Nanaimo bird report, November 03, 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, November 03, 2013:
The Sunday bird walk went to the Nanaimo River Estuary in south Nanaimo. The morning was sunny with a mild wind. We saw a Snow Goose feeding just off the river. Three Trumpeter Swans flew over us. We watched a Short-eared Owl hunt for prey just above the grass. A Northern Shrike was perched on a short bush and then went searching for prey. We saw four Northern Harriers throughout the morning. Several Western Meadowlarks gave us great views.
Eighteen birders saw and heard the following thirty-three species:

Trumpeter Swan, Snow Goose, Mallard, American Wigeon,  Mallard, Common Goldeneye, Northern Pintail, Green-wing Teal  Common Merganser,  Great Blue Heron, Black Turnstones,  Bald Eagle, Short-eared Owl, Cooper’s Hawk, Northern Harrier, Red-tailed Hawk, Northern Shrike, Thayer’s Gull,  Glaucous-winged Gull, Belted Kingfisher, Northern Flicker,  Northwestern Crow, Common Raven,  European Starling, Western Meadowlark,  American Robin, March Wren, Bewick’s Wren, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco and Purple Finch.

 

Short-eared Owl: Ralph Hocken Photo.

 

Friday, October 25:
A Northern Saw-whet Owl and a Great Horned Owl were spotted at the Vancouver Island University Woodlot in Nanaimo.   

 Monday, October 28:
An American Kestrel was seen along Northwest Bay Road in Nanoose Bay. 

Sunday, October 27:
A Northern Hawk Owl was seen at Moorecroft Regional Park in Nanoose Bay. 

A Hutton’s Vireo, a Varied Thrush, a Steller’s Jay and a Red-tailed Hawk were seen at Buttertubs West in Nanaimo.

Tuesday, October 29:   

The Tuesday bird walk went to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. The morning was sunny but cool with calm winds. We spotted a large flock of Chestnut-backed Chickadees feeding on a low conifer giving us great close views. Over one hundred Bonaparte's Gulls were bathing in the water with a large mixed flock of other gulls. Five Long-tailed Duck’s were diving and swimming just offshore. A raft of Bufflehead and one lone Common Goldeneye were floating on the Strait of Georgia. We spotted a Northern Shrike chasing prey and then heading back to it’s perch on a short bush. We spotted a Wilson’s Snipe feeding at the end of the little pond just off the trail.

 

Wilson’s Snipe: Ralph Hocken Photo.

 

Seventeen birders including visiting birders from Montana and Victoria saw and heard the following fifty species:

American Widgeon, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Harlequin Duck, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Hooded Merganser, Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Red-necked Grebe, Western Grebe, Wilson’s Snipe, Eurasian-collared Dove, Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Belted Kingfisher, Great Blue Heron, Bald Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk, Bonaparte's Gull, Mew Gull, California Gull, Thayer's Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Anna's Hummingbird, Northern Flicker, Northern Shrike, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Bewick's Wren, Pacific Wren, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Brown Creeper, American Robin, European Starling, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Purple Finch and House Finch

Bonaparte's Gull: Ralph Hocken Photo.

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 November 05 will be going to Deep Bay. Meet at the Parksville Community Park at the parking lot near the Lions Club playground at 9:00 am or the Deep Bay Marina parking lot at about 9:40 am.
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The Sunday Bird Walk on November 10 will be going to Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo. Meet at the birdstore at 9:00 am or at the parking lot at Buttertubs Marsh off Bowen Road at about 9:15 am.
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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/

Avian Images link----

http://www.Larges.ca

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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