North Side of Cowichan Bay
On a gloriously sunny afternoon, Daryl Johnson, Bob Nation, Christine Gilbertson and Carol Hartwig surveying for the Coastal Bird Survey on Cowichan Estuary North-Khenipsen Road. The group discovered there were 13 species and a total of 675 water birds:
2 Horned Grebe
1 Double-crested Cormorant,
8 Canada Goose
113 Trumpeter Swan,
25 American Wigeon
155 Mallard
8 Surf Scoter
133 Bufflehead,
5 Common Merganser,
36 Common Goldeneye,
176 unidentified Gull,
11 Bald Eagle
2 Common Raven
South Side of Cowichan Bay
On the same glorious sunny and cold afternoon, a record number of birders arrived at the Cowichan Estuary Nature Centre: Robin Lawson, Gail Mitchell, Peggy Smith, Christina Cutbill, John Scull, Linda Hill, Dorothy Marshall, Kathy Coster, and Kathy O’Donnell. We were accompanied by 4 members of Christina’s family. In addition to all the happy birders, there were plenty of birds.
5 mute swan
2 american wigeon
2 mallard
16 surf scoter
132 bufflehead
25 common goldeneye
5 hooded merganser
1 common merganser
1 horned grebe
9 double-crested cormorant
6 great blue heron
1 bald eagle
2 thayer’s gull
2 glaucous-winged gull
9 gull sp.