Nanaimo bird report, September 02, 2012

Juvenile American Robin: 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 September 02, 2012:

The Sunday bird walk went to Bowen Park in Nanaimo. The morning was mostly sunny but with the coolness of fall in the air. The highlights included seeing a large flock of American Robins with a large number of young speckled Robins.  We heard and saw a large number of Red-breasted Nuthatch throughout the morning.

Eleven birders saw and heard the following twenty- species:

Mallard,  Turkey Vulture, Osprey, Belted Kingfisher,  Anna’s Hummingbird,  Belted Kingfisher, Hairy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker  Northwestern Crow,  Common Raven,  Chestnut-backed Chickadee,  Red-breasted Nuthatch,  Brown Creeper, Bewick's Wren,  Dark-eyed Junco,  American Robin,  Spotted Towhee, American Goldfinch and Pine Siskin.

Saturday, September 01:

One lone Brant Goose along with twenty-four Bonaparte’s Gulls and over twenty Black-bellied Plovers were seen at Columbia Beach. 

Thursday, August 30:

A Steller’s Jay was seen feeding below feeders in the 400 block of Homestead Way in Ladysmith. 

Wednesday, August 29:

Fifteen Black Swifts were seen catching insects above a  house in the 500 block of Louise Road in Ladysmith. 

Saturday August 25:

”Rare bird alert-Sooty Shearwater” 

The birdstore received the following report of a Sooty Shearwater seen in the Nanaimo harbour.  Sooty Shearwaters are normally seen on the open ocean off the Westcoast.

This is the report that we received from the observer:

“Sat., Aug. 25th, around 3pm, we watched a lone seabird for about 10 minutes, bathing itself and extending its expansive wings with each bathing exercise, in the Nanaimo Harbour front marina between Cameron Island and the the Harbour front walkway - quite close to the Cameron Island walkway.  We never saw its' feet but its' bill was definitely grey.  There were 4 of us and upon coming home and studying the Coastal British Columbia bird book, we all agreed without hesitation it was a Sooty Shearwater. It put on quite the performance for some time with its' bathing and grooming.  “ 

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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 will resume on September 04, 2012 and we will be  going to the Plummer Road of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville.
We will meet at Parksville Community Park at the parking lot near the Lions Playground at 9:00 A.M. or at the corner of Plummer Road and Shorewood Drive at about 9:10 am.
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The Sunday Bird Walk on Sunday September 09, 2012 will be going to Moorecroft Regional Park in Nanoose Bay. We will meet at the bird store at 9:00 a.m. or the parking are at Moorecroft  Regional Park, off Stewart Road in Nanoose Bay, at about 9:25 A.M.
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Good birding
Neil Robins

THE BACKYARD WILDBIRD & NATURE STORE
6314 Metral Drive
Nanaimo B.C.
V9T-2L8
Phone: 250-390-3669
Fax: 250-390-1633
Email: thebackyard@shaw.ca
Blog: www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com

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””Nature by the Salish Sea"

 

"Nature By The Salish Sea" is the title of BC Nature's Fall General Meeting which will be held at the Quality Resort Bayside from Sept 27th -30th. The meeting, organized by Arrowsmith and Nanoose Naturalists, includes field trips, presentations, a banquet and a barbecue. For more information go to www.arrowsmithnats.org or phone 250-468-7475

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