The 36th annual Sunshine Coast Christmas Bird Count was held on Saturday, Dec. 20 and the 24th Pender Harbour count was on Wednesday, Dec. 17.
On the Sunshine Coast count, covering the area from Port Mellon to West Sechelt, the weather was somewhat variable with a dry, overcast morning in the Sechelt area, but rain towards Gibsons. In the afternoon heavy rain prevailed everywhere, and was particularly heavy on the Port Mellon Highway. The Strait of Georgia was very windy all day making observations on the water difficult.
About 25 observers in seven separate parties were out in the weather all day covering the geographical area as intensively as possible.
A total of 88 species were observed on the day, slightly below the recent average, but not surprising given the difficult weather conditions. The record species count is 105 in 2009.
Highlight species observed were a golden eagle in the West Porpoise Bay area, a flock of 13 bushtits in urban Sechelt, a rhinoceros auklet offshore in Gibsons, and a Lincoln’s sparrow, a rare winter visitor, at a feeder in West Porpoise Bay.
The value of the count is the long-term data base it provides as bird populations (and the counting of them) are subject to many vagaries from year to year. Only six great blue herons were found, and this is a species of local concern.
The 119 bald eagles were above average and there is thought to be a relationship between increasing eagle numbers and declining herons, as the eagles predate the young herons in their nests. Forty-six robins were located and we are lucky on the Sunshine Coast that we do not have to wait until springtime to see the first robin.
The weather conditions were better for the Pender Harbour count with some light rain, but the wind was calm and the sea flat. The count was partly conducted from three separate boat trips that took in the Skookumchuck area, Agamemnon Channel and the south end of Nelson Island.
The count produced 84 species, close to the 87 species that is the highest total on the 23 previous counts for Pender Harbour.
The highlight species were a spotted sandpiper in Sechelt Inlet and a Townsend’s solitaire near Gunboat Bay.
I would like to sincerely thank all those who emailed and phoned in response to my request for records of Anna’s Hummingbirds. I have not had a chance to tabulate all the reports yet and will report on the results in my next column.
Please contact me if you see any unusual or unidentified birds at your feeder or elsewhere via email [email protected] or 604-885-5539.
