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.

Sunday 1 March 2015

Nanaimo bird report, March 01, 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.
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Sunday, March 01 2015:
The Sunday bird walk went the Nanaimo River Estuary in south Nanaimo. The morning was cloudy with calm winds.  We spotted a Northern Shrike near the start of the walk. The highlight of the morning was the sighting of four migrating Western Meadowlarks perched and singing low on bushes not far from us. They entertained us for a long while as we watched them dive into the grasses and then fly up onto a perch to sing.  We spotted two Red-tailed Hawks courting and landing on a bush giving us great views. Northern Harrier flew low over the field searching for prey. We spotted him later perched on the big Garry Oak looking down on us.
                                                               

Western Meadowlark: Ralph Hocken Photo. 
 

Twenty-nine birders saw and heard the following thirty-nine species: 
Canada Geese
                                                  American Widgeon
 Mallard
Green-winged Teal
 Bufflehead
 Common Goldeneye
 Common Merganser
 Red-breasted Merganser
 Gadwall
 Great Blue Heron
Belted Kingfisher
Bald Eagle
Peregrine Falcon
 Northern Harrier
 Red-tailed Hawk
Rough-legged Hawk
Killdeer
Northern Shrike
Mew Gull
Thayer’s Gull
California Gull
 Glaucous-winged Gull
Steller’s Jay
Northern Flicker
 Northwestern Crow
 Common Raven
 American Robin
Western Meadowlark
 European Starling
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Bewick’s Wren
Violet-green Swallow
Tree Swallow
 Spotted Towhee
 Song Sparrow
 Dark-eyed Junco
Golden-crowned Sparrow
House Finch
 Red-winged Blackbird 

Saturday, February 28: 
Two Rufous Hummingbirds were seen visiting feeders in upper Lantzville

 

Tuesday, February 24: 
The Tuesday bird walk went to the Little Qualicum River Fish Hatchery in Qualicum Beach. The morning was sunny and the winds were calm, making for a great morning of birding. We spotted two American Dippers feeding along the river bank not far from us. We saw several Red-breasted Sapsuckers feeding and tapping the trees throughout the morning.  A Varied Thrush was singing atop a tall conifer and two other Varied Thrush were answering him as he sang.  American Robins were busy feeding and resting on the grassy area. We spotted a leucistic American Robin--a very colorful bird—scurrying on the ground giving us great views. A flock of Violet-green Swallows flew overhead hawking insects.  A Pileated Woodpecker was busy drumming on a snag near the end of the walk.
 
Leucistic American Robin: John Purves Photo.     
 
Twenty birders saw and heard the following twenty-seven species; 
Canada Geese
Mallard
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser
Belted Kingfisher
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Turkey Vulture
 American Dipper
 Chestnut-backed Chickadee
  Downy Woodpecker
 Northern Flicker
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Pileated Woodpecker
European Starling
 Northwestern Crow
 Common Raven
 Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Violet-green Swallow 
American Robin
 Varied Thrush
 Spotted Towhee
 Song Sparrow
American Goldfinch
                                               Pine Siskin                                                                          

                                                                                                     
 
Red-breasted Sapsucker: Ralph Hocken Photo.

 

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Tofino-Shorebird –Festival 

18th Annual May 1-3, 2015 


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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 03, 2015 will be going to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville.  Meet at the Parksville Community Park playground parking lot at 9 a.m. or the end of Shelly Road at about  9:10 a.m.


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The Sunday bird walk on March 07, 2015 will be going to the Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo. Meet at the Bird Store at 9:00 a.m. or at parking area at Buttertubs Marsh off Bowen Road Nanaimo at about 9:15 a.m.
 

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

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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
Email: 
thebackyard@shaw.ca
Blog:  www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com

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