouver Island University. He made time for travel, adventure and deep intercultural learnings with his spouse, Linda Hill; first to Micronesia (including a side trip to Kapingamarangi, the Island of his childhood imagination), and then to the Solomon Islands as CUSO volunteers.

These experiences became endless sources of stories, inspiration and even more friends. But home beckoned and he always came back to the Cowichan Valley, where he and Linda threw themselves into the issues that mattered most to them: diversity, inclusion, community, conservation, eco-psychology and the Earth Charter.

John had a deep sense of wonder with the natural world and an endless curiosity. He took great joy in learning and sharing his wonder with others, (especially his grandchildren) through teaching and mentorship. He appreciated the small and beautiful things in life; word-play, the smiles that appeared when he pulled out one of his tiny ukuleles and the pleasure of biting into a Pirate cookie, with the wind at your back as you’re headed for harbour. His ever-growing family of choice was also a constant source of delight.

John always thought of himself as an exceptionally fortunate man for the life he lived. He spent his final months laughing, joking, and sharing stories throughout his adventure with cancer. He was filled with gratitude that he had a chance to connect with so many of the people he really loved.

As John said, “Family, friends and community are the best medicine”. On July 24, as dawn broke and the finches began to sing, it was time for John to embark on his next journey. He was surrounded by his children, grandchildren and spouse, looking out onto Mount Prevost. His was a life well-lived. He left it a fortunate man and all of us a fortunate family.

John was very proud of his role as a founder of the Cowichan Land Trust. He saw the protection of natural areas as a gift to future generations. You are invited to make a contribution to CLT in lieu of flowers at www.cowichanlandtrust.ca

Online condolences may be offered at www.sandsduncan.ca

Friends and community groups are invited to celebrate his life through your own informal gatherings and waffle parties. If you let us know your plans via Sands, we can participate virtually, in person, or in spirit.

Cowichan Valley Citizen, July 24, 2020

The 24^th Conference of The Trumpeter Swan Society (TTSS) will be held in Duncan, BC, Canada, on November 16-18, 2016. The conferences of TTSS, that were begun in 1969, provide the only public forum in North America that brings together private citizens, conservation groups, policy makers, swan managers, and researchers to examine the status and needs of Trumpeter Swans in the U.S. and Canada.

The 24th Conference will focus on both the successes and challenges involved with long-term management of trumpeter swans. Special attention will also be given to be the status, management, and conservation of Trumpeter Swans in the Pacific Flyway and potential conflicts between swans and agriculture during winter. Presentations will examine swan conservation accomplishments and lessons learned and discuss the future challenges. In addition, the Conference will include sessions on the biology, habitat concerns, and management of Trumpeter Swan populations throughout North America. Papers and posters on the biology and management of Tundra Swans and Mute Swans or their interactions with Trumpeter Swans are also invited.

We strongly encourage private partners, agency managers, and biologists involved in Trumpeter Swan restoration, management, and research to participate. If you are interested in making a presentation at the 24th Conference, please contact John Cornely at (johncornely@msn.com), Paul Fletcher (paul@fletcherfoto.ca), or Jim Hawkings (hawkings@northwestel.net) for additional information, including presentation guidelines and submission dates.

Here is a guest post from Ovidiu Popescu in Romania.  He has helped create a new website, http://greentumble.com, aimed at increasing environmental awareness.  It is good to know we have allies around the world and to be reminded occasionally of the fundamentals of environmental stewardship.

How You Can Help Wildlife

There are a lot of wonders in the world and among them are wildlife species. While most people think that there is an abundance of wildlife species on our planet, the truth is, their numbers are declining rapidly due to land use changes, pollution, climate change and uncontrolled hunting and trapping. If we don’t take action now, more species will become endangered and even extinct. Each one of us plays a crucial role in protecting wildlife and their habitats. Whether you choose to get involved with hands-on volunteering to monitor endangered species and help with habitat preservation or whether you want to share knowledge and raise awareness, there’s a little something for everyone. Here are a few suggestions on how you can make a difference every day.

1. Create a wildlife-friendly garden

No matter how small is your yard, you can still grow a few plants that can reduce the risk of native biodiversity loss, offer shelter and food for insects like butterflies and bees, as well as to other wildlife such as hummingbirds. In fact, even a window box with the right types of flowers can support some species. Don’t forget to identify invasive plants and remove them from your yard.

2. Clean boats and other outdoor gear

Clean your boat, trailer, tires, fishing gear and other equipment frequently to prevent moving invasive species, like insects or plants, from one area to another.

3. Do not litter

Garbage is often harmful to animals. Discarded gum, for instance, has been well known to kill birds. Food leftovers from garbage bins may be eaten by wild animals, but they do better on a natural diet of food that grows wild in the nature.

4. Be an educated consumer – Reduce, reuse, recycle

Avoid buying products like tortoise shell, corals, or ivory made from endangered animals, and don’t eat shark meat in restaurants.

Bring your own reusable bag to the food store and try buying goods with little if any packaging. You will realize quickly how much less garbage and waste you produce.

5. Volunteer

This is a great chance to give something back to the environment. We can be much stronger wildlife helpers when we work together. Join clean-up events, maintain trails, monitor birds, make storm drains, remove trash and invasive species of plants. Small actions like these are truly what makes the world a better place. Nature Cowichan also welcomes volunteers to help with membership management, fundraising, office support, publicity, public events, newsletters and many more.

Naturalist and birder Derrick Marven has created a new Bird List for the Cowichan Valley.  Click the link to download a printable pdf of the list.

The top cat was back this week and this old moggie was not going to allow the antics of last week, so i rounded up the troops in the car park and told them in no uncertain terms the fun was over and that the 6 counters were to follow my instructions to the fullest, they in turn just laughed at me.
Our count had a wonderful day with many great sightings and good numbers of birds. Just under 500 Trumpeter Swans and an almost identical number of Canada Geese as last week at 804.
Somenos Marsh did not show us too much this week, but the lake was different with over 100 Trumpeters and a nice group of Ruddy Ducks over on the far shore.
We left here and headed along the highway and we hadn’t gone a km when i spotted some swans on the west side of the road, we all jumped out right in front of the Toyota dealership binoculars at the ready and peered over the road and i was astounded to see 24 Great White-fronted Geese along with over 50 Trumpeters. I looked around to see 2 car salesman heading back to the warmth of the office, i guess they thought we were looking at the second hand car lot, then realized we were only birdwatchers.
Then on to Quist’s Farm where a few swans were had along with some Bald Eagles and small flock of Killdeer which were disturbed by a over flying eagle.
It was then that i gave in to the ladies wishes, yes i do have a soft spot for them. Due to last weeks diversion along Crofton Road i thought that it would be best to check this location out again and we were rewarded with just under 60 Swans, if some of you look at the files attached this number is added into the Quist total for my easy adding.
It then went slow for the next few stops with just a few flocks of Canada Geese added. 5 swans were added along Drinkwater Road in fields that were contentious over the Christmas period because of hunting.
After our break we headed over to Sahilton Road, but sadly this area has not been good for a while now and only offered up a few birds.
It was here that the ladies started to turn on the charm and flaunted truffles and chocolate covered berries at me and sadly i succumbed and was under their witching control.
We headed for the west side and ended up on Riverside Road due to a tip from our trusted driver who had spied some big white birds in a field, when we arrived we found 19 adults and 7 immature swans. More truffles were forthcoming and i was truly hooked.
Bench Road was next and as has been the norm the swans were way down the field making hard to count, let alone identify, but in the end we had just under 50 swans and 60 geese.
Dougans Flats gave us another 25 swans, but nothing else.
St Catherines Road came through with a nice assortment and 26 adults and 23 immature made for a great percentage.
We hit Koksilah Road east and found a few birds and then moved around to the other side on Wilmott Road where we were lucky to spot another group of swans, so we lept out of the vehicles and this time it was obvious who it was who caused so much trouble last week as she left the rear end of her vehicle stuck out in the road, blocking two pedestrians from their afternoon walk. By this time i was across the road and had spotted our second bonus of the day, the Sandhill Crane was there with his Trumpeter buddies, i quickly alerted the group and many distant and misty pictures were taken. I was going to mention here about Deb, but she is such nice person, Deb your problem is safe with me, so sad.
Down into the Bay we went and spotted a Sharp-shinned Hawk just before we turned onto the Dock Road and out in the bay we had just 3 Swans and not much else to spout about. Kurlene tapped me on the shoulder and told me she thought she had a Northern Harrier across the other side of the road, but she mentioned some light patches in the wings, well this pricked my ears up as Short-eared Owls have light patches in the wings. These two species can be hard at times to tell from a distance. We slowly drove back down the road and then magically i spotted the tell tale moth like flight of a a Short-eared, so cars were abandoned and all were out to watch this wonderful owl go back and forth in front of us before it darted into the grass and sat just out of sight for a while before taking off back over the fields to look for it’s supper. A few snaps were taken, but it would have been nice if it had come closer. Finally at the end of the road a immature Coopers Hawk decided to be really friendly to us and sat and admired us from a oak tree.
What a fitting end to a wonderful day, everyone left with a smile on their face and i have to admit we run about an hour late this week due to unforeseen circumstances, which we will take any week.
There are a few pictures attached this week, big thanks to Barry.
Sorry if this weeks post is a little large, hope you all enjoy it.

Happy Birding
Derrick

2014-15 Swan and Goose Count.xls

2014-15 Raptor count.xls

The first count of the new year is under our belt, but not without a few problems, firstly i went down with a bad bout of the flu and was unable to take part, but i did manage to get down to drop off the tally sheets and the walkie-talkies and i new then that trouble was afoot. There was poor Bob surrounded by 4 women, i put my trust in Kurlene to run the route and make sure that all went smoothly. Not sure if it was the medicines that i was taking for the flu or the thought of Bob being left in the lions den, but i had nightmares that night which involved thousands of swans in Somenos attacking the group and dragging them off.
I awoke in the morning and was relieved to find a e-mail from Kurlene with details of the count. It appears that they had found high numbers of swans this week with over 550 birds in total. The two best areas were once again Sahilton and Bench Roads.
The trouble is that when the cats away the mice will play as was the case this week as the group went off the route to a location just up off the Crofton Road where they added over 50 swans, they also appear to have had so much fun that the count took nearly 2 hours longer to complete. Add to this the total disruption of traffic flow somewhere when they all vacated the vehicle in the middle of the road with doors wide open to view a Coopers Hawk, this in turn caused some road rage as drivers voiced their opinion of the birders.
The group also failed to register the locations of the raptors so when you view the attachments you will note a few gaps as too the whereabouts of just under 100 hawks and eagles.
There is also a gap for the 1st of January as i have yet to complete the Christmas Bird Count numbers, hopefully all will be back to some normality next week
This is a short report this week as i am still suffering from the affects of the flu and the lack of information about what really took place this past Wednesday. But i hope to be well enough for next weeks count where i will attempt to whip the troops back into shape, i think we will start with a few pushups in the dog park before we leave for the count.

Take care and a Happy New Year to all

This week 4 participants headed out for the count and it was not long before we hit some good numbers of swans and geese. The DU pond at the Forest Museum had 7 Mute Swans and then Somenos Lake had just over 80 Trumpeter Swans and just under 100 Canada Geese. The lake was virtually void of ducks, not sure whats happening out there, but guess it’s lack of food?

A few swans were at Quist’s Farm and a handful of geese. A good flock of American Wigeon were feeding in the fields. We headed on round to Westholme Road where a large eagle type caught our eyes as it soared over the road, an abrupt stop had me out of the vehicle and squinting up into the sky, where low and behold we had a adult Golden Eagle that circled a few times before letting loose and drifting right out over our heads.

As always there was much conversation going on in the vehicle on all matters of life, none of which were really solved but it does make for some good laughs at times.

Highway 18 was our next good stop, here a big group of Canada Geese had congregated on a farmers field and right away closest to us I spotted 8 Greater White-fronted Geese, I gave a quick lesson on how to identify adults from immatures and pointed out that hunters refer to the adults as speckled bellies due to the dark bands that they have on their undercarriage. After a few scans it was estimated that there were 750 Canada’s which was down from the last time we found a big group in the same field.

On another matter:

There are times when all celebrities get some fan mail, so I was a little surprised that I get a few e-mails saying how wonderful they find my reports, well I’m not really up to Bieber standards but I get my share. Now and again I get stopped in the street by ladies who say I know you your that birder guy and how much they enjoy my little essays. Also of note are groupies that seem to follow stardom, this can at times be most welcome. I don’t get women’s things of a personal nature thrown at me, more like checklists and bits of scrap paper with field notes and bird lists on them. The occasional scream when I point out something good and yes the hug of thanks.

Now back to the facts:

After quick break at our rest stop we got skunked at our next 4 or 5 stops and so it was Dougans Flats before we found anything to enter on our sheet, over 70 Trumpeters were added and two handfuls of geese. Again we quickly moved along not finding anything until we hit Koksilah Road east when the fields showed much brown and white. 14 tiny Cackling Geese were close in for our inspection a couple of these showed the glint of a white collar that one would see on Aeulutian type which do show a distinct white band around their necks but I think they were not up to snuff for a positive identification. We added about 500 Canada Geese and just over 30 Trumpeter’s before moving on.
A couple more Mute Swans were had in Cowichan Bay village and 35 Canada’s on Dinsdales Farrm.
We hit the Dock Road in high hopes of adding a few more raptors to our days tally but other than a few more Bald Eagles nothing else was seen. Out over towards Khenipson Road on the other side  of the bay we had 17 Trumpeters and 4 unidentified sleeping swans. Ducks were at a premium out on the water but we did manage a few Greater Scuap in amongst the Bufflehead.

Along Tzouhalem Road we added 7 more swans to bring our totals up to a respectable level and then it was back to the dog park where yes the men are still working on the footpaths on this never ending Beverly Street make work program.

Thanks to my fellow counters for their good humor.

hi to all my fans and until next week keep on looking.

Derrick

Gail Mitchell, Hilary Stead, Kathy Coster, Linda Hill, Jane Kilthei, and John Scull gathered on a cold but beautiful Sunday morning to count the birds from Hecate Park.  The bird list can be found at http://www.cowichanestuary.ca/wildlife/birds/#Coastal_Waterbird_Survey.  The new bird for the day was a Killdeer who appeared to be uncomfortably cold.  After the count most of us adjourned to the True Grain Bakery for coffee.

What I saw when I went walking near Skutz Falls, Read more