Greetings,
Our off-season surveys of the Rocky Point Bird Observatory (RPBO) continue; not only to check on winter birds, but also to check on the condition of the general site as well as our trailers. Access remains restricted on the military base, but thanks to our relationship with Department of National Defence, we have secured weekly surveys for Rod Mitchell and myself.
In spite of some miserable, wet conditions, Rod and I returned today to see if there were any hidden winter birding gems at RPBO. My thanks to Rod for showing up in spite of rain and his sore back!

Among 56 species tallied (not bad for two hours in the rain!), here are our highlights:
1 Golden Eagle -- sub-adult, likely the same bird we saw there on January 26th. This bird represents our first wintering record, with the majority of RPBO records for GOEA in early October, during their fall migration. However, no doubt due to the rain, I have never before seen a Golden Eagle perched in a Garry Oak!! We had the bird at about 100 feet and it was at eye level as we were driving out -- would have made for a great photo, but weather conditions were not conducive to photography. What a wonderful west coast biodiversity scene!
1 Hermit Thrush -- this bird enjoyed foraging for insects amidst log debris at Edye Point, right on the beach! This continues to be a "banner" winter for 'Hermies' in south-western BC.
1 Great Horned Owl
1 probable Barred Owl -- seen in flight briefly, but quite "pale" and grey in appearance suggesting Barred, rather than Great Horned. (There was evidence of two fresh Eastern Cottontail kills, one with nearby whitewash and pellets).
20 Black Turnstone
1 "Yellow-shafted" Northern Flicker
16 Hooded Merganser
19 American Wigeon
6 Ring-necked Duck
1 Red-tailed Hawk - a "new" bird, not previously recorded this winter at Rocky (other birds were adults). It is a small (male?) sub-adult 'tail.
3 Marsh Wren - singing around Glover Pond (hey, it must almost be spring!).

David Allinson
President, Rocky Point Bird Observatory
572 Atkins Road
Victoria, BC
V9B 3A3
Ph. (250)478-0493

Web site: www.islandnet.com/~rpbo
273 species and counting!
Look for a bargraph checklist coming soon.

"Not everything that can be counted counts,
and not everything that counts can be counted."
Albert Einstein

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