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 8 March 2015

Nanaimo bird report, March 08, 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 08, 2015:
The Sunday bird walk went the Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo. The morning was cloudy with sunny periods and calm winds. Over ten  Steller’s Jays flew in overhead nosily mobbing some black squirrels.  Just off the trail a Bewick’s Wren was singing . The Marsh Wrens were singing for most of the morning and we got great looks as two of them perched and sang on top cattails.  We watched a  Ruby-crowned Kinglet singing and feeding high up in the trees next to the trail. Violet-green Swallows were flying over the western side of Buttertubs. Two  Tree Swallows were perched preening themselves on a tall snag not far up the trail, giving us great views. The bird of the morning was a Harris’s Sparrow perched on a bare branch just off the trail, not far from Jinglepot Road entrance. The Sparrow turned to face us as we looked at him, giving us time to study him. It was an awesome sight, so close to us.  The Harris’s Sparrow usually winters in the Central Southern USA and is rarely seen in this area.

 
                                                               Ruby-crowned Kinglet: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

Nineteen birders saw and heard the following thirty-eight species: 
Canada Geese
 Mallard
American Wigeon
Wood Duck
 Ring-necked Duck
 Bufflehead
Hooded Merganser
Doubled-crested Cormorant
 Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
California Quail
 Anna's Hummingbird
Northern Flicker
 Common Raven
 Northwestern Crow
 Steller’s Jay
 Violet-green Swallow
 Tree Swallow
 Bushtit
 Brown Creeper
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
 Bewick’s Wren
 Marsh Wren
 Ruby-crowned Kinglet
 Great Blue Heron
 American Robin
Varied Thrush
 European Starling
  Spotted Towhee
Harris’s Sparrow
 Song Sparrow
 Fox Sparrow
 Golden-crowned Sparrow
 Red-winged Blackbird
 House Finch
 Dark-eyed Junco
Pine Siskin
 House Sparrow 

Tuesday, March 03: 
The Tuesday bird walk went to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville. The morning was sunny with calm winds. We first heard and then saw Bewick's Wrens and Pacific Wrens throughout the morning.  A Red-breasted Sapsucker was feeding just over our heads in a tree near the parking lot. We watched as a Northern Shrike perched in a short bushes on the meadows.  Pigeon Guillemot, Gadwall and Greater Scaup were seen near shore on the Strait. A Red-tailed Hawk was catching a thermo not really bothered by the ten Northwestern Crows mobbing him. A Peregrine Falcon flew very fast over head heading for the forest. Several Orange-crowned Warblers, a  Ruby-crowned Kinglet and a Yellow-rumped Warbler were feeding high above us in the tall trees along the trail.

Spring has arrived! 
                                                                        Bewick’s Wren: Ralph Hocken Photo.            

 Sixteen birders saw and heard the following fifty-five species:
Snow Geese
Canada Geese
Brant
American Widgeon
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Gadwall
Surf Scoter
Greater Scaup
Bufflehead
Barrows Goldeneye
Common Goldeneye
Red-breasted Merganser
Common Merganser
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Common Loon
Pacific Loon
Pelagic Cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant
Pigeon Guillemot
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk
Peregrine Falcon
Northern Shrike
Turkey Vulture
Mew Gull
Thayer's Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Eurasian-collared Dove
Anna’s Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Northern Flicker
Downy Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Steller’s Jay
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Bewick's Wren
Pacific Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
American Robin
Varied Thrush
European Starling
Orange-crowned Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
House Finch
Pine Siskin  

                                                                                        
                  Orange-crowned Warbler: Ralph Hocken Photo.

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Tofino-Shorebird –Festival

18th Annual May 1-3, 2015 

For  information please contact---- http://raincoasteducation.org/events/tofino-shorebird-festival

 

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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 10, 2015 will be going to Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville.  Meet at the Parksville Community Park playground parking lot at 9 a.m. or the main parking lot at Rathtrevor at about  9:10 a.m.

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The Sunday bird walk on March 15, 2015 will be going to the Nanoose Bay. Meet at the Bird Store at 9:00 a.m. or at parking area at the beach near the church camp off Highway 19 and Arlington Road 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
Blog:  www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com

 

 

 

 

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