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 here by 8am the day of the walk. Our first bird walks of the year are going out on Sunday February 4th and Tuesday February 6th. Locations will be posted to our next Bird Report.

Tuesday 27 April 2010

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, April 27, 2010


Sharp-shinned Hawk: Ralph Hocken Photo.


The Tuesday bird walk went to Lot Ten, along the Little Qualicum River in Qualicum Beach. The morning was cloudy with few rain showers but the wind was calm. We spotted a Merlin chasing a Bald Eagle off it's perch at our meeting place at Parksville Bay. At Lot Ten a Red-breasted Sapsucker flew into our view and landed on a tall snag. We heard several Pacific-slope Flycatchers, Cassin's Vireos and a Hutton's Vireo during the morning. We saw and heard Orange-crowned Warblers, a Yellow-rumped Warbler and Black-throated Gray Warblers gleaning insects high up in the Big Maple Trees. A Turkey Vulture and a Sharp-shinned Hawk circled high above us at the end of the walk.

Thirteen birders saw and heard the following thirty-six species of birds.
Canada Goose
Mallard
Common Merganser
Turkey Vulture
Bald Eagle
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Merlin
Band-tailed Pigeon
Rufous Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Pacific-slope Flycatcher
Cassin's Vireo
Hutton's Vireo
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Violet-green Swallow
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Winter Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
American Robin
Varied Thrush
European Starling
Orange-crowned Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Gray Warbler
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Purple Finch
American Goldfinch
Pine Siskin

Good birding!
Neil Robins
Parksville
British Columbia

Monday 26 April 2010

Rare Bird Alert--"Say's Phoebe"


Says Phoebe: John Purves Photo.



Hi birders,

John Purves and I went birding this afternoon and we spotted a Say's Phoebe, on a driftwood stump in from Mills Street on the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. We saw the Phoebe for about thirty minutes as it would hawk insects and return to its perch on one of several driftwood stumps. The stumps are not far from the RV Place in the meadow area of the estuary, in from Mills Street.

Good birding!
Neil Robins
Parksville
British Columbia

Sunday 25 April 2010

Nanaimo bird report, April 25, 2010


Chipping Sparrow: Ralph Hocken Photo.



NANAIMO BIRD REPORT

A Tribute for Dr. John Brighton
Nature Kiosk Unveiling

April 29, 2010

10 a.m.

Englishman River Estuary,

Parksville

Wildlife Viewing Tower

Shelley Road side.

With the support of the community, The Nature Trust of BC has created a

nature kiosk in memory of Dr. John Brighton. This kiosk is designed to

share John’s love of nature by providing information about one of his

favorite places on earth, a treasured property of The Nature Trust of BC

on the Englishman River Estuary.

For more information call The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store @

250-390-3669

******************************************************************************************
To report your sightings
phone the Store at 250-390-3669
e-mail us at thebackyard@shaw.ca
call the Bird Report at 250-390-3029

Also check the birdstore blog for the latest bird alerts and updates:
www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com

Post your sightings on this site:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bcbirdingvanisland/messages

Birds of British Columbia:
http://www.geog.ubc.ca/biodiversity/efauna/SpeciesChecklists.html

International Birdwatching Guides
http://www.guidedbirdwatching.com

Birdwatching contacts and information find a local birder to go birdwatching with:
http://www.birdingpal.org/

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

Sunday April 25, 2010:
The Sunday Bird Walk went to Bowen Park in Nanaimo.
The morning was partly cloudy and the wind was calm. A Barred Owl perched on a tree branch at about eye level and gave us great views. We saw both species of Hummingbirds--the Anna's and the Rufous-- through out the morning. Red-breasted Nuthatch were heard and seen as we walked through the forest. We heard several Orange-crowned Warblers singing. Three Turkey Vultures circled high overhead.
Fourteen birders saw and heard the following forty-two species:
Mallard, Turkey Vulture, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Merlin, Glaucous-winged Gull, Violet-green Swallow, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Anna's Hummingbird, Rufous Hummingbird, Hairy Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Northwestern Crow, Brown-headed Cowbird, Common Raven, Bewick's Wren, Winter Wren, Marsh Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Brown Creeper, Bushtit, Red-breasted Nuthatch, California Quail, American Robin, Varied Thrush, European Starling, Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Cassin's Vireo, Orange-crowned Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Townsend's Warbler, Spotted Towhee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Bushtit, Song Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Red Crossbill, House Finch, Pine Siskin and House Sparrow.

Saturday April 24:
Two Townsend's Solitaires were seen eating holly berries for the last three days, in a yard along the 5200 block of Gainsburg Road in Deep Bay.

Friday April 23:
The Common Teal is still on the mudflats along with two Western Sandpipers along the Englishman River Estuary, Plummer Road side in Parksville.

Two California Quail, a Savannah Sparrow, a Varied Thrush, twelve American Goldfinch, Brewers Blackbirds, European Starlings, four Band-tailed Pigeons, a Pileated Woodpecker and a Northern Flicker are visiting feeders in a backyard along Meridian Way in Parksville.


Wednesday April 21:
Two Barred Owls were seen in the forest behind the area where a lot was being logged near the corner of Turner Road and Martindale Road close to the Englishman River in Parksville. There were two Yellow-rumped Warblers, a Ruby-crowned Kinglet, several American Robins and a Spotted Towhee on the brush piles on the lot and a Varied Thrush was heard calling from the underbrush.

An Evening Grosbeak, White-crowned and Golden-crowned Sparrows were seen in a yard in the 5200 block of Gainsburg Road in Deep Bay.


Tuesday April 20:
An Osprey was spotted over Highway 19.

One hundred and forty Brant Geese, eighty Surf Scoters, one Lesser Scaup, American Widgeons, one Eurasian Widgeon, several Mallard ducks, Green-winged Teal, four Black Oystercatchers, three immature Bald Eagles, one adult Bald Eagle, and one Savannah Sparrow were seen on the Englishman River Estuary, Plummer Road side.

A Mourning Dove, a Hermit Thrush , a Myrtle Yellow-rumped Warbler and a Common Yellowthroat were seen at French Creek.

Four Eurasian Collared-Doves and twenty Band-tailed Pigeons were visiting feeders along Dunsmuir Crescent in Ladysmith.

The Tuesday bird walk went to the Top Bridge Trail in Parksville. The morning was overcast, the winds were calm and dispute a couple of light showers it was a pleasant morning of birding.
We saw and heard our first Chipping Sparrow of the season feeding down on the ground with two American Robins. There was a mixed flock of Yellow-rumped Warblers, Black-throated Gray Warblers and Townsend's Warblers singing and feeding on the insects high up in some tall Big Leaf Maple Trees. We saw and heard Orange-crowned Warblers and Rufous Hummingbirds throughout the morning. A Turkey Vulture was perched at the top of a tall snag.
Eleven birders saw and head the following thirty-nine species of birds:
Canada Goose, Great Blue Heron, Turkey Vulture, Bald Eagle, Merlin, Glaucous-winged Gull, Band-tailed Pigeon, Rufous Hummingbird, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Steller's Jay, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Violet-green Swallow, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Bewick's Wren, Winter Wren, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, American Robin, Varied Thrush, European Starling, Orange-crowned Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler,
Black-throated Gray Warbler, Townsend's Warbler, Spotted Towhee, Chipping Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Purple Finch, Red Crossbill, Pine Siskin and American Goldfinch.

Monday April 19:
A Wilson's Snipe, a Ring-necked Pheasant and a Great Horned Owl were seen along the Cottonwoods Golf Course in south Nanaimo.

Saturday April 17:
A Downy Woodpecker was seen excavating a cavity along Lancashire 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
**********************************
Arrowsmith Naturalists
Guest speaker: Karen Barry of Bird Studies Canada will present information about several of the current surveys in which volunteers can participate.
Monday April 26, 2010 @ 7:30 pm.
Springwood School
Parksville
**********************************
The Nanoose Naturalists
Thursday May 13, 2010 @ 7:00 pm
Nanoose Library,
Nanoose Bay
**********************************
Everyone is welcome to join us for a 2-3 hour bird walk on the Sunday and Tuesday mornings. We leave from the Store at 9 A.M. Sunday Mornings and go to a different location in and around Nanaimo and from the Parksville Beach.Community Park at 9 A.M. on Tuesdays and go to different areas in and around the Oceanside area.
**************************************************************
The Tuesday Bird Walk on April 20, 2010 will be going to the Lot Ten in Qualicum Beach.
We meet the Parksville Beach Community Park at the parking area near the Lions playground at 9 A.M. or at the end of Kinkaide Road (the forest side of highway 19a) about 9:20 A.M.
*****************************************************
The Sunday Bird Walk on April 25, 2010 will be going to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville.
We meet at The Backyard Bird Store at 9:00 A.M. or at the corner of Plummer Road and Shorewood Drive at about 9:30 A.M.
*******************************************************
Good birding
Neil Robins

THE BACKYARD
Wildbird & Nature Store
6314 Metral Drive, Nanaimo, BC V9T 2L8
250.390.3669
250.390.1633 fax
thebackyard@shaw.ca
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG---> www.thebirdstore.blogspot

Tuesday 20 April 2010

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, April 20, 2010


Black-throated Gray Warbler: Ralph Hocken Photo.

The Tuesday bird walk went to the Top Bridge Trail in Parksville. The morning was overcast, the winds were calm and dispute a couple of light showers it was a pleasant morning of birding.
We saw and heard our first Chipping Sparrow of the season feeding down on the ground with two American Robins. There was a mixed flock of Yellow-rumped Warblers, Black-throated Gray Warblers and Townsend's Warblers singing and feeding on the insects high up in some tall Big Leaf Maple Trees. We saw and heard Orange-crowned Warblers and Rufous Hummingbirds throughout the morning. A Turkey Vulture was perched at the top of a tall snag.

Eleven birders saw and head the following thirty-nine species of birds:
Canada Goose
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
Bald Eagle
Merlin
Glaucous-winged Gull
Band-tailed Pigeon
Rufous Hummingbird
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Steller's Jay
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Violet-green Swallow
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Bewick's Wren
Winter Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
American Robin
Varied Thrush
European Starling
Orange-crowned Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Gray Warbler
Townsend's Warbler
Spotted Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Purple Finch
Red Crossbill
Pine Siskin
American Goldfinch

Good birding!
Neil Robins
Parksville
British Columbia

Sunday 18 April 2010

Nanaimo bird report, April 18, 2010


Red Crossbill: Ralph Hocken Photo.

NANAIMO BIRD REPORT

To report your sightings
phone the Store at 250-390-3669
e-mail us at thebackyard@shaw.ca
call the Bird Report at 250-390-3029

Also check the birdstore blog for the latest bird alerts and updates:
www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com

Post your sightings on this site:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bcbirdingvanisland/messages

Birds of British Columbia:
http://www.geog.ubc.ca/biodiversity/efauna/SpeciesChecklists.html

International Birdwatching Guides
http://www.guidedbirdwatching.com

Birdwatching contacts and information find a local birder to go birdwatching with:
http://www.birdingpal.org/

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

Sunday April 18, 2010:
The Sunday Bird Walk went to Legacy Marsh in Upper Lantzville.
The morning was cloudy with calm winds--a very pleasant morning for birdwatching. We heard a Hammond's Flycatcher and Common Yellowthroats singing near the start of the walk. There were Orange-crowned Warblers, Black-throated Grey Warblers, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Townsend's Warblers through out the morning. We saw and heard a Cassin's Vireo singing in an Arbutus Tree.
Fourteen birders saw and heard the following fifty species:
Mallard, Ringed-neck Duck, Wood Duck, Hooded Merganser, Great Blue Heron, Turkey Vulture, Bald Eagle, Cooper's Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Band-tailed Pigeon, Violet-green Swallow, Belted Kingfisher, Rufous Hummingbird, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Bewick's Wren, Winter Wren, Marsh Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Golden-crowned Kinglet, American Robin, Varied Thrush, European Starling, Hammond's Flycatcher, Cassin's Vireo, Orange-crowned Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Black-throated Grey Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Townsend's Warbler, Spotted Towhee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Bushtit, Brown Creeper, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Song Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Red Crossbill, American Goldfinch, House Finch, Red-winged Blackbird, Purple Finch and Pine Siskin.

Saturday April 17:
Six Purple Martin, one Cliff Swallow, one Northern Harrier and one Northern Shrike were seen at the Nanaimo River Estuary in south Nanaimo.

A Cinnamon Teal was spotted at Quennel lake in Cedar.

Friday April 16:
A Townsend's Solitaire was seen at Neck Point Park in Nanaimo.

One male Orange-crowned Warbler was spotted eating insects from a small shrub in the 2500 block of Glenayr Drive in Nanaimo.

Wednesday April 14:
Two Caspian Terns, one Yellow-billed Loon, one Common Murre and lots of Bonaparte's Gulls were seen at Columbia Beach.

Two Mountain Bluebirds were seen near the new walkway at Neck Point Park in Nanaimo.

Tuesday April 13:
A Vesper Sparrow was seen at the south end of the Nanaimo Airport near the gravel road and the truck parking area.

The Tuesday bird walk went to Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville.
The morning was mostly cloudy with a strong wind off the Strait of Georgia.
The tide was low and Brant Geese lined most of the shoreline in single file. A Pigeon Guillemot, a Marbled Murrelet and two Cassin's Auklet flew low over the water heading up the straight of Georgia. Many flocks of about forty Bonaparte's Gulls in each flock flew up the Strait. Rafts of Surf Scoters, White-winged Scoters, Black Scoters, Long-tailed Ducks, Greater Scaup, a Red-throated Loon, a Common Loon, Barrow's and Common Goldeneye were just offshore. Further offshore was a large raft of Pacific Loons with three Western Grebes in front of it. We heard a Common Yellowthroat and saw and heard a Orange-crowned Warbler singing from the top of a Alder Bush near the marsh. Near the end of the walk we heard and saw a Ruby-crowned Kinglet sing his deep and very rich courtship song.

Nine birders saw and heard the following fifty-two species of birds:
Brant, American Wigeon, Mallard, Greater Scaup, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Black Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Bufflehead, Barrows Goldeneye, Common Goldeneye, Red-breasted Merganser, Red-throated Loon, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Horned Grebe, Red-necked Grebe, Western Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Bald Eagle, Merlin, Black Oystercatcher, Dunlin,
Bonaparte's Gull, Mew Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Pigeon Guillemot, Marbled Murrelet, Cassin's Auklet, Rufous Hummingbird, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Hutton's Vireo, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Bushtit, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Winter Wren,
Golden-crowned Kinglet, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, American Robin, Varied Thrush,
European Starling, Orange-crowned Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Red Crossbill and Pine Siskin.

Monday April 12:
Two Red-breasted Nuthatch are nesting in a snag right off a sundeck along Szasz 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
**********************************
Arrowsmith Naturalists
Guest speaker: Karen Barry of Bird Studies Canada will present information about several of the current surveys in which volunteers can participate.
Monday April 26, 2010 @ 7:30 pm.
Springwood School
Parksville
**********************************
The Nanoose Naturalists
Thursday May 13, 2010 @ 7:00 pm
Nanoose Library,
Nanoose Bay
**********************************
Everyone is welcome to join us for a 2-3 hour bird walk on the Sunday and Tuesday mornings. We leave from the Store at 9 A.M. Sunday Mornings and go to a different location in and around Nanaimo and from the Parksville Beach.Community Park at 9 A.M. on Tuesdays and go to different areas in and around the Oceanside area.
**************************************************************
The Tuesday Bird Walk on April 20, 2010 will be going to the Top Bridge Trail in Parksville.
We meet the Parksville Beach Community Park at the parking area near the Lions
playground at 9 A.M. or at the parking area off Industrial Way near Tuan Road at about 9:15 A.M.
*****************************************************
The Sunday Bird Walk on April 25, 2010 will be going to Bowen Park in Nanaimo.
We meet at The Backyard Bird Store at 9:00 A.M. or at the main parking area at Bowen Park off Bowen Road at about 9:20 A.M.
*******************************************************
Good birding
Neil Robins

THE BACKYARD
Wildbird & Nature Store
6314 Metral Drive, Nanaimo, BC V9T 2L8
250.390.3669
250.390.1633 fax
thebackyard@shaw.ca
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG---> www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com

Thursday 15 April 2010

Caspian Terns


Caspian Terns: Ralph Hocken Photo.


Two Caspian Terns, one Yellow-billed Loon, one Common Murre and lots of Bonaparte's Gulls were seen at Columbia Beach on April 14, 2010.

Tuesday 13 April 2010

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, April 13, 2010


Long-tailed Ducks and Surf Scoters in flight: Ralph Hocken Photo.


The Tuesday bird walk went to Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville. The morning was mostly cloudy with a strong wind off the Strait of Georgia.
The tide was low and Brant Geese lined most of the shoreline in single file. A Pigeon Guillemot, a Marbled Murrelet and two Cassin's Auklet flew low over the water heading up the
Straight of Georgia. Several flocks of about forty Bonaparte's Gulls flew up the Strait just along the shoreline. Rafts of Surf Scoters, White-winged Scoters, Black Scoters, Long-tailed Ducks, Greater Scaup, a Red-throated Loon, a Common Loon and Barrow's and Common Goldeneye were just offshore. There was a large raft of Pacific Loons and three Western Grebes further offshore.
We heard a Common Yellowthroat singing and saw and heard an Orange-crowned Warbler singing from the top of a Alder Bush near the marsh. Near the end of the walk we heard and saw a Ruby-crowned Kinglet sing his deep and very rich courtship song.

Nine birders saw and heard the following fifty-one species of birds:
Brant
American Wigeon
Mallard
Greater Scaup
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Bufflehead
Barrows Goldeneye
Common Goldeneye
Red-breasted Merganser
Red-throated Loon
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Western Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Bald Eagle
Black Oystercatcher
Dunlin
Bonaparte's Gull
Mew Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Pigeon Guillemot
Marbled Murrelet
Cassin's Auklet
Rufous Hummingbird
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Hutton's Vireo
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Bushtit
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Winter Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
American Robin
Varied Thrush
European Starling
Orange-crowned Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Red Crossbill
Pine Siskin

Good birding!
Neil Robins
Parksville
British Columbia

Sunday 11 April 2010

Nanaimo bird report, April 11, 2010


Yellow-rumped Warbler; Ralph Hocken Photo.

NANAIMO BIRD REPORT

To report your sightings
phone the Store at 250-390-3669
e-mail us at thebackyard@shaw.ca
call the Bird Report at 250-390-3029

Also check the birdstore blog for the latest bird alerts and updates:
www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com

Post your sightings on this site:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bcbirdingvanisland/messages

Birds of British Columbia:
http://www.geog.ubc.ca/biodiversity/efauna/SpeciesChecklists.html

International Birdwatching Guides
http://www.guidedbirdwatching.com

Birdwatching contacts and information find a local birder to go birdwatching
with:
http://www.birdingpal.org/

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

Sunday April 11, 2010:
The Sunday Bird Walk went to the Morrell Nature Sanctuary in Nanaimo. We
saw and heard both Orange-crowned and Yellow-rumped Warblers near the
beginning of the walk. We saw three different pairs of Brown Creepers
building nests behind the bark in trees. We head a Hutton's Vireo singing
near the Beaver Ponds.
Twenty-three birders saw and heard the following thirty-two species: Canada
Goose, Mallard, Turkey Vulture, Cooper's Hawk, Rock Pigeon, Band-tailed
Pigeon, Anna's Hummingbird, Rufous Hummingbird, Northern Flicker, Pileated
Woodpecker, Steller's Jay, Common Raven, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Brown
Creeper, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Winter Wren, Golden-crowned Kinglet,
American Robin,Varied Thrush, European Starling, Hutton's Vireo,
Orange-crowned Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Spotted Towhee, Fox Sparrow,
Song Sparrow , White-crowned Sparrow, House Finch, Dark-eyed Junco, Purple
Finch, Red Crossbills, and Pine Siskin.

Saturday April 10:
Fifteen Western Grebes were seen offshore from Columbia Beach.

Thirty Trumpeter Swans were seen circling several times then heading
northwest over Departure Bay in Nanaimo.

Four Mountain Bluebirds and one American Kestrel were seen at the Nanaimo
River Estuary in south Nanaimo.

Eight American Pipits were seen at the Holden Creek side of the Nanaimo
River Estuary.


A Steller's Jay was seen visiting feeders along Douglas Avenue in the
Harewood area of Nanaimo.

Eight California Quail are visiting feeders in the 2500 block of Glenayr
Drive in Nanaimo.

Friday April 09:
An Osprey and a Northern Harrier were seen over the Nanaimo River Estuary in
south Nanaimo.

Tuesday April 06:
The Tuesday bird walk went to Springwood Park in Parksville. The morning
was cloudy but pleasant, with calm winds. The highlights included hearing
as well as seeing an Orange-crowned Warbler and a Yellow-rumped Warbler in
the same area of the park. A Cooper's Hawk gave us good looks as it glided
in a large circle above us. There were several Bald Eagles perched in the
tall snags and Turkey Vultures and Bald Eagles circled in the sky above us
. We saw a Pileated Woodpecker feeding on bugs in a tall snag. Through out
the morning we saw several Brown Creepers moving up the fir trees along the
trails.
Fifteen birders saw and heard the following thirty-three species of birds.
Canada Goose, Ring-necked Pheasant, Turkey Vulture, Bald Eagle, Cooper's
Hawk, Glaucous-winged Gull, Rufous Hummingbird, Northern Flicker, Pileated
Woodpecker, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven,
Violet-green Swallow, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Bushtit, Red-breasted
Nuthatch, Brown Creeper,
Bewick's Wren, Winter Wren, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Ruby-crowned Kinglet,
American Robin, Varied Thrush, European Starling, Orange-crowned Warbler,
Yellow-rumped Warbler, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow,
Dark-eyed Junco, Purple Finch, House Finch, Red Crossbill and
Pine Siskin.

Tuesday April 06:
A pair of Downy Woodpeckers, American Goldfinch, Pine Siskins, White-crowned
Sparrows and Dark-eyed Juncos are visiting feeders along Beaconsfield Road
in Nanaimo.

Eight Great Blue Herons were seen flying over Beaconsfield Road in Nanaimo.

April 05:
A Varied Thrush was seen on the garden fence along Meridian Way in
Parksville.

A Sharp-shinned Hawk was seen chasing an American Robin at a backyard in the
2100 block of Lancashire Avenue in Nanaimo. There were also six Varied
Thrush, Bushtits, Dark-eyed Juncos, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Pine
Siskin, House Finch, Anna's Hummingbird and Bewick's Wrens in the same
backyard.

Sunday April 04:
A male Mountain Bluebird was spotted perched on one of the fence posts at
the south end of the Nanaimo Airport in south Nanaimo.

A mostly albino American Robin was seen at the cross of Cypress Street and
St. Andrews Street near the railway track in Nanaimo.

The Mountain Bluebird was seen again on the estuary at the Nanaimo River
Estuary in south Nanaimo.

Saturday April 03:
A Mountain Bluebird, two Yellow-rumped Warblers, Three Red Crossbills, A
male Northern Harrier and a Short-eared Owl was being mobbed by two Crows at
the Nanaimo River Estuary in south Nanaimo.

Two Pileated Woodpeckers were seen along Sea Otter Place in Nanoose Bay.

A Steller's Jay and an Orange-Crowned Warbler were seen from a backyard on
Colbourne Street in Nanaimo.

A Canada Goose, Mallard, Bufflehead, Turkey Vulture, Cooper's Hawk, Virginia
Rail, Anna’s Hummingbird, Rufous Hummingbird, Belted Kingfisher, Downy
Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Tree Swallow,
Violet-green Swallow, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Winter Wren, Marsh Wren,
American Robin, Varied Thrush, Bushtit, Chestnut-backed Chickadee,
Red-breasted Nuthatch, Steller's Jay, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven,
European Starling, Cassin's Vireo, Purple Finch, House Finch, Red Crossbill,
Pine Siskin, Orange-crowned Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Spotted Towhee,
Song Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Red-winged Blackbird were seen and heard at
Legacy Marsh in upper Lantzville.

Orange-Crowned Warblers were seen drinking at the hummingbird feeders for
the past week along Cross Road in Nanoose Bay along with many female Rufous
Hummingbirds.

Thursday April 01:
A Sooty Grouse was seen along the Westfield Range above Westwood Lake in
Nanaimo.

Five Greater Yellowlegs were seen catching small "bullheads" (sculpins) in
tide pools at low tide at the creek mouth in the northwest corner of Nanoose
Bay, off Rowland Road.

One female Ring-necked Pheasant was seen crossing Wall Beach Road at
Northwest Bay in Nanoose Bay.

Wednesday March 31:
A Mountain Bluebird was seen again today at the Nanaimo River Estuary, in
south Nanaimo..

Monday March 29:
A White-throated Sparrow was seen in the 100 block of Green Lane Crescent 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
**********************************
Arrowsmith Naturalists
Guest speaker: Karen Barry of Bird Studies Canada will present information
about several of the current surveys in which volunteers can participate.
Monday April 26, 2010 @ 7:30 pm.
Springwood School
Parksville
**********************************
The Nanoose Naturalists
Thursday May 13, 2010 @ 7:00 pm
Nanoose Library,
Nanoose Bay
**********************************
Everyone is welcome to join us for a 2-3 hour bird walk on the Sunday and
Tuesday mornings. We leave from the Store at 9 A.M. Sunday Mornings and go
to a different location in and around Nanaimo and from the Parksville
Beach.Community Park at 9 A.M. on Tuesdays and go to different areas in and
around the Oceanside area.
**************************************************************
The Tuesday Bird Walk on April 13, 2010 will be going to Rathtrevor
Provincial Park in Parksville.
We meet the Parksville Beach Community Park at the parking area near the
Lions playground at 9 A.M. or at the main parking area at Rathtrevor at
about 9:15 A.M. Please note there are parking fees at the park.
*****************************************************
The Sunday Bird Walk on April 18, 2010 will be going to Legacy Marsh in
Upper Lantzville.
We meet at The Backyard Bird Store at 9:00 A.M. or under the hydro lines
along Normarel Drive off Superior Road at about 9:15 A.M.

*******************************************************
Good birding
Neil Robins

THE BACKYARD
Wildbird & Nature Store
6314 Metral Drive, Nanaimo, BC V9T 2L8
250.390.3669
250.390.1633 fax
thebackyard@shaw.ca
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG---> www.thebirdstore.blogspot

Tuesday 6 April 2010

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, April 06, 2010


Yellow-rumped Warbler: Ralph Hocken Photo


The Tuesday bird walk went to Springwood Park in Parksville. The morning was cloudy but pleasant, with calm winds. The highlights included hearing as well as seeing an Orange-crowned Warbler and a Yellow-rumped Warbler in the same area of the park. A Cooper's Hawk gave us good looks as it glided in a large circle above us. There were several Bald Eagles perched in the tall snags and Turkey Vultures and Bald Eagles circled in the sky above us . We saw a Pileated Woodpecker feeding on bugs in a tall snag. Through out the morning we saw several Brown Creepers moving up the fir trees along the trails.

Fifteen birders saw and heard the following thirty-three species of birds.
Canada Goose
Ring-necked Pheasant
Turkey Vulture
Bald Eagle
Cooper's Hawk
Glaucous-winged Gull
Rufous Hummingbird
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Violet-green Swallow
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Bushtit
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Bewick's Wren
Winter Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
American Robin
Varied Thrush
European Starling
Orange-crowned Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Purple Finch
House Finch
Red Crossbill
Pine Siskin

Good birding
Neil Robins
Parksville
British Columbia

Saturday 3 April 2010

Nanaimo Bird Report, April 03, 2010


Snow Goose: Ralph Hocken Photo.

NANAIMO BIRD REPORT

To report your sightings
phone the Store at 250-390-3669
e-mail us at thebackyard@shaw.ca
call the Bird Report at 250-390-3029

Also check the birdstore blog for the latest bird alerts and updates:
www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com

Post your sightings on this site:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bcbirdingvanisland/messages

Birds of British Columbia:
http://www.geog.ubc.ca/biodiversity/efauna/SpeciesChecklists.html

International Birdwatching Guides
http://www.guidedbirdwatching.com

Birdwatching contacts and information find a local birder to go birdwatching
with:
http://www.birdingpal.org/

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

Saturday April 03, 2010:
Three Band-tailed Pigeons were seen visiting feeders along Meridian Way in
Parksville.

Thursday April 01:
A Mountain Bluebird was seen again today on a small tree near the middle of
the Nanaimo River Estuary by the row of old fence posts that run toward the
sawmill at Duke Point.

Male and female American Goldfinch, California Quail, Chestnut-backed
Chickadees, White-crowned Sparrows, Northern Flickers and male and female
Rufous Hummingbirds are visiting feeders in the 2500 block of Lyburn
Crescent in Nanaimo.

Wednesday March 31:
A Mountain Bluebird was seen today at the Nanaimo River Estuary, in south
Nanaimo.

Tuesday March 30:
A female Rufous Hummingbird was spotted a feeders in the 4100 block of
Gulfview Drive in Nanaimo.

Fifteen Black Turnstones were seen at Neck Point in Nanaimo.

The Tuesday bird walk went to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman
Estuary in Parksville. The morning was cloudy but the wind was calm. The big
highlight of the morning was the sighting of a Eurasian Teal (also known as
a Common Teal) in with Green-winged Teal in the San Pariel mud flats off
Mariner Way. The Eurasian Teal is a Northern European duck that winters in
Britain, Holland and France. It is a regular visitor to Western Alaska and
is a rare, but regular visitor along the Pacific Coast.
Other highlights included seen a Merlin being chased by one feisty Rufous
Hummingbird at the start of the walk. We saw a Snow Goose and a Greater
White-fronted Goose in with the Canada Geese from the viewing platform.
Offshore from Mariner Way there was a mixed flock of an estimated
fifty-thousand seabirds including Brant Geese, Greater Scaup, Lesser Scaup,
Surf Scoters, White-winged Scoters, Black Scoters, Long-tailed Ducks,
Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Barrow's Goldeneye, Common Mergansers,
Red-breasted Mergansers, Pacific Loon, Common Loon and Pelagic Cormorants.
Eight birders saw and heard the following fifty-eight species of birds:
Greater White-fronted Goose, Snow Goose, Canada Goose, Brant, Trumpeter
Swan, Eurasian Wigeon, American Wigeon, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Eurasian
Teal, Green-winged Teal, Greater Scaup, Lesser Scaup, Surf Scoter,
White-winged Scoter, Black Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Bufflehead, Common
Goldeneye, Barrow's Goldeneye, Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser,
Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Pelagic Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Bald Eagle,
Merlin, Black-bellied Plover, Dunlin, Bonaparte's Gull, Mew Gull, California
Gull, Thayer's Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Pigeon Guillemot, Rufous
Hummingbird, Ringed-necked Pheasant, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker,
Northern Shrike, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Chestnut-backed Chickadee,
Red-breasted Nuthatch, American Robin, Varied Thrush, Yellow-rumped Warbler,
Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow,
Dark-eyed Junco,
Red-winged Blackbird, Purple Finch, House Finch, Red Crossbill and Pine
Siskin.

Thursday March 25:
A female Common Yellowthroat was seen bouncing round the bushes near the
feeders along 2000 Sanders Drive in Nanoose Bay. This is early in the
season to have a sighting of a Common Yellowthroat.

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
Guest Speaker: Bill Turner--"The role of The Land Conservancy".
Thursday April 08, 2010 @ 7:00 pm
Nanoose Library,
Nanoose Bay
**********************************
Arrowsmith Naturalists
Monday April 26, 2010 @ 7:30 pm.
Springwood School
Parksville
**********************************
Everyone is welcome to join us for a 2-3 hour bird walk on the Sunday and
Tuesday mornings. We leave from the Store at 9 A.M. Sunday Mornings and go
to a different location in and around Nanaimo and from the Parksville
Beach.Community Park at 9 A.M. on Tuesdays and go to different areas in and
around the Oceanside area.
**************************************************************
The Tuesday Bird Walk on April 05, 2010 will be going to Springwood Park in
Parksville.
We meet the Parksville Beach Community Park at the parking area near the
Lions
playground at 9 A.M. or at the west end of Despard Avenue at about 9:15 A.M.
*****************************************************
There will be no Sunday Bird Walk on Easter Sunday, April 04, 2010.

The Sunday Bird Walk on April 11, 2010 will be going to the Morrell
Wildlife Sanctuary in Nanaimo.
We meet at The Backyard Bird Store at 9:00 A.M. or at parking lot near the
entrance to Morrell off the Nanaimo Lakes Road at about 9:20A.M.
*******************************************************
Good birding
Neil Robins

THE BACKYARD
Wildbird & Nature Store
6314 Metral Drive, Nanaimo, BC V9T 2L8
250.390.3669
250.390.1633 fax
thebackyard@shaw.ca
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG---> www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com