In most years since 1997  we have been able to contribute to the Christmas Bird Count for the Sooke/Victoria area. This website contains all the past records:

This year, Garry Fletcher was picked up with the station boat by the Ecoguardian Alex Fletcher and  they were able to do a survey in the waters from inner Pedder Bay, through Race Passage and to Race Rocks. They then spent one and a half hours at Race Rocks. A total of 760 birds were recorded representing 22 Species.  The weather was overcast with a very light 3.5kn wind from the North East.
Our thanks to Pam Birley for the early morning photos from the remote cameras of the two pelicans.

The following is a summary of the records.

In Pedder Bay:
Surf Scoter ————-60
Bufflehead————–95
Hooded Merganser—-2
Red-throated Loon—-1
Pacific Loon————2
Western Grebe———2
Belted Kingfisher——-1

In Race Passage:

Common Murre——————-95

Brandt’s Cormorants————-10

At Great Race Rocks
Brown Pelican——————2
Mallard  Duck ——————1
Harlequin Duck —————-3
Double-crested Cormorant-  240
Bald Eagle  (adult)————-2
Glaucous-winged Gull ——-10
Thayer’s Gull ——————250
Dunlin—————1
Sanderling———————-2
Surfbird  ————————2
Black Turnstone —————10
Black Oystercatcher———–36
Fox Sparrow ——————-1