Arthur M. Martell
251-3399 Crown Isle Drive, Courtenay, B.C. V9N 9X7 e-mail: amartell@shaw.ca
Abstract: The Courtenay-Comox Christmas Bird Count was run along a linear route along the Courtenay River and the shoreline of the K’omoks Estuary from 1919 to 1959 with fairly consistent protocol and observers. The results provide a good overview of the winter birds during that time period. A total of 121 species of birds was reported. Most of the regular and abundant birds recorded are still common today. Scaup (almost exclusively Greater Scaup), Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye and Horned Grebe showed significant negative trends in numbers over the period of the count. Results from the count were compared with contemporary winter bird numbers in the area. Several species that were rare or absent on the count are regular today and those species are discussed.
Key words: Theed Pearse, Christmas Bird Count, Comox Valley, K’omoks Estuary, Greater Scaup, Aythya marila, Surf Scoter, Melanitta perspicillata, White-winged Scoter, Melanitta fusca, Bufflehead, Bucephala albeola, Common Goldeneye, Bucephala clangula, Horned Grebe, Podiceps auritus
© Unless copyright restrictions are indicated, any paper, note or review (or excerpts from them) may be reproduced in another publication provided that both the author(s) and British Columbia Birds are credited fully.