Nanaimo bird report, October 27, 2013

NANAIMO BIRD REPORT
” EXPLORE NATURE-GO BIRDING”

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 27, 2013:

The Sunday bird walk went to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. The morning was sunny but cool with a wild wind blowing all morning. Six California Quail ran across the trail just in front of us. We saw American Widgeon, Mallard, Northern Pintail and Green-winged Teal were hankered down from the wind, feeding on the mud flats. A musical Bewick’s Wren’s singing caught our attention.
Eleven birders saw and heard the following twenty-seven species:

Canada Geese, American Widgeon, Gadwall, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Harlequin Duck, Red-breasted Merganser, Pacific Loon, Belted Kingfisher, Bald Eagle, Sharp-shinned Hawk,, Dunlin, California Quail,  Mew Gull, California Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull,  Northern Flicker, Common Raven, Northwestern Crow, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Bewick’s Wren, Varied Thrush,  European Starling, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow and Brewer’s Blackbird.

California Quail: Ralph Hocken Photo.

 

Friday, October 25:

A Barred Owl was seen in the trees above Garside Road at Brannon Lake in Nanaimo.      

   

Thursday, October 24:

Twenty-two American Pipits and a Western Meadowlark were seen at Piper’s Lagoon in Nanaimo.

 

Wednesday, October 23:

A Redhead Duck was spotted at Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo.

 

Tuesday, October 22:  

The Tuesday bird walk went to Columbia Beach. The morning was foggy and cool with calm winds. We managed to see a Bufflehead,

Three Common Mergansers and two Common Loons on the foggy Strait of Georgia. Two Anna’s Hummingbirds perched on shrub just off the road.  We had good views of a Savannah Sparrow and two Fox Sparrows as we walked along the road.  A juvenile Northern Shrike was perched on a top of a short tree along the waterfront giving us good looks. 

Eleven Birders saw and heard the following twenty-six species:

Canada Geese, American Widgeon, Mallard, Bufflehead, Common Merganser, Common Loon, Bald Eagle, Northern Shrike, Thayer's Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Belted Kingfisher, Eurasian Collared Dove, Northern Flicker, Northwestern Crow, Anna’s Hummingbird, Pacific Wren, Bewick's Wren, Spotted Towhee, Savannah Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, House Finch and House Sparrow.  

 

Anna’s Hummingbird: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

A White-throated Sparrow has been visiting a backyard along Hammond Bay Road in Nanaimo. 

Monday, October 21:

A Western Meadowlark, A Horned Lark, Lapland Longspur’s, American Pipit’s and several Lincoln’s Sparrows were seen at Piper’s Lagoon in Nanaimo.  

Song Sparrows, Mallards and a Varied Thrush were seen at the marsh area next to the parking lot at Neck Point in Nanaimo. 

Thursday, November 14:

The Nanoose Naturalists meeting will be held at 7 pm at the Nanoose Library Hall.

Guest speaker will be John Neville and he will talk about the Raptors of Canada.

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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 29 will be going to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. Meet at the Parksville Community Park at the parking lot near the Lions Club playground at 9:00 am or the Oceanside end of Shelly Road off Highway 19a at about 9:10 am.

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The Sunday Bird Walk on November 03 will be going to Nanaimo River Estuary in Nanaimo. Meet at the birdstore at 9:00 am or at the end of Raines Road in south Nanaimo at about 9:30am.
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British Columbia rare bird alert link--- http://www.bcbirdalert.blogspot.ca/  
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WildResearch link---http://www.wildresearch.ca/

 

Good birding

Neil Robins

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