February 2026 Newsletter
WILD LIFE with WILDLIFE
As February arrives, so does unseasonably warm weather here in the Comox Valley. I am filled with appreciation for the beauty and nobility of this place, the creatures that make it home, and my place within it. So this month, I’d like to talk about some of the wildlife we co-exist with here.
UPDATE: COUGAR ALERT
CAN YOU SPOT THE CAT?
As you know, Kelly has a fondness for cats. Big cats. So first up, an update on the cougar sightings in the Comox Valley, and some context. There are an estimated 600 to 800 cougars on Vancouver Island, a density of roughly 5 cougars per 100 km2. That’s higher than anywhere else in Canada.
In January, cougars were either heard or spotted in our neighbourhood on four occasions.
The first was in the evening, five hundred metres from our place. Two cougars were calling back and forth to each other. If you’ve ever heard the various calls of a cougar you would recognize them — eerie.
A second sighting, less than two hundred metres from our home, revealed a cougar spotted sauntering down one of the pathways where I often walk.
Two cougars were spotted in trees by the North Island College trails during the day — about four kilometres from our home. The photo above was taken by the resident who reported the sighting.
I’d have backed away . . . . tout de suite.
A fourth attacked a dog while walking with its person on a trail in Courtenay. The dog and owner were rattled, but are fine.
I have included a link below from the BC Wildlife Federation that provides a few more details on cougars in BC, if this interests you.
https://bcwf.bc.ca/b-c-cougar-assessment-new-technical-report-details-population-trends
Here is another short video with some calls and basic information. The sounds you’ll hear are a good sample of their vocalizations, but not their entire repertoire. They can also grunt and produce coughing sounds (and likely many other noises) that no one wants to hear on their hike.
WILDERNESS SURVIVAL
STRANDED ON AN ALIEN PLANET?
In Lethal Tattoos, when Kelly finds himself isolated and alone on Jord, he was fortunate enough to have a handy survival manual with him, which he references several times in his effort to, well, survive.
To help him adapt to his new environment, I consulted a survival manual that I found in the public domain as a helpful reference, and included a link to a 1992 version from National Defence, for those who may be interested. Who knows when this might come in handy?
https://archive.org/details/b-gl-382-006-fp-001-survival/page/362/mode/2up
BC ARTISAN SPOTLIGHT
MAKE YOUR OWN YEW BOW
Kelly also made a flat bow, that he had learned to create during a course he had taken in Courtenay. Here’s a secret: Kelly and I took the same course, except I’d taken it first, in the year I wrote that portion of the book. I have attached the link below for those who may be interested in checking it out. Although Jamie’s business operates on the mainland near Powell River, at the time Kelly and I learned to build a bow, he was offering courses in Courtenay. I can say (and I know Kelly would agree), it was an excellent course. If you’re interested in learning how to build a bow yourself, I highly recommend Ravenbeak Natureworks:
THE TUCKER DIARIES
SPA DAY
Tucker hasn’t been up to much mischief lately, other than his usual escapade of sampling the cocktails. His latest taster was a cold G&T, which he seems to like as much as eggnog and Krupnik. He loves cheese, and any time he sees me grating some for the pasta or whatever else we throw cheese into, he watches me like a hawk. I usually toss him a few pieces, but if I happen to forget, he waits until I leave and helps himself, scolding be damned.
I thought I’d share a picture of him enjoying a bath. His water-fling radius is well beyond a metre.
FROM THE BBC
BARN OWLS
One of the news sites I visit every day is the BBC. I find that they often have interesting articles related to health, the environment, many on unique Canadian destinations, and their take on international events.
I’ve included the following short article because of a note they added, “this article may not have a long life.” It relates to the successful breeding of a barn owl in a location other than a barn in the UK.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckgzwj3l3ygo
Because of the previous article I searched for a short one related to barn owls in BC.
https://www.birdatlas.bc.ca/accounts/speciesaccount.jsp?lang=en&sp=BNOW
SPREAD SOME LOVE
QUESTIONS? THOUGHTS?
Spring is just around the corner, the daffodils and primulas are ready to be planted, and our grass needs to be cut.
Valentine’s Day is approaching fast, so I’d like to wish everyone a Happy Valentines Day. Don’t get into too much trouble.
And as always, I’d love to hear from you, so Email Me and let me know your thoughts on anything in this newsletter, or suggestions for what you’d like to see in future editions.
-Ray
Ray St. Denis
Author, The Shakarri Series
