The Backyard's Weekly Bird Walk locations are found in the Backyard Bird Report at the very end of the most recent report. Any cancellations will be posted by 8am the day of the walk.

Sunday 16 March 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, March 16, 2014:
The Sunday bird walk went to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo.  The morning was cloudy with a breeze off the water. We spotted two Pigeon Guillemots on the bay near the parking lot.  Eight Harlequin Ducks gave us great views as they moved close to shore.  A Yellow-rumped Warbler put in an appearance near the trail.  The Spotted Sandpiper preened on the rocky edge of the shore.  A Hutton’s Vireo serenaded us near the end of the walk.

 
                                   Hutton’s Vireo: Ralph Hocken Photo.

Thirteen birders saw and heard the following forty-four species:
Canada Geese, Mallard, Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant,  Bufflehead, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Common Goldeneye, Barrow’s Goldeneye, Harlequin Duck, Red-breasted Merganser, Common Merganser, Horned Grebe, Common Loon, Pacific Loon, Spotted Sandpiper, Bald Eagle, California Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Pigeon Guillemot, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Common Raven, Northwestern Crow, European Starling, American Robin, Varied Thrush, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Hutton’s Vireo, Anna’s Hummingbird, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Brown Creeper, Pacific Wren, Bewick's Wren, Spotted Towhee, Fox Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Purple Finch and Red-winged Blackbird.

We have had several reports from Chemainus to Parksville of Rufous Hummingbirds returning. 

 Thursday, March 14:
A Golden Eagle was seen over the flooded farm fields near Highway 1 and Mount Sticker Road (at the Crofton Turnoff) 

 Tuesday, March 11:
The Tuesday bird walk went to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. The morning was sunny a bit cool with calm winds making for a pleasant morning of birding. We saw several pairs of Golden-crowned and Ruby-crowned Kinglets in the bushes along the trail. Four Gadwall were feeding just off the mud flats. Over one thousand Surf Scoters along with Greater Scaup, White-winged Scoters, Black Scoters and Bufflehead. Six Long-tailed Ducks were seen not far off shore diving and swimming along with Harlequin Ducks. We were surprised with the sighting of a large flock of Bushtits feeding in the bushes at the end of walk. 

                                          Ruby-crowned Kinglet: Ralph Hocken Photo.
 
Thirteen birders saw and heard the following fifty-two species:
Canada Geese, Brant, American Wigeon, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Gadwall, Harlequin Duck, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Black Scoter, Bufflehead, Greater Scaup, Long-tailed Duck, Common Goldeneye, Barrow’s Goldeneye, Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Red-necked Grebe, Horned Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, Brandt’s Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Black Oystercatcher, Killdeer, Great Blue Heron, Bald Eagle, Mew Gull, California Gull, Thayer's Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Bushtit, Bewick’s Wren, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Anna’s Hummingbird, European Starling, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Purple Finch and House Finch.  

Monday, March 10:
A Wilson’s Snipe was seen at the Cottonwood Golf Course in south Nanaimo. 

Sunday, March 09:
A Northern Shrike, ten Western Meadowlarks, two Short-eared Owls and a Northern Harrier were seen near the parking lot at the Nanaimo River Estuary on south Nanaimo.  

Violet-green swallows were seen at the Nanaimo River Estuary in south 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. on 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 March 18, 2014 will be going to the Columbia Beach. Meet at the Parksville Community Park at the parking lot near the Lions Club playground at 9:00 am or at the parking area off Admiral Tryon Blvd. at about 9:10 am. 

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The Sunday Bird Walk on March 23, 2014 will be going to Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville.  Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 am or at the main parking lot at Rathtrevor Park at about 9:30 a.m. 

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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/ 

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. 

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West coast environment link--
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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
Blog:  www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com

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