Fletcherfoto

Swan, Goose & Raptor Count 8th Jan. 2020. It appears by the numbers that I should phone in sick more often as the Trumpeter Swan numbers were the best of the ...season and 13 Red-tailed Hawks equaled our high count for the term. I am not sure what i did to deserve this horrible cold although a did spend the day with another woman on January 1st who was coughing and sneezing all the time, "Tania" Got to stay away from these young woman. Big thanks to the crew for their hard work and i hope i will be fit enough to join them next week with a snow shovel. Below is Eric's take on the day. I do hope our good friend Dorothy has a speedy recovery as I don't know what we will do without her cookies. As the group met at the Dog Park we found that our worthy leader was laid low with a flu bug so we had to sort out who was going to count the swans and geese and who would record the numbers of raptors. Gayle, a keen naturalist from Ontario joined the group for the day she will be staying in Cowichan Bay for a few weeks so we may see on another count. We set off in two cars promptly at 10 am on a cool morning but unlike the previous day there was no rain Derrick is very good at seeing that the weather is good for our counting days. As we arrived at Somenos Lake the water sampling party from the Somenos Marsh Society was heading out so we asked them not to disturb the swans until we had counted them. A pied-billed grebe was the only other bird that we saw on the lake. We had been instructed to take the turning towards Crofton and on the road there we counted almost 90 swans and 250 geese in the Westholme area. Richards Trail yielded another 450 geese. The ponds on Herd Road lacked any swans and 130 geese seen by the side of the water. While stopped at the Park & Ride on Hwy #18 a lady from the other car dashed up and asked if we had seen the red-tailed eagle I think she must have been hungry and confused as it was close to lunch time - she really meant red-tailed hawk. While having our lunch break at A & W a merlin was seen nearby and an immature eagle flew overhead. We had thought that eagles would be abundant on the trees by the river next to Boys Road but only two were seen. On Sahilton Road there were three groups of swans hiding in the dips in the field. Over on Koksilah Road there were swans hiding in the fields and pools just below the hill there Barry walked back from our stopping place to attempt to get a good count as we could not do so from the cars on the road. More swans were seen further along this road. Koksilah Road East held a large flock of geese and a small one was on the Dindale Farm fields. From Dock Road we could see over by the north shore some three groups of swans which appeared to be all trumpeters and just a separate group of four mutes was a little further upstream. The fields on the opposite side of the road to Blackey’s farm held a large flock of swans. Thirteen red-railed hawks were seen. Two northern harriers and 2 peregrines and 3 kestrels were added to our totals. Eric Photo Credits Swans and Geese X 3 by Denny Wagg Mallards by Denny Wagg Ring-necked Duck by ZanStenhouse Swans, Goose and Wigeon by Zan Stenhouse Swans and Geese by Zan Stenhouse One wet Hawk by Zan Stenhouse

We are so proud to welcome guests tonight, celebrating the People's Choice Photo Awards(by the WildWings Nature & Arts Festival)for the best nature photography in our community. Free event starting at 7pm. (Bar open as normal for anyone else wanting to pop in, too!)

Finally remembered to promote my 26th annual show at just Jakes. Up till the end of June. Some real nice images and great pricing. Please share, thanks

Putting feelers out for people interested in a Black & White photo course. It would be 10 weeks and would include 7 darkroom sessions in a professional level teaching darkroom in Mill Bay. All materials would be provided. For now I am collecting interested names. If 10 people are interested I will figure out dates and costs. PM me for more information

Win some lose some. 2 days after Somenos Wildlife Management Area was announced we have lost the great Garry Oak that had stood centuries at Somenos Marsh. Sadly it came down today. It was the second largest Garry Ok in Bc and was here before colonization. A great loss that will be noticed by few.

I am very involved and passionate about my community. One of my passions is playing wheelchair rugby. I am one of the uprights who are tasked with putting the r...ugby chairs together and getting my wheelchair-bound friends in and out of their chairs. As with everything in my life, I am a team member and work hard to do my best at all times. See more