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 26 October 2014

Nanaimo bird report, October 26, 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.
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Sunday, October 26, 2014:
The Sunday bird walk went to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo.. The morning was cloudy with sunny periods and calm winds. A Western Grebe was spotted close to shore near the rocks. Three Black Oystercatchers were nosily singing on the rocks. We spotted a Osprey and a Marbled Murrelet flying further offshore.  Mixed flocks of Chestnut-backed Chickadees, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Golden-crowned Kinglets, Ruby-crowned Kinglets and Bushtits were feeding just off the trail. We spotted a Barred Owl after following a flock of mobbing American Robins to its location. Large numbers of American Robins and a Varied Thrush were feeding on Arbutus Berries. 

Varied Thrush: Ralph Hocken Photo. 
Ten birders saw and heard the following forty-five species: 
 Mallard
  Harlequin Duck
  Surf Scoter
 White-winged Scoter
 Common Mergansers
 Red-necked Grebe
 Western Grebe
  Common Loon
  Pacific Loon
Brant Cormorant
 Double-crested Cormorant
  Pelagic Cormorant
  Great Blue Heron
  Spotted Sandpiper
  Black Oystercatcher
  Bald Eagle
Osprey
Barred Owl
Marbled Murrelet
  Mew Gull
  California Gull
  Thayer’s Gull
Ring-billed Gull
 Glaucous-winged Gull
  Downy Woodpecker
 Northern Flicker
Northwestern Crow
  Common Raven
 European Starling
 Anna’s Hummingbird
  Belted Kingfisher
 Pacific Wren
 Bewick's Wren
  Brown Creeper
  Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
  Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Bushtit
  American Robin
 Varied Thrush
Spotted Towhee
Lincoln’s Sparrow
  Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco 
Saturday, October 25:
        A Northern Pygmy-Owl was seen catching a Dark-eyed Junco along Morrell Circle in Nanaimo.
 
A female American Kestrel was spotted at a backyard bird bath in central Ladysmith. 
Friday, October 24:    
  A Western Screech Owl was seen in a backyard at the end of Douglas Avenue beside the Chase River in south Nanaimo.
A Barred Owl was visiting a patio along Dawkins Lane in Nanaimo.   
Thursday, October 23:
A Spotted Sandpiper was seen at the Nanaimo River Estuary near the end of Raines Road in south Nanaimo.   
Wednesday, October 22:
A Wilson’s Snipe was seen in Port Hardy. 
Monday, October 20: 
   An Arctic Loon was seen offshore from the viewing platform in north Qualicum Beach.
 

Arctic Loon: John Purves Photo. 

Tuesday, October 21:
The Tuesday bird walk went to the Englishman River Estuary, Plummer Road side in Parksville. The morning was cloudy with a few light showers.  There was a stiff sea breeze off the Strait of Georgia.  A Barred Owl was spotted perched on a hydro wire just off Highway 19a along Plummer Road at the start of the walk. Two Bald Eagles, a Sharp-shinned Hawk, a Northern Harrier and a Cooper’s Hawk were seen as we walked along the trail next to the river. Large flocks of Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, American Widgeon and two Eurasian Widgeons were seen on the estuary near the mud flats. Large numbers of Harlequin Ducks were on the Strait throughout the morning. Five Western Grebe’s, a Marbled Murrelet and a Common Murre were seen further offshore.  Red-necked Grebes, Horned Grebes, Pacific Loons and Common Loons were seen closer to shore.  
Harlequin Duck: Ralph Hocken photo. 
Twenty-three birders including visiting birders from Whitecourt and Carstairs Alberta saw and heard the following fifty-two species:
Canada Geese
 American Widgeon
Eurasian Widgeon
 Mallard
 Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
 Harlequin Duck
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
 Red-breasted Merganser
Common Merganser
Western Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Horned Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
 Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Marbled Murrelet
Common Murre
Great Blue Heron
 Belted Kingfisher
 Bald Eagle
Cooper’s Hawk
 Sharp-shinned Hawk
Northern Harrier
Barred Owl
 Dunlin
Thayer’s Gull
  Mew Gull
 California Gull
 Glaucous-winged Gull
 Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Steller’s Jay
 Common Raven
 Northwestern Crow
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
 European Starling
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
 Song Sparrow
 Spotted Towhee
Dark-eyed Junco
Brewer’s Blackbird
                                                                   Red-wing-Blackbird
Brown-headed Blackbird
Purple Finch
House Finch 
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Monday, October 27:
The Arrowsmith Naturalists meet at 7.30 pm at Knox Church on Pym Street in Parksville.   Alan Kinglet, manager of the VIU Deep Bay Marine Station, will talk on how climate change is affecting the chemistry of the oceans –“The Other CO2 Problem”.  More info at 250-752-7588
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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****************************************************************************
The Tuesday bird walk on October 28, 2014 will be going to the Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville. Meet at the parking lot near the Lions Club Playground in Parksville Community Park at 9:00 a.m. or at main parking lot at Rathtrevor Provincial Park at about 9:10 a.m. 
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The Sunday bird walk on November 02, 2014 will be going to Columbia Beach. Meet at the Bird Store at 9:00 a.m. or at the parking lot off Admiral Tryon Boulevard ( turn right off highway 19a at Columbia Drive and right on Admiral Tryon Boulevard) 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---
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West coast environment link—http://coastaltarsands.ca/w1/videos/ 
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What's more important than the right to breathe fresh air, drink clean water and eat healthy food?"-- David Suzuki 
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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
 

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