The Backyard's Weekly Bird Walk locations are found in the Backyard Bird Report at the very end of the most recent report. Any cancellations will be posted by 8am the day of the walk.

Sunday 6 May 2007

The Nanaimo Bird Alert
provided by
The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

To report your sightings phone
The Bird Alert at: 390-3029 or
The Store at: 390-3669
e-mail: thebackyard@shaw.ca
www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com

Please remember, when reporting a sighting, to leave your name and phone
number, along with the date and location of your sighting.

Sunday May 06, 2007:
The Sunday Bird Walk went to Beck Creek and Chase River Estuary in Nanaimo. The highlight of the walk was over twenty noisey WHIMBREL flying over us. Six GREATER YELLOWLEGS were feeding on the mud flats.
Ten birders found the following forty-four species:
GREAT BLUE HERON, CANADA GOOSE, MALLARD, BUFFLEHEAD, COMMON MERGANSER, RING-NECKED PHEASANT, CALIFORNIA QUAIL, WHIMBREL, GREATER YELLOWLEGS, GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL, BAND-TAILED PIGEON, ROCK PIGEON, RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD, BELTED KINGFISHER, NORTHERN FLICKER, PILEATED WOODPECKER, NORTHWESTERN CROW, COMMON RAVEN, PURPLE MARTIN, TREE SWALLOW, VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW, CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE, BROWN CREEPER, BEWICK'S WREN, GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET, HERMIT THRUSH, VARIED THRUSH, AMERICAN ROBIN, EUROPEAN STARLING, ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, YELLOW WARBLER, COMMON YELLOW-THROAT, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, SPOTTED TOWHEE, SONG SPARROW, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD, BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD, PURPLE FINCH, HOUSE FINCH, AMERICAN GOLDFINCH, PINE SISKINS, DARK-EYED JUNCOS, HOUSE SPARROW and WINTER WREN.
A YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD was seen at the end of Tweedshope Road in Lower Lantzville.

Friday May 04:
Four AMERICAN GOLDFINCH were seen at feeders at Lantzville Road and Superior Roads in Lantzville.
A SILVER PHEASANT was at feeders in the 5100 block of Lauguna Way in Nanaimo.

Thursday May 03:
A YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD in with a flock of BREWERS BLACKBIRDS were seen perched on a fence on the south side of Northwest Bay Road just to the east of Wallbeach Road in Nanoose Bay.
A LESSER CANADA GOOSE was seen in with five CANADA GEESE at Cowichan Bay.
Two ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS, four CHIPPING SPARROWS, three YELLOW WARBLERS and a PURPLE MARTIN were seen at Somenos Marsh in Duncan.

Wednesday May 02:
The Wednesday bird walk went to the Beaver Ponds at Nanoose Bay.
Among the highlights was the song of a "CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER" singing near the first pond and several sightings of BLACK-THROATED GRAY and TOWNSEND'S WARBLERS. The bird of the day, a WESTERN TANAGER was seen near the big pond. He was perched high in an Arbutus Tree giving all of us a great sighting.
Seventeen birders found the following thirty-nine species:
CANADA GOOSE, MUTE SWAN, WOOD DUCK, MALLARD, BUFFLEHEAD, CALIFORNIA QUAIL, TURKEY VULTURE, OSPREY, COOPER'S HAWK, GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL, BARRED OWL, RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD, DOWNY WOODPECKER, NORTHERN FLICKER, PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER, CASSIN'S VIREO, COMMON RAVEN, VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW, CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE, BUSHTIT, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET
HERMIT THRUSH, AMERICAN ROBIN, VARIED THRUSH, EUROPEAN STARLING, ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, YELLOW WARBLER, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER, CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER
TOWNSEND'S WARBLER, WESTERN TANAGER, SPOTTED TOWHEE, SONG SPARROW, DARK-EYED JUNCO, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD, PURPLE FINCH and
PINE SISKINS
A BULLOCK'S ORIOLE was seen at his usual summer location, near the old foundation at Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo.

Tuesday May 01:
A BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK was seen visiting feeders at Qualicum Village north and west of Qualicum Beach.
A WESTERN TANAGER was seen on Gabrolia Island.
A NORTHERN FLICKER was seen along Seablush Road in Nanoose Bay.
An AMERICAN DIPPER was seen at Colliery Dam Park in Nanaimo.

Monday April 30:
GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS and AMERICAN GOLDFINCH were seen in the 4300 block of Shell Beach Road in Ladysmith.
EVENING GROSBEAKS and AMERICAN GOLDFINCH were spotted in the 500 block of Spirting Road in Nanaimo.
Six EVENING GROSBEAKS were seen in the 800 block of Middlescot Road in Errington.

Sunday April 29:
Three LESSER YELLOWLEGS, CASSIN'S VIREO, CHIPPING SPARROWS, YELLOW-RUMPED, ORANGE-CROWNED, TOWNSEND'S and WILSON'S WARBLERS were seen on the Top Bridge Trail in Parksville.
AMERICAN GOLDFINCH were spotted in the 400 block of Millstone Avenue in Nanaimo.

For further information on these sightings or for help in identifying a
bird please call:The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store
@ (250) 390-3669
Toll Free @ 1-888-249-4145
e-mail: thebackyard@shaw.ca
***********************************
The Nanoose Naturalists
Monthly Meeting
Thursday, May 10, 2007 @ 7:00 pm
Nanoose Library,
Nanoose Bay
Speakers: Brian Kingzett, "Coastal Shellfish"
Marianne Wade, "Update: Fairwinds Critical Areas"
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Arrowsmith Naturalists
Monthly Meeting,
Monday, May 28, 2007@ 7:30 pm.
Springwood School
Parksville
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The Wednesday Bird Walk on May 9, 2007 will be going to Springwood Park (the woods at the end of Despard Avenue, across from Chestnut Street). We will meet at the east parking lot of The Parksville Civic and Technology Centre at Jensen Avenue and McCarter Street at 9:00 a.m. in Parksville or at the parking area near Despard Avenue (turn left off Highway 4A going into Parksville) and Chestnut Street.

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The Sunday Bird Walk on May 13, 2007 will be going to Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo, weather permitting--winds, torrential rains will deter us!
Meet at the Bird Store at 9:00 a.m. or at the parking area on Bowen Road side of Buttertubs Marsh at about 9: 20 am.

*****************************************
Good Birding!
Neil Robins
Nanaimo

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