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Sunday, 6 October 2013


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, October 6th , 2013:


The Sunday bird walk went to Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo.  The morning was sunny and warm with plenty of ducks on the marsh.

 



Fox Sparrow, Ralph Hocken photo

 

Highlights included a PIED-BILLED GREBE with young of the year, a late BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK and a PEREGRINE FALCON. Sixteen birders heard or saw the following 38 species. WOOD DUCK, GADWALL, MALLARD, AMERICAN WIGEON, HOODED MERGANSER, PIED-BILLED GREBE, AMERICAN COOT, GREAT-BLUE HERON, MERLIN, PEREGRINE FALCON, VIRGINIA RAIL, ROCK PIGEON, BAND-TAILED PIGEON, BELTED KINGFISHER, ANNA’S HUMMINGBIRD, NORTHERN FLICKER, COMMON RAVEN, CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, BEWICK’S WREN, MARSH WREN, AMERICAN ROBIN, VARIED THRUSH, EUROPEAN STARLING, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, SPOTTED TOWHEE, FOX SPARROW, SONG SPARROW, WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW, DARK-EYED JUNCO, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD, BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK, HOUSE FINCH, PURPLE FINCH and AMERICAN GOLDFINCH.

 

 

Wood Duck, G and R Murdock photo

 

 

At Buttertubs West marsh the following species were seen.  GREAT-BLUE HERON, RED-TAILED HAWK, BAND-TAILED PIGEON, ANNA’S HUMMINGBIRD, DOWNY WOODPECKER, PILEATED WOODPECKER, NORTHERN FLICKER, STELLER’S JAY, COMMON RAVEN, NORTHWESTERN CROW, CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE, BUSHTIT, BEWICK’S WREN, MARSH WREN, PACIFIC WREN, GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, CEDAR WAXWING, ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, SPOTTED TOWHEE, LINCOLN’S SPARROW, FOX SPARROW, SONG SPARROW, DARK-EYED JUNCO, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD.

 

 

 

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5TH ,  2013:

 

RBA: A possible RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER was seen in the Westdale/Norsea Roads area of north Nanaimo.

 

A late OSPREY was seen at the Nanaimo River Estuary along with Lapland Longspurs.

 

A lone EURASIAN WIGEON and LAPLAND LONGSPURS were at the Englishman river estuary in Parksville.

 

BLACK-SCOTERS were at Deep bay along with HORNED LARK and a lone TRUMPETER SWAN.

 

friday, OCTOBER 4TH ,  2013:

 

GREAT-HORNED OWL, BARRED OWL, AMERICAN ROBIN, SPOTTED TOWHEE, FOX SPARROW, SONG SPARROW, COMMON YELLOWTHREAT were seen or heard at Buttertubs West Marsh in Nanaimo

 

Two WILSON’S SNIPE and an AMERICAN KESTREL were at the north end of Quennel Lake in Cedar.

 

 Two WILSON’S SNIPE were at Robin’s Park in south Nanaimo.

 

A lone SNOW GOOSE was at Holden Creek at the Nanaimo River Estuary, in Cedar.

 

 

 

 

Thursday, October 3rd , 2013:

 

57 SNOW GEESE, 11 GREATER-WHITE FRONTED GEESE and 1 CACKLING GOOSE were seen flying over the Nanaimo River Estuary. Also at the Estuary was a MOURNING DOVE, LAPLAND LONGSPURS, and SAVANNAH SPARROWS.

 

RBA: FOK-TAILED STORM PETREL was seen just offshore from Neck Point Park in north Nanaimo along with RED-THROATED LOON and THAYER’S GULL.



Snow Goose, Ralph Hocken photo

 

 

wednesday, October 2nd , 2013:

 

38 GREATER-WHITE FRONTED GEESE were seen flying over the Nanaimo River Estuary in Cedar.

 

A late OSPREY was seen overhead the Brannen Lake Boat Launch in Nanaimo.

 

 

tuesday, October 1st , 2013:

 

 

A WESTERN MEADOWLARK was seen passing through a backyard on Icarus Drive in north Nanaimo.

 

The Tuesday bird walk went to Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville.  The morning started out sunny and warm but turned cloudy and windy near the end of the walk.  There was no rain, though!   We spotted a Varied Thrush on a bush near the parking lot.  There were many Horned Grebes, Red-necked Grebes, Pacific Loons and Common Loons on the water.  We also spotted one Red-throated Loon not far offshore. Several large flocks of American Widgeon flew up the Straight of Georgia.  Three large flocks of Bonaparte's Gulls flew down the Strait just above the water. Seventeen birders saw and heard the following forty-two species: Canada Goose, Mallard, American Widgeon, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Black Scoter, Common Mergansers, Red-throated Loon, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Horned Grebe, Red-necked Grebe,Western Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Common Murre, Great Blue Heron, Bald Eagle, Turkey Vulture, Bonaparte's Gull, Mew Gull, California Gull,Thayer’s Gull, Ring-billed Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Northern Flicker, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Bewick's Wren, Golden-crowned Kinglet, American Robin, Varied Thrush, European Starling, Spotted Towhee, White-crowned Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, House Finch, Purple Finch.

 

 

Monday, September 30th , 2013:

 

5 VARIED THRUSH were seen in a backyard on Forest Drive in Nanaimo.

 

 

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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 on October 8th will be going to the Englishman River Estuary Plummer Road Side. Meet at Parksville Community Park at the Lions Playground parking lot at 9:00 am or at the corner of Plummer Road and Shorewood Drive at about 9:10 am.
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The location of the Sunday bird walk is still being decided.  Please contact the store via email or phone at 250-390-3669 or thebackyard@shaw.ca or check the blog at www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com for updates.
 
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Good birding,
Ryan Cathers

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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