Nanaimo bird report, december 22, 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, December 22, 2013:

The Sunday bird walk went to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo. The morning was cloudy with light rain and a strong wind off the Strait of Georgia.  We saw several Double-crested Cormorants and Pelagic Cormorants on the Strait. A Male Red-breasted Merganser near the shore caught our eye, a very handsome bird!

Red-breasted Merganser: Ralph Hocken Photo.

 

Six birders and including a visiting birder from Salt Lake City saw and heard the following species: 

Mallard, Bufflehead, Pacific Loon, Common Loon,  Double-crested Cormorant,  Pelagic Cormorant, Barrow’s Goldeneye,  Common Goldeneye, Harlequin Duck, Red-necked Grebe, Common Merganser,  Red-breasted Merganser,  Bald Eagle,  Herring Gull, Thayer’s Gull,  Glaucous-winged Gull,  Northern Flicker,  Northwest Crow, Varied Thrush, American Robin, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Brown Creeper, Golden-crowned Kinglet,  Ruby-crowned Kinglet,  Bewick's Wren,  Pacific Wren,  Anna's Hummingbird,  Spotted Towhee,  Dark-eyed Junco and Song Sparrow.  

Tuesday, December 17:

The Tuesday bird walk went to Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville. The morning was cloudy with a strong wind off the Strait of Georgia. Five Bald Eagles were playing in the sky at the beginning of the walk. Hundreds of Dunlin and several Black-bellied Plovers and Black Turnstones were feeding along the receding tide line. Flocks of Common Murre were heading down the Strait close to shore. A Common Raven performed overhead calling his unique call and flipping on his back—a really a neat sight!  Near the end of the walk, a Barred Owl nearly hit Linda’s head as it flew by in pursuit of a mouse.  The mouse became his appetizer for lunch as he perched on a nearby tree.  

 

                     

                                Dunlin: Ralph Hocken Photo.

 

Eleven birders saw and heard the following thirty-eight species:

Brant, American Widgeon, Mallard, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Surf Scoter, Black Scoter, Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Horned Grebe, Red-necked Grebe, Western Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Common Murre, Bald Eagle, Barred Owl, Mew Gull, California Gull, Thayer’s Gull, Herring Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Dunlin, Black-bellied Plover, Black Turnstone, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Varied Thrush, American Robin, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Pacific Wren, Brown Creeper, Spotted Towhee, Dark-eyed Junco and Song Sparrow. 

 

“Rare bird alert-Hooded Oriole”

A Hooded Oriole is visiting a backyard in Port McNeil on the north end of the Island.

 

“Rare bird alert-Harris Sparrow:”

A Harris Sparrow was seen in the same area as the Hooded Oriole in Port McNeil. 

 

“Rare bird alert-Painted Bunting”

A Painted Bunting was seen visiting a backyard in Bowser.

 

Oriole

December 16, 2013.

Two Mourning Doves were spotted in a backyard off Northwest Bay Road near the big farm.

 

Fifty Ancient Murrelets were seen offshore from the viewing platform at the north side of Qualicum Beach.

 

 

Mourning Dive: John Purves Photo. 

***********************************************************************************
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 on December 24 will be going to the Plummer 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 at the corner of Plummer Road and Shorewood Drive in Parksville. at about 9:10 am.
****************************************************************************
No Sunday bird walk on December 29, 2013

The Sunday Bird Walks will resume on January 05, 2014 and will be going to the Nanaimo River Estuary in south Nanaimo.  Meet at the birdstore at 9:00 am or at the parking area at the end of Raines Road at about 9:30 am.
**************************************************************************** 

“Christmas Bird Count”

Nanaimo, December 29, 2013

Contact the Birdstore at 250-390-3669

thebackyard@shaw.ca

***********************************************************************************

 

British Columbia rare bird alert link---
 http://www.bcbirdalert.blogspot.ca/  
****************************************************************************

WildResearch link---
http://www.wildresearch.ca/

 

******************************************************************************

Link

http://coastaltarsands.ca/w1/videos/

 

*******************************************************************************
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