Several Audubon Christmas Bird Counts have been completed in the Comox Valley area with the following results:
Comox Valley count: 105 species
Deep Bay count: 96 species
Little River/ Powell River Ferry count: 16 species. Of note was a flock of 800 Long-tailed Ducks off Texada Island. Few gulls were seen, but recently 10,000 Western Grebe were reported near Parksville/Qualicum indicating the presence of bait fish there.
A Comox Valley Nature member participated in the Powell River Bird Count which had 75 species.
Several more rare birds have been reported in the Valley including a Rusty Blackbird, Northern Mockingbird, and Glaucous Gull. Port McNeill on the North Island has had several recent rarities including Hooded Oriole, Harris’ Sparrow, and Dickcissel.
