Changes Around Quamichan Valley End of Jan 2011

Sunrise over the last couple of weeks of Jan 2011 have been over seas of Fog making for spectacular soul searching mornings.

This week I have several Brewers Blackbirds to add to the list from last week.

Approximately 75 to 100 Starlings

Chickadees

Brants

There was a horrible fight with two factions of crows. Now we have a much larger Murder flying around so not sure what happened but the outcome is obvious with twice as many crows now.

Last weeks smaller murder of crows. The new larger group is really aggressive and really camera shy. Next week will post pictures of the new larger group.

The resident Bald Eagles also had a nasty territory fight on their wings. The start of it was above the neighbouring farm and ended up in the small forested area behind them. Our resident eagles won the battle as was evident from the Juvenile that reappeared checking them out.

Last week around the Barn

Red Tail Hawk

In my coup with the song birds now this one is not able to get out how did he get in?

Have to let him out every day.

Towhee

The Three Trumpeteers

List of critters from the last week

42 Song Birds
4 Robins 1 with white on it

1 Towhee

1 Redwing

1 Evening Grossbeak

Several Varied Thrush hard to count

38 Brewers BlackBirds

6 Killdeer

About 4o Crows hard to count 1 has white streaks on wings

4 Ravens

Hundreds of Gulls inland due to storms and calving

Hundreds of Trumpeteer Swans
Hundreds of Canada Geese

Several Snow Geese

8 Woodducks

12 Buffleheads

2 Blue Herons

1 Grey Heron?

30 or so California Quail

1 Redtail Hawk

2 Resident Bald Eagles

3 Young Bald Eagles various stages of growth

2 Gold Eagles

1 Snowy Owl

1 maybe 2 Grey Owls

1 Merlin or Sharpskin not quite sure

1 Cooper Hawk

2 Rats RIP

3 Mice RIP

3 Racoons

2 Black Squirrels

1 Very Pregnant Black Tailed Deer

5 Deer in total 1 a buck no horns

Heard but not seen

2 Owls the greys I think

1 Cougar twice around 0530 in the morning once on Tuesday and once on Friday from the direction of Richards Mountain

Shots Across the Valley

With the snow dusted backdrop of Mt Maxwell on Saltspring Island, Birds lift off from Quamichan Lk in the beautiful Cowichan Valley, as hunters open up on them, splitting the quiet Sunday morning peace, with shotgun blasts and the birds panicked calls.

Columbia Black Tailed Deer

Black Tail Fawn cleaning itself



Black Tail Buck



Blacktail Doe standing still listening and watching to see if there is danger.

The Black Tail is a master of the interurban wildlife scene, living within the realm of men. Using the gardens and farms as their personal kitchen. Often times hiding, giving birth and just living in plain sight. They also live in the rugged back woods, valleys and mountains of Beautiful Vancouver Island.

For more information...

www.vancouverisland.com/wildlife/?id=55

www.for.gov.bac.ca/hfd/pubs/docs/bro/bro39.pfd

Let Me Out

In the never ending quest for sustenance, as large as Gilgamesh's journey, the little birds get into my Chicken Run and eat the scratch grain. This Sparrow makes it through the 1" holes in the wire quicker than Houdini.

Vancouver Island Wild Roses