Hi Tweets,

A short rip around Lost Lagoon in Stanley Pk. in the last of the daylight
today. Some of the following are approximate numbers, marked 'apx'.

Conditions: mostly clear, calm; 10 C. and falling; water levels high from
recent heavy rains.

Species

Double-crested Corm. 2 jv
Great Blue Heron 2
Canada Goose 150 apx
Wood Duck 7 (4m 3f, 1 pr)
Mallard 250 apx
American Wigeon 16
Canvasback 62
Ring-necked Duck 6 (4m ad, 1m subad, 1f)
Greater Scaup 75 apx
Lesser Scaup 4,000 apx (range 3500--4500; see below)
Common Goldeneye 125 apx
Barrow's Goldeneye 7
Bufflehead 6 (2m 4f, no prs noted)
Common Merganser 5 (3m 2f)
Ruddy Duck 2
Mew Gull 15 ad
Glaucous-winged Gull 100 apx (over 75% ad)
Western X Gl.-winged 12 (identifiable ads only)

*It is the Lost Lagoon flock of LESC that have taught me the value of
actually counting over that of simply making an eyeball estimation. To test
how much I'm usually out, I would do the latter on this flock *before*
counting them, and usually arrive at an approximate figure of 1,500--2,000
birds. When I actually counted, my estimation was invariably 50% too low,
and that turned out to be consistent whether shorebirds, ducks, crows,
whatever, and judging by published reports over the years of Lost Lagoon
LESC wintering flocks of 750-2,000, I'd guess I wasn't the only one who
consistently lowballed like this. The above approximation for the large
LESC flock is based on my experience of counting them twice a month last
winter (aieee, not again).

In situations where there's large numbers of birds that can't be counted
for whatever reason, my SOP is to arrive at what I feel is the most
conservative possible estimate, and multiply by 2. When I've tested this in
the field and double-checked with a count, the resulting figure is usually
within 10%, often less either way from the actual total.

Cheers

--
Michael Price "Are you being brilliant or are you going berserk?
Vancouver BC Canada At first, sometimes, it may be hard to tell."
mprice at mindlink.net -New York Times headline