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 3 April 2011

Nanaimo bird report, April 03, 2011


Orange-crowned Warbler: Ralph Hocken Photo.

NANAIMO BIRD REPORT

"GO BIRDING—EXPLORE NATURE"

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

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

Sunday April 03, 2011:
The Sunday bird walk went to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo. The morning was cloudy with strong winds. The highlights included several flocks of Bonaparte’s Gulls flying low over the water. A huge flock of Mew Gulls, Thayer's Gull, California Gulls and Glaucous-winged Gulls was perched near shore until a couple of Bald Eagles flew overhead. The Gulls all lifted from the water but returned shortly after. There were several Yellow-rumped Warblers in some Alder Trees and we spotted two Yellow-rumped Warblers feeding on the rocks near the shore. We heard an Orange-crowned Warbler singing along the trail—a first for the year.
Eighteen birders saw and heard the following fifty-three species of birds:
Canada Geese, Mallard, Double-crested Cormorant, Brandt's Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Bufflehead, Northern Pintail, Greater Scaup, Common Goldeneye, Harlequin Duck, Red-breasted Merganser, Common Merganser, Horned Grebe, Red-necked Grebe, Turkey Vulture, Bald Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk, Bonaparte’s Gull, Mew Gulls, Thayer's Gull, California Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Common Loon, Pigeon Guillemot, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Common Raven, Northwestern Crow, European Starling, American Robin, Varied Thrush, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Orange-crowned Warbler, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Anna’s Hummingbird, California Quail, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Brown Creeper, Bushtit, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Pacific Wren, Bewick's Wren, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, House Finch, Pine Siskin, Purple Finch, Red-winged Blackbird and Dark-eyed Junco.

Saturday April 02:
Six to eight Evening Grosbeaks are visiting feeders in a backyard in the Hospital area in Nanaimo.

Over thirty Evening Grosbeaks are visiting feeders in the Cinnabar area of south Nanaimo.

Thursday March 31:
Two Eurasian Doves were seen along Glenayr Drive in Nanaimo.

A Rufous Hummingbird of the season was spotted visiting feeders in Fanny Bay for the first time this year.

Wednesday March 30:
A Yellow-rumped Warbler was visiting a suet feeder in Pheasant Valley in Nanaimo.

Tuesday March 29:
The Tuesday bird walk went to the Englishman River Estuary on the Shelly Road side. The morning was cloudy with light winds. We heard a Red-breasted Sapsucker tapping on a tree near the parking area at the start of the walk but were not able to spot it. However, we did see it near the end of the walk as we neared the parking area when it flew and perched on a snag not far from us. The big highlight of the morning was the sighting of a Mountain Bluebird. We spotted the Bluebird perched in a short shrub in the meadows and watched it for about 30 minutes as it hawked insects and returned to it's perch. We also saw a Northern Shrike perched on a snag close to the R.V. Park behind the meadows. Two Yellow-rumped Warblers were seen--one flying over the Englishman River and another on the bushes along the bank of the river.

Fourteen birders saw and heard the following fifty-three species of birds:
Canada Goose, Bran, Eurasian Wigeon, American Wigeon, Mallard, Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Surf Scoter, Common Goldeneye, Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Red-throated Loon, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Pelagic Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Bald Eagle, Bonaparte's Gull, Mew Gull, California Gull, Thayer's Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Pigeon Guillemot, Rock Pigeon, Anna's Hummingbird, Belted Kingfisher, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Steller's Jay, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Pacific Wren, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Mountain Bluebird, American Robin, Varied Thrush, European Starling, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Brewer's Blackbird, Purple Finch and House Finch.

“Rare Bird Alert-Grey Catbird “
The Gray Catbird is still visiting Suet Feeders along Carlton Road in Nanaimo.

An Orange-crowned Warbler was spotted in a Plum Tree at Neck Point Park in Nanaimo.

Sunday March 27:
A Rufous Hummingbird is visiting feeders along the Nanaimo River Road in south Nanaimo.

Wednesday March 23:
Rufous Hummingbirds, Downy Woodpeckers and Northern Flickers are visiting feeders at Sea Otter Place in Nanoose Bay

Tuesday March 22:
A Rufous Hummingbird was spotted at a feeder on Turner Road in Parksville.

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Nanoose Field Naturalists Meeting .
Thursday, April 14, 7 pm in the Library on Northwest Bay Road.
Guest Speaker--Professor Tim Stokes (Chair of the Department of Earth Sciences VIU) will give a presentation on the Geology of Vancouver Island.
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Arrowsmith Naturalists Meeting
Monday April 25, 7.30 pm at Springwood School in 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.
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The Tuesday Bird Walk on April 05, 2011 will be going to the little Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum Beach.
We will meet at the Parksville Beach Community Park at the parking area in front of the Lions Playground at 9 A.M. or at the viewing platform near Garrett Road and Highway 19a at about 9:20 A.M.
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The Sunday Bird Walk, April 10, 2011 will be going to Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo. We will meet at the Backyard Store at 9:00A.M. or at the parking lot off Bowen Road at about 9:20A.M.
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Good birding
Neil Robins

THE BACKYARD
Wildbird & Nature Store
6314 Metral Drive, Nanaimo, BC V9T 2L8
250.390.36621
250.390.1633 fax
thebackyard@...
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG---> www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com

“LINKS"

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

Birding in Central and South America:
www.wildbirdtours.ca

Identify backyard birds:
National Geographic Bird Identifier Site
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birding/backyard-bird-identifier/

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/

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