There are several things that have become apparent from the first few weeks of our counts, the swans are late coming, the eagles are early returning and the counters can do very well without me, well maybe.
The swans left their breeding grounds on time and departed their northern rest spots, but between there and here they must have stopped for some fun somewhere. The eagles arrived at least a week early from fishing up north, not sure if this meant that their catches were not good, but i think they would only get slim pickings when they arrived in the valley. This is not good for our duck population who will feel the eagles full force. When the eagles bellies are empty they are not very friendly. As for me i got a bug that has kept me away from the count for a couple of weeks, but the people have done a wonderful job of collecting data and all i had to do was sit at home and wait for it to come in, now my brain hurts.
Another good thing has been the number of accipiters that have been seen, Cooper’s Hawks especially appear to be doing well, maybe all those Eurasian Collared-Doves which make a lovely meal got the nesting season going well. More good sightings have included the Wilson’s Snipe that have been seen sitting on the edge of Jim’s Pond most weeks and going on the number of reports that i have had they just don’t sit out there on Wednesdays, they are there nearly every day, all except today’s count.
Did i mention the weather, the count has now gone almost a whole season with good weather, hope i don’t put the mockers on it. What is it about a Wednesday that makes the sun shine? We will have to see what the rest of this seasons count has in store for us.
As has been mentioned before we do take notice of other species and Gulls are one of them, I have tried to educate the uneducated but i fear it will take many years to accomplish this task, now now don’t think I’m being big headed it took me about 10 years to master the art of Gull identification, so i reckon at least another 7-9 years for them, that’s if they even care to learn.
Now for today’s count, at first on receiving the reports i found myself lost for words, have i failed as a leader, did i not teach them all the do’s and dont’s of a Swan and Goose count. I have tried and tried to keep the vehicles together so that hopefully everyone in the group has a chance to see any good birds, i have tried to teach them about adults and immature raptors, did all my teachings fall upon deaf ears.
I can see that on my return i will need a sturdy tow rope or a very strong bungy cord to keep the vehicles together. I will also be forwarding websites about what is young and what is old, lumping us all together is not good.
This week saw great excitement with the return of the American Kestrel on the flag poles at the exhibition grounds north of town and a pair of flyover Snow Geese near Quist’s farm. Richards Trail produced the sighting of the day with 4 Western Bluebirds sitting along a fence line, it has been scores of years since this species has been seen in the Richards Valley.
Again the counters hit a high of 9 Red-tailed Hawks with most being in the north end of town.
I think the counters must have been getting worried about the number of swans again this week as they only found a few until the last stop of day produced over 100 birds.
Goose numbers as expected rose again and at the golf driving range on Beverly Street three geese were found with white neck collars, they were all photographed and data sent in to a recently posted website. These birds originate from the mid-island area. No neck banded swans have been seen so far but it is still early days yet.
A couple of Accipiter Sp. and two peregrines were found and for the fourth week running one Northern Harrier was seen.
I did not receive any reports of dickie birds, so we can only assume that there are none left in the valley at the moment.
With this extra week break for me i have been lubricating my whip and i am sure that it will be cracking next week when hopefully on my return the count will resume to it’s past glories.
Photo credit:
071F Banded Canada Goose, by Zan
Red-tailed Hawk & Swans – Barry Hetschko
Derrick
By Dorothy & Eric
As we gathered at the dog park on a cold frosty morning a red-tailed hawk posed on a tree above the dog compound while the photographers took many photos. Promptly at 10 we set of in two cars – I was at the wheel of the swan and goose car with Dorothy, Janice and Bob. Christina was driving the raptor car with Kurlene, Zan and Barry aboard; not that we restricted our observations to the designated birds. There was quite a flock of Canada geese on the driving range and we spotted three collared geese so got the scope out to read the numbers. Not to be outdone the photographers with the zoom lenses took photographs to confirm the numbers: 199F, 071F and 050F. These are numbers mentioned in the email from the Campbell River group so I will let them know that we have seen them. Somenos Lake yielded our first trumpeter swans.
As we passed the Exhibition Grounds we got a message over the walkie-talkies that sounded like ‘pull over to the left’. The raptor car had spotted the kestrel which was back on the same hunting grounds as last season.. We found a large flock of 90 geese on Westholme Road over the railroad tracks near the Crofton junction. There the raptor car reported that they had seen three snow geese flying south from Mount Sicker
On Richards Trail most of the flooded fields were frozen and there were just three swans on a clear patch. The sharp younger eyes in the raptor car spotted four western bluebirds on a fence along the Trail – Barry took a very distant photo – not his usual standard but clearly bluebirds.
Tom Windsor Drive yielded more geese and another red-tail. And there were more geese by the Hwy #18 park and ride. So at the A & W lunch stop we had quite a wait before the other car arrived – they claimed it took time to check out some of the hawks they had seen.
On Boys Road there were many bald eagles – some on the ground in a field and many in the trees. There were more on Sahilton Road but the flooded field was frozen and the usual flock of ducks was not there. There were no swans or geese on Koksilah Road East so our car got way ahead of the raptors who spent time looking, but not finding many hawks. It was not until we reached Dougan’s flats that we found more swans and geese and had to get the scope out to count them. St Catharine’s Road had 15 swans. Jim’s pond had the usual injured goose with its companion cackler. Search as we might we could not find the snipe on the shore of the pond which was partly frozen.
In Cowichan Bay there were two mute swans. And on Dinsdale’s Farm over 700 geese and five swans were grazing. Down Dock Road the tide was very high – a King Tide – and there were many gulls way over towards the north shore along with two trumpeters. This was a very different sight to last week when there were many gulls and eagles feasting on dead salmon with a lower tide exposing mud flats.
Kurlene told us that she had seen swans on the field by the river across from the Butter Church earlier in the week so she stopped and counted over 100 swans there!
Back at the dog park Bob’s poor car would not start so I have him a boost and I trust he made it home.
By Kurlene
With poor Derrick still down with the plague the pressure was on for another accurate raptor count. Pencils sharpened, extra erasers and Christina manning the wheel we were confident we had things under control. With two good sightings right at the dog park, a Red Tail and a Peregrin we were off to a great start! Low and behold as we were approaching the fairgrounds we spotted something on the flagpoles. There he was, our American Kestral perched in the sun!! First sighting of him this year! We quickly radioed ahead to the Swan car and pulled over but communications failed and the last sighting of the Swan car was Eric putting pedal to the metal, passing a semi and disappearing into the distance. Shortly thereafter a couple of cop cars with sirens blazing flew by so we weren’t sure what was up. We stayed and took pics of our old friend and then tried to catch up to the lead car.
The difference with being the Swan and Goose car is their targets are large and easily identified so unless they get bogged down with large amounts of targets in one place, they easily count and are on their way. We, on the other hand, are left with obscure blobs in distant trees that are not easily identified unless you have the knowledge of our fearless leader. So by the time we stop, take pictures to enlarge, have a discussion about what we may have seen we fall far behind. And then there are the caterpillar nests that have taken on perfect hawk profiles in the distant trees!! We saw Red Tails, Coopers and another Peregrin by the time we hit the eagles on Boys and Sahilton. Thankfully Bob counted eagles for us because there were no swans and we caught up for a short while.
By Barry
We had lovely views of a Northern Harrier that hovered above us on Hillbank and a raptor that flew in over the car that we barely had a glance at. Christina noted he had yellow feet and darkish…………we didn’t attempt a guess at that one and he went down as unidentified. Dock road was quiet, we had hoped for a Sharpie and a Merlin for a grand slam of raptors for the day but no luck. We ran into another pile of eagles and swans hidden away close to the dike and stopped to count which put us late to the dog park again, but it was a great bit of luck as the Swan count missed these hidden away guys and it was our highest swan count of the day!!! Being a laggard sometimes pays off!! Great day in lovely sunshine, let’s hope our fearless leader returns next week, this counting business is a lot of work!! Get well soon Derrick!!!
I had a bit of a rocky start to yesterdays count. But i quickly shut my mouth and hide in the back seat.
I felt like a gunner in the back of a B52 Bomber. Sitting in my turret. Cold and alone. Patiently waiting for something to shoot.
The engine noise, the clammer and commotion coming from inside the cockpit was at times unnerving.
To fast in areas where the Boogies often hide and to slow to keep up with the Squadron leader.
I asked myself. Where we going to make it home alive?
But with a picture of my lucky crossed rabbits feet in my pocket. We all made a safe return back to the rally point.
Cold and hungry we all clambered out to thank our lucky stars we had a returned safely.
Here are a 2 pics I collected: Red-tail & swans
Can’t wait till next week.
Barry