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.

Tuesday 14 February 2012

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk,February 14, 2012





















Black Scoter: Ralph Hocken.

The Tuesday bird walk went to the Little Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum Beach. The morning was sunny with cloudy periods and the wind was calm. The highlights at the viewing platform included seeing eight Black Oystercatchers, four Black-bellied Plovers, one Black Turnstone and a Dunlin fly to the shore just in front of us. We saw Common Murre, Pacific Loons, Common Loons, Horned Grebes Red-necked Grebes and a Western Grebe further offshore. We saw and heard many Black Scoters at the estuary as we walked to the River. One hundred and forty Trumpeter Swans along with Mallards, Northern Pintail and Greater Scaup lifted off the water at the mouth of the Little Qualicum River, giving us a spectacular display.
Eighteen birders saw and heard the following forty-nine species:
Canada Goose
Brant
Trumpeter Swan
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Greater Scaup
Lesser Scaup
Harlequin Duck
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Western Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Black-bellied Plover
Black Oystercatcher
Black Turnstone
Dunlin
Mew Gull
California Gull
Herring Gull
Thayer's Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Common Murre
Belted Kingfisher
Northern Flicker
Northwestern Crow
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
American Robin
European Starling
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Red-winged Blackbird
Purple Finch
House Finch
House Sparrow

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TUESDAY BIRD WALK, FEBRUARY 21, 2012
We will meet at Parksville Bay at the Lion's Playground parking area at 8:00 a.m. and drive up to Port Alberni.
Sandy will meet us at Tim Horton's in Port Alberni at 9:00 a.m.

We plan to go to the Harbour Quay to scan the Alberni inlet for birds and then onto the Somass Estuary for the bird walk. This will be a new birding spot for us---very exciting!

If you would like, we could all go for lunch in Port Alberni before heading home.


Cheers
Neil
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