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.

Sunday 10 February 2013

Nanaimo bird report, February 10, 2013


                                        White-winged Scoter: Ralph Hocken photo.

NANAIMO BIRD REPORT -----” GO BIRDING--EXPLORE NATURE”
To report your sightings phone the Store at 250-390-3669 or e-mail us at thebackyard@shaw.ca
Please remember, when reporting a sighting, to leave your name and phone number along with the date, the species and location of your sighting.
Sunday, February 10, 2013:
The Sunday bird walk went to Columbia Beach.  The morning was cloudy with calm winds.  We saw large numbers of Surf Scoters, White-winged Scoters and one Black Scoter  and Long-tailed Duck on the Strait of Georgia.  A large number of Pacific Loons were seen further offshore.
Ten birders saw and heard the following thirty-eight species:
Canada Geese, Brant, American Wigeon, Mallard, Harlequin Duck, 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, Horned Grebe,
Pelagic Cormorant, Bald Eagle, Black-bellied Plover, Black Turnstone,
Mew Gull, Thayer's Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Common Murre, Eurasian-collared Dove, Northern Flicker, Northwestern Crow, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, American Robin, European Starling, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, House Finch and Pine Siskin.

Saturday February 06:
A Northern Shrike was seen in a backyard along Meridian Way in Parksville.

Tuesday, February 05:
The Tuesday bird walk went to Deep Bay. The morning was cloudy with rain showers
and a strong wind off the Strait of Georgia. The highlights included seeing
Long-tailed Ducks in their usual spot just off shore at the point (we have decided to
call it the Long-tail Point). We saw and heard the Black Scoters singing through-out
the morning. Surf Scoters and White-winged Scoters were plenty-full on the water.
A Sharp-shinned Hawk was perched high up in a tree, giving us great views
Fourteen wet hardy birders saw and heard the following forty-five species:
Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Trumpeter Swan, American Wigeon, Mallard,
Greater Scaup, Lesser Scaup, Harlequin Duck, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter,
Black Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Barrow’s Goldeneye,
Red-breasted Merganser, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Horned Grebe,
Red-necked Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, Brandt’s Cormorant, Pelagic
Cormorant, Bald Eagle, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Black-bellied Plover, Black Turnstone,
Dunlin, Pigeon Guillemot, Mew Gull, Thayer's Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull,
Rock Pigeon, Eurasian-collared Dove, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven,
Steller’s Jay, American Robin, European Starling, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow,
White-crowned Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Purple Finch
and House Finch.

We are planning to go Port Alberni on Tuesday, February 19:
Monday, February 04:
 Two winter plumage American Goldfinch were spotted at Divers Lake in Nanaimo
Friday, February 01:
Three Cackling Geese were seen at the Morningstar Ponds at French Creek.

*****************************************************************TThursday, February 14:
Everyone is invited to attend the Nanoose Naturalists’ Thursday, February 14 meeting where we will hear a presentation “Alpine Plants of BC” by Andy MacKinnon (co-author of Native Plants of BC). Arrive before 7 pm to the Nanoose Library Hall.  Admission by donation. Call Margot @ 250-468-9167.
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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.
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The Tuesday bird walk will be going to Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville on Tuesday, February 12, 2013. We will meet at Parksville Community Park at the Lion’s Playground at 9:00, p.m. or at the main parking lot at Rathtrevor, at about 9:10 a.m.
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The Sunday Bird Walk on February 17, 2013, will be going to Nanoose Bay.  We will meet at the bird store at 9:00 a.m. or at the parking area  behind the church camp off highway 19 and Arlington Road at about 9:15 A.M.

A local birder has just returned from a vacation in the Baja and has recommended the following website for some fascinating birding..
www.bcsbirds.com   Enjoy!
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

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