Comox Valley birders take three-day ferry trip for annual bird count

About a dozen Comox Valley volunteer birders carried out three day-long ferry surveys as part of the North American Christmas Bird Count between Dec. 14 and Jan. 5, using the Little River–Powell River route to search for seabirds; last year's ferry team recorded North America's highest Pacific loon total at 4,492.

Comox Valley naturalists conducted three day-long ferry surveys during the North American Christmas Bird Count between Dec. 14 and Jan. 5. About a dozen volunteer birders boarded the Salish Orca and worked the Little River to Powell River route to look for seabirds. The ferry-based effort is part of the local group's annual Christmas count activities and complements shore-based surveys. The Christmas Bird Count began in 1900 and produces long-term data used by researchers and conservation groups. Key details: - The ferry expedition was one of three separate day-long surveys run in the Comox Valley during the annual count. - Team leader Kathryn Clouston said the birders perform the route each year, often standing on outer decks in winter weather to scan for seabirds. - Ferry surveys help detect species that are hard to see from shore, including ancient murrelets, western grebes (reported as declining on the coast) and common murres; the team also watched for short-tailed shearwaters this season. - Birds Canada, in partnership with the National Audubon Society, organizes the Christmas Bird Count and compiles volunteer data submitted from across North America. - During last year’s Christmas survey the ferry team recorded 4,492 Pacific loons, noted as the highest count in North America for that species. Summary: The ferry-based counts add to a long-running local record that researchers use to track changes in bird populations over decades. Data from this season will be included in the broader Christmas Bird Count dataset; Undetermined at this time.