Nanaimo bird report, February 02, 2014

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, February 02, 2014:

The Sunday bird walk went to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo. The morning was cloudy with calm winds. A flock of over forty Surfbirds and eight Pelagic Cormorants were spotted feeding along the rocky area just off shore. Large rafts of Pacific Loons were seen further off shore. Two Black Oystercatchers flew into the rocks off shore. 

Surfbird:: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

Fourteen birders saw and heard the following thirty-three species:

Canada Geese, Mallard, Bufflehead, Harlequin Duck, Surf Scoter, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Surf Scoter, Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Black Oystercatcher, Surfbirds, Pigeon Guillemot, Bald Eagle, Mew Gull, Thayer’s  Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Common Raven, Northwestern Crow, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Anna’s Hummingbird, Pacific Wren, Bewick's Wren, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, European Starling, American Robin, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, Fox Sparrow and   Dark-eyed Junco. 

Three Black-bellied Plovers were seen at Piper’s Lagoon in Nanaimo. 

Wednesday, January 29:

”Rare bird alert-Hooded Oriole, Dickcissel”

The Oriole and the Dickcissel have been seen in Port McNeill for several weeks at a backyard hummingbird feeder.  

Hooded Oriole:  Lynnea Parker Photo. 

Dickcissel : Lynnea Parker Photo. 

 Tuesday, January 28:

The Tuesday bird walk went to Rathtrevor Provincial Park.  The morning was very calm, but we still had some fog on the water.  Several flocks of Brant were seen off shore.  A few Western Grebes were spotted in the foggy haze, as well as 4 Trumpeter Swans along the shoreline of the resort hotels.  The forest birds were keeping themselves well hidden this morning.
Ten birders identified the following 41 species:     

                       

                                                           Bushtit: Ralph Hocken Photo 

Canada Goose, Brant, Trumpeter Swan, American Wigeon, Mallard, Harlequin Duck, Surf Scoter, Wing-winged Scoter, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Barrows Goldeneye, Greater Scaup, Long-tailed Duck, Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Horned Grebe, Red-necked Grebe, Western Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant,
Bald Eagle, Black-bellied Plover, Black Turnstone, Dunlin, Black Oystercatcher, Mew Gull, Thayer's Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull,
Common Murre, Pileated Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, American Robin, Song Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Bushtit ,Brown Creeper and Pacific Wren.

 

A Western Meadowlark and a Northern Shrike were seen at the Nanoose Estuary in Nanoose Bay.

 

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

 

“Check the Christmas Bird Count website” … to look up CBC results—both current and historical.

 

http://birds.audubon.org/christmas-bird-count  

 

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

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 February 04, 2014 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 at about 9:10 am.
****************************************************************************

The Sunday Bird Walk on February 09, 2014 will be going to the Nanaimo River Estuary in south  Nanaimo.  Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 am or at the end of Raines Road at about 9:30 am.
****************************************************************************  

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

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

Spring Pelagic Seabird Trip Announced – May 11, 2014

WildResearch is pleased to announce that WildResearch's 2014 Spring Pelagic Seabird Trip will run on Sunday May 11, 2014! Proceeds generated from the pelagic trip fundraiser will go towards running WildResearch’s research programs.

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

West coast environment 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