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 here by 8am the day of the walk. Our first bird walks of the year are going out on Sunday February 4th and Tuesday February 6th. Locations will be posted to our next Bird Report.

Tuesday 31 March 2015

Parksville/Qualicum beach Tuesday bird walk, March 31, 2015

The Tuesday bird walk went to Columbia Beach. The morning was sunny with a crisp breeze off the Strait of Georgia. We saw an estimated two thousand Brant along the tide line and offshore. Thousands of Pacific loons were on the water further off shore. Many flocks of Surf Scoters,White-winged Scoters and Long-tailed Ducks were flying low over the water heading down the strait. A large flock of Black-bellied Plovers and Dunlin flew in to the gravel bar. We spotted an Orange-crowned Warbler.  We had great views of the bright yellow bird as he perched and sang from a tree not far from us.  A Yellow-rumped Warbler showed up and started feeding on a tree close by.
                                   
                                                                   Black-bellied Plovers: Ralph Hocken Photo.   

Seventeen birders saw and heard the following fifty-six species:
Canada Geese
Brant
American Wigeon
Eurasian Wigeon
Mallard
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Red-breasted Merganser
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Pigeon Guillemot
Common Murre
Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Bald Eagle
Turkey Vulture
Violet-green Swallow
Belted Kingfisher
Killdeer
Black-bellied Plover
Dunlin
Belted Kingfisher
Bonaparte's Gull
Mew Gull
California Gull
Thayer's Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Eurasian-collared Dove
Rock Pigeon
California Quail
Northern Flicker
Northwestern Crow
Orange-crowned Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Anna’s Hummingbird
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Bushtit
Pacific Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
American Robin
European Starling
Spotted Towhee
Fox Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
House Finch
Pine Siskin
House Sparrow  

The Tuesday bird walk on April 07, 2015 will be going to Springwood Park ( at the west end of Despard Avenue) in Parksville. 

                                                                Orange-crowned Warbler: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

Good birding
Neil Robins
Parksville

Monday 30 March 2015

White ( Leucistic) American Robin

                                                                       White  ( Leucistic) American Robin: John Purves Photo.

John Purves and I discovered a White ( Leucistic) American  Robin on Plummer road near the Englishman River near the Orange Bridge just off Highway 19a in Parksville, today at about noon.

Cheers
Neil Robins

Sunday 29 March 2015

Nanaimo bird report, March 29, 2015


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 29, 2015:
The Sunday bird walk went to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo. Light rain and strong winds off the wild Strait of Georgia greeted us as we started our walk.  Hooded Mergansers, Red-breasted Mergansers and Common Merganser were swimming in the well protected bay of Sunset Beach. The male Red-breasted Mergansers were doing their courting dance and royally entertained us. We heard and saw a Ruby-crowned Kinglet singing and feeding near the trail giving us great looks.  Over one hundred Harlequin Ducks were resting out of the wind on the big rocks near the shore. Two pair of Barrow’s Goldeneye were riding the high waves near shore. 

Harlequin Ducks: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

Nine birders saw and heard the following thirty-seven species:
Trumpeter Swan
Canada Geese
Mallard
  Bufflehead
Surf Scoter
Barrow’s Goldeneye
Harlequin Duck
Hooded Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Common Merganser
Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Black Oystercatcher
Bald Eagle
California Gull
Thayer’s Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Common Raven
Northwestern Crow
European Starling
American Robin
Hermit Thrush
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Golden-crowned Kinglet
 Anna’s Hummingbird
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Brown Creeper
Pacific Wren
Bewick's Wren
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Red-winged Blackbird
Pine Siskin
 

Red-breasted Merganser: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

Tuesday, March 24:
The Tuesday bird walk went to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. The morning was mostly sunny and the Strait of George was as smooth as glass.  A Rufous Hummingbird caught our attention at the start of the walk--the first of many Rufous Hummingbirds that we saw on the walk. A Pacific Wren was singing as we started walking the trail.  Ruby-crowned Kinglets were singing their melodious song and feeding along the trail for most of the morning. Two Tree Swallows were flying low overhead.  Many flocks of Brant were flying up the Strait.  Hundreds of Pacific Loons were on the water far off shore. A Brandt’s Cormorant and a Pelagic Cormorant were swimming together off shore to give us a good comparison.        

 Eleven birders saw and heard the following fifty-seven species:
Canada Geese
Brant
American Wigeon
Eurasian Wigeon
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Harlequin Duck
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Bufflehead
Greater Scaup
Lesser Scaup
Common Goldeneye
Barrow’s Goldeneye
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Common Murre
Red-necked Grebe
Horned Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Brandt’s Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Black Oystercatcher
Killdeer
Great Blue Heron
Belted Kingfisher
Bald Eagle
Mew Gull
California Gull
Thayer's Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Steller’s Jay
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Tree Swallow
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Orange-crowned Warbler
Pacific Wren
Bewick’s Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Rufous Hummingbird
Anna’s Hummingbird
European Starling
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
Red-wing Blackbird
Dark-eyed Junco
House Finch
Pine Siskin  

 Friday, March 20: 
Eight Black-Bellied Plover, over two hundred and fifty Dunlin and hundreds of Bufflehead, Northern Pintail and Brant Geese were seen offshore at Parksville Bay in Parksville. 

Two Greater White-fronted Geese and a juvenile Snow Goose were seen along the road at Parksville Bay beach. 

*************************************************************************************
Tofino-Shorebird –Festival
18th Annual May 1-3, 2015
For  information please contact---- 
http://raincoasteducation.org/events/tofino-shorebird-festival

*********************************************************************************
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 March 31 will be going to Columbia Beach.  Meet at the Parksville Community Park playground parking lot at 9 a.m. or at the parking area off Admiral Tryon Bld. at about  9:15 a.m.
*******************************************************************

There will be no Sunday bird walk on Easter Sunday, March 05, 2015.

Happy Easter!!!

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

The Sunday bird walk on Sunday, March 12 will be going to Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo.

**********************************************************************************
British Columbia Rare Bird Alert link---
http://www.bcbirdalert.blogspot.ca/

*******************************************************************************
A must read for those of us who live along the Strait of Georgia.

THE SEA AMONG US
THE AMAZING STRAIT OF GEORGIA
RICHARD BEAMISH AND GORDON McFARLANE
*****************************************************************************
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

Tuesday 24 March 2015

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, March 24, 2015

The Tuesday bird walk went to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. The morning was mostly sunny and the Strait of George was as smooth as glass.  A Rufous Hummingbird caught our attention at the start of the walk--the first of many Rufous Hummingbirds that we saw on the walk. A Pacific Wren was singing as we started walking the trail.  Ruby-crowned Kinglets were singing their melodious song and feeding along the trail for most of the morning. Two Tree Swallows were flying low overhead.  Many flocks of Brant were flying up the Strait.  Hundreds of Pacific Loons were on the water far off shore. A Brandt’s Cormorant and a Pelagic Cormorant were swimming together off shore to give us a good comparison.
                                                                                      
       
                                    Ruby-crowned Kinglet: Ralph Hocken Photo.                                                                           

                                                      
                                           Rufous Hummingbird: Ralph Hocken Photo.      

Eleven birders saw and heard the following fifty-seven species:
Canada Geese
Brant
American Wigeon
Eurasian Wigeon
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Harlequin Duck
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Bufflehead
Greater Scaup
Lesser Scaup
Common Goldeneye
Barrow’s Goldeneye
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Common Murre
Red-necked Grebe
Horned Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Brandt’s Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Black Oystercatcher
Killdeer
Great Blue Heron
Belted Kingfisher
Bald Eagle
Mew Gull
California Gull
Thayer's Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Steller’s Jay
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Tree Swallow
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Orange-crowned Warbler
Pacific Wren
Bewick’s Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Rufous Hummingbird
Anna’s Hummingbird
European Starling
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
Red-wing Blackbird
Dark-eyed Junco
House Finch
Pine Siskin  

The Tuesday bird walk on March 31, 2015 will be going to Columbia Beach. 

                                                                    Brandt's Cormorant: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

Good birding
Neil Robins
Parksville.

Sunday 22 March 2015

Nanaimo bird report, March 22, 2015


 

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 22, 2015:

The Sunday bird walk went to the Little Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum Beach. The morning was cloudy with calm winds.  A flock of over one thousand singing Brant were feeding along the tide line near the estuary. Two Turkey Vultures flew over head.
Seventeen birders saw and heard the following fifty-nine species:
Brant
Canada Geese
Mallard
Gadwall
Green-winged Teal
Blue-winged Teal
American Widgeon
Eurasian Widgeon
Harlequin Duck
Northern Shoveler
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Long-tail Duck
Lesser Scaup
Greater Scaup
Bufflehead
Northern Pintail
Barrows Goldeneye
Common Goldeneye
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Red-breasted Merganser
Common Merganser
Common Loon
Pacific Loon
Double-crested Cormorant
Pigeon Guillemot
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Turkey Vulture
Killdeer
Black Oystercatcher
Black Turnstone
Bonaparte's Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Mew Gull
California Gull
Thayer’s Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Belted Kingfisher
Northern Flicker
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Eurasian-collared Dove
Tree Swallow
Violet-green Swallow
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
American Robin
European Starling
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Red-winged Blackbird
Brewer’s Blackbird
House Finch 

 Over forty Snow Geese were seen and heard flying over Departure Bay, Nanaimo. 

Brant: Ralph Hocken Photo.
 

Tuesday, March 24: 
The Tuesday bird walk went to the Little Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum Beach. The skies were cloudy and the water on the Strait of Georgia was calm.  The highlight was the sighting of two rafts of Surf Scoters, Long-tail Ducks, Lesser Scaup and Greater Scaup. The two rafts of seabirds stretched offshore from the viewing platform along highway 19a to the Little Qualicum River Estuary.   Over seventy Trumpeter Swans flew over and landed on the far side of the raft of seabirds. Bonaparte's Gulls, Herring Gulls, Ring-billed Gulls Mew Gulls, California Gulls, Thayer’s Gull and Glaucous-winged Gulls covered the gravel bars from the viewing platform and along the shore to the estuary. Three Eurasian Widgeon, a Herring Gull, a Ring-billed Gull, large numbers of Barrow’s Goldeneye and Common Goldeneye were seen from the estuary side offshore. Four Yellow-rumped Warblers were feeding near the parking area at the “A” frame house. We watched a Bewick’s Wren gathering nesting material close-by.

 
         Surf Scoters: Ralph Hocken Photo. 


Greater Scaup & Lesser Scaup: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

Eleven birders saw and heard the following fifty–two species:
Trumpeter Swans
Brant
Canada Geese
Mallard
American Widgeon
Eurasian Widgeon
Harlequin Duck
Northern Shoveler
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Long-tail Duck
Lesser Scaup
Greater Scaup
Bufflehead
Northern Pintail
Barrows Goldeneye
Common Goldeneye
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Red-breasted Merganser
Common Merganser
Common Loon
Pacific loon
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Killdeer
Black Oystercatcher
Bonaparte's Gull
Herring Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Mew Gull
California Gull
Thayer’s Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Belted Kingfisher
Northern Flicker
Northwestern Crow
Eurasian-collared Dove
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Bewick’s Wren
American Robin
European Starling
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Red-winged Blackbird
House Finch
Purple Finch
 

Saturday March 21:
An Orange-crowned Warbler was seen near the Bowen Road entrance to Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo.

 

Wednesday March 18.
A flock of Bushtits were seen covering a suet feeder by the Little Qualicum River in Qualicum Beach

 

Tuesday March 17.
 . A Virginia Rail was seen and heard on the west marsh at Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo. 

 A Northern Shrike was seen at the Nanaimo River Estuary in south Nanaimo.  

Monday, March 16.
A Northern Goshawk was seen at Milner Gardens in Qualicum Beach. 

************************************************************************* 
Monday March 23.
Arrowsmith Naturalists meet at 7 pm at Knox United Church in Parksville.  Meeting begins at 7.30 pm with guest speaker Michael Kusugak an Inuit Storyteller.  Cost for this time only $5. More info 752-7588.

*************************************************************************************
Tofino-Shorebird –Festival
18th Annual May 1-3, 2015
For  information please contact---- 
http://raincoasteducation.org/events/tofino-shorebird-festival

*********************************************************************************
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 March 24 will be going to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville..  Meet at the Parksville Community Park playground parking lot at 9 a.m. or at the corner of Plummer Road and Shorewood Drive in Parksville at about  9:15 a.m.
*********************************************************************
The Sunday bird walk on March 29, 2015 will be going to the Neck Point Park in Nanaimo.
Meet at the Bird Store at 9:00 a.m. or at the parking lot at Neck Point off Hammond Bay Road at about 9:15 a.m.

*********************************************************************
British Columbia Rare Bird Alert link---
http://www.bcbirdalert.blogspot.ca/

*******************************************************************************
A must read for those of us who live along the Strait of Georgia.

THE SEA AMONG US
THE AMAZING STRAIT OF GEORGIA
RICHARD BEAMISH AND GORDON McFARLANE
*****************************************************************************
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

 


 

Tuesday 17 March 2015

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, March 17, 2015

The Tuesday bird walk went to the Little Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum Beach. The skies were cloudy and the water on the Strait of Georgia was calm.  The highlight was the sighting of two rafts of Surf Scoters, Long-tail Ducks, Lesser Scaup and Greater Scaup. The two rafts of seabirds stretched offshore from the viewing platform along highway 19a to the Little Qualicum River Estuary.   Over seventy Trumpeter Swans flew over and landed on the far side of the raft of seabirds. Bonaparte's Gulls, Herring Gulls, Ring-billed Gulls Mew Gulls, California Gulls, Thayer’s Gull and Glaucous-winged Gulls covered the gravel bars from the viewing platform and along the shore to the estuary. Three Eurasian Widgeon, a Herring Gull,a Ring-billed Gull, large numbers of Barrow’s Goldeneye and Common Goldeneye were seen from the estuary side offshore. Four Yellow-rumped Warblers were feeding near the parking area at the “A” frame house. We watched a Bewick’s Wren gathering nesting material close-by. 
                                                                                                  
                                                          Surf Scoter eating Mussels: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

 
                                                      Greater Scaup & Lesser Scaup: Ralph Hocken Photo.

Eleven birders saw and heard the following fifty–two species:
Trumpeter Swans
Brant
Canada Geese
Mallard
American Widgeon
Eurasian Widgeon
Harlequin Duck
Northern Shoveler
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Long-tail Duck
Lesser Scaup
Greater Scaup
Bufflehead
Northern Pintail
Barrows Goldeneye
Common Goldeneye
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Red-breasted Merganser
Common Merganser
Common Loon
Pacific loon
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Killdeer
Black Oystercatcher
Bonaparte's Gull
Herring Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Mew Gull
California Gull
Thayer’s Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Belted Kingfisher
Northern Flicker
Northwestern Crow
Eurasian-collared Dove
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Bewick’s Wren
American Robin
European Starling
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Red-winged Blackbird
House Finch
Purple Finch 

The Tuesday bird walk on March 24, 2015 will be going to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville.
 

                                                                    Mew Gull: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

Good birding
Neil Robins
Parksville

Monday 16 March 2015

Greater White-fronted Geese

Lucky thirteen Greater White-fronted Geese were seen at the mud flats on the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville.

Good birding
Neil Robins
Parksville

Sunday 15 March 2015

Nanaimo bird report, March 15, 2015



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 15, 2015:
The Sunday bird walk went to Nanoose Bay. The morning was
cloudy with calm winds.  
Buffleheads were on the Nanoose Bay in large numbers. Two male and one female Eurasian Widgeon were seen on the estuary in with a flock of American Widgeon. A Northern Shrike perched on a sng giving us great views. A male Yellow-rumped Warbler in bright breeding plumage flew in to the top of a short tree giving us a good view of his summer color! 

Ten birders saw and heard the following thirty-six species:
Canada Geese
 Eurasian Widgeon
 American Wigeon
 Mallard
 Northern Pintail
 Green-winged Teal
Bufflehead
 Common Goldeneye
 Barrow's Goldeneye
 Hooded Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Horned Grebe
 Pelagic Cormorant
 Double-crested Cormorant
 Belted Kingfisher
 Great Blue Heron
 Northwestern Crow
 Common Raven
Common Loon
 Bald Eagle
Northern Shrike
  Killdeer
Mew Gull
Thayer’s Gull
California Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
 European Starling
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Rufous Hummingbird
Anna’s Hummingbird
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Spotted Towhee
 Song Sparrow
Purple Finch
 Red-winged Blackbird
 Brewer’s Blackbird
 
Yellow-rumped Warbler: Ralph Hocken Photo.

 

 

Saturday, March 14:
A Northern Shrike, a Red tail Hawk, a Rough-legged Hawk a Osprey,  Western Meadowlarks and a  Bald Eagle were seen at the Nanaimo river Estuary in south Nanaimo.
Over one hundred Common Ravens were seen playing over Jack Point Park in south Nanaimo.
Several Violet-green Swallows were seen flying over Buttertubs Marsh west. 

Twelve Tree Swallows were spotted at the Nanaimo River Estuary in south Nanaimo.
Eight Lesser Scaup were seen at Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo. 

Friday, March 13:
A Rufous Hummingbird was seen visiting feeders at south end of Gabriola Island.  There have been several reports in Nanaimo and Parksville.   
Thursday, March 12:
A Yellow-rumped Warbler was seen along Colbourne Drive in Nanaimo. 
Tuesday, March 10: 
Birding in the Fog” 

The Tuesday bird walk went to Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville. The morning was foggy and the winds were calm. Over one thousand Dunlin, one hundred Black-bellied Plovers and four Black Oystercatchers were feeding along the tide line and in the tide pools on the shore side of the fog bank. We counted twenty-six Brant also feeding along the tide line. Thousands of Mew Gulls, California Gulls, Thayer's Gulls, Glaucous-winged Gulls and one Bonaparte's Gull were roosting on a gravel bar just offshore.  Fourteen Horned Grebes and one Eared Grebe were spotted further swimming offshore. Four Varied Thrush were singing and perched in the forest.     

                                                                                    
                  
   
                                                    Dunlin:: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

Six birders saw and heard the following thirty-five species;
Brant
 American Widgeon
 Mallard
 White-winged Scoter
Bufflehead
 Common Goldeneye
 Common Merganser
Eared Grebe
 Horned Grebe
 Red-necked Grebe
 Bald Eagle
Bonaparte's Gull
 Mew Gull
 California Gull
 Thayer's Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
 Dunlin
Black-bellied Plover
  Black Oystercatcher
 Northern Flicker
Pileated woodpecker
 Northwestern Crow
 Common Raven
 Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Anna’s Hummingbird
 Pacific Wren
 Bewick’s Wren
 Ruby-crowned Kinglet
American Robin
 Varied Thrush
 European Starling
 Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
 Golden-crowned Sparrow
 Dark-eyed Junco  

              Eared Grebe: Ralph Hocken Photo.
 

 

Three Band-tailed Pigeons were seen in a backyard along Meridian Way in Parksville.    

 

 Monday March 23rd
Arrowsmith Naturalists meet at 7 pm at Knox United Church in Parksville.  Meeting begins at 7.30 pm with guest speaker Michael Kusugak an Inuit Storyteller.  Cost for this time only $5. More info 752-7588.

*************************************************************************************
Tofino-Shorebird –Festival
18th Annual May 1-3, 2015
For  information please contact----
 
http://raincoasteducation.org/events/tofino-shorebird-festival


*********************************************************************************
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 March 17 will be going to the Little Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum Beach.  Meet at the Parksville Community Park
playground parking lot at 9 a.m. or at the Brant viewing platform in north Qualicum Beach at about  9:15 a.m.
*********************************************************************
The Sunday bird walk on March 22, 2015 will be going to the Little Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum Beach.
Meet at the Bird Store at 9:00 a.m. or at the Brant viewing platform in north Qualicum Beach at about 9:30 a.m.

*********************************************************************
British Columbia Rare Bird Alert link--- http://www.bcbirdalert.blogspot.ca/


*******************************************************************************
A must read for those of us who live along the Strait of Georgia.

THE SEA AMONG US
THE AMAZING STRAIT OF GEORGIA
RICHARD BEAMISH AND GORDON McFARLANE
*****************************************************************************
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