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.

Friday 31 July 2015

Backyard Birding Update



UPDATE: We have updated our Backyard Birding Update side-bar with information on what you can do in August to keep enjoying your birds during this hot weather. 

Happy birding!

Sunday 26 July 2015

Nanaimo Bird Report - July 26 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 Bird Walks will resume on August 23, 2015.
*****************************************************************************
Tuesday Bird Walks will resume on September 8, 2015.
*****************************************************************************
Monday, July 20 2015




Crested Caracara (Photo: G. Ford)

A Crested Caracara was spotted in North Nanaimo around Piper’s Lagoon.

A Pacific Slope Flycatcher and a Bewick’s Wren were spotted around Cottle Lake.


Sunday July 26, 2015

Numerous reports of Pileated Woodpeckers visiting backyard bird feeders in the dry weather


**************************************************************************
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 walks will resume on September 08, 2015
****************************************************************************
The Sunday bird walks will resume on August 23, 2015
**********************************************************************************
British Columbia Rare Bird Alert link---
http://www.bcbirdalert.blogspot.ca/
*******************************************************************************
Good birding


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  


Monday 20 July 2015

Crested Caracara--RBA

Crested Caracara was seen near Pipers Lagoon in Nanaimo about noon today.

Cheers
Neil Robins

Sunday 19 July 2015

Nanaimo bird report, July 19, 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, June 19, 2015:

 The Sunday bird walk went to Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo. The morning was sunny and hot.  We watched a pair of Pied-billed Grebe with a young fledging on the marsh. Two flocks of Bushtits flew in and fed on the short bushes near the trail. A  Common Yellowthroat was perched on a cattail close to the shore giving us great looks. This was our last bird walk until August 23, 2015.

 

Common Yellowthroat: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

Five birders saw and heard the following twenty-one species:
Canada Geese
Mallard
 Pied-billed Grebe
 Wood Duck
 Hooded Merganser
 Turkey Vulture
Northern Flicker
 Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Purple Martin
Violet-green Swallow
  Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Bushtit
 Marsh Wren
 Bewick's Wren
  Eurasian Collared Dove
 American Robin
Yellow Warbler
   Common Yellowthroat
 Spotted Towhee
 Song Sparrow
 Brewer’s Blackbird
 Red-winged Blackbird  

Saturday, July 18:
A Chukar was spotted along Doumont Road in Nanaimo.  

Wednesday, July 15: 
The following species were seen at the Little Qualicum River Hatchery
Canada Geese
Great Blue Heron
Common Loon
Pelagic Cormorant
Turkey Vulture
Pigeon Guillemot
Common Murre
Bald Eagle
Killdeer
Belted Kingfisher
Bonaparte's Gull
California Gull
Glaucous Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
American Dipper
Eurasian-collared Dove
Rufous Hummingbird
Anna’s Hummingbird
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Northern Flicker
Willow Flycatcher
Pacific-slope Flycatcher
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Purple Martin
Black Swift
Vaux Swift
Violet-green Swallow
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Brown Creeper
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Swainson’s Thrush
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
European Starling
Townsend's Warbler
Black-throated Gray Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Warbling Vireo
Western Tanager
Black-headed Grosbeak
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow
House Finch
Red Crossbill
American Goldfinch

Tuesday, July 14, 2015:

 The following species were seen at the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville

Canada Geese

Common Merganser

Great Blue Heron
Pelagic Cormorant
Turkey Vulture
Bald Eagle
Barred Owl
Marbled Murrelet
Rhinoceros Auklet
Long-billed Dowitcher
Least Sandpiper
Western Sandpiper
Semi-palmated Sandpiper
Killdeer
Belted Kingfisher
California Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Eurasian-collared Dove
California Quail
Rufous Hummingbird
Anna’s Hummingbird
Downy Woodpecker
Red-breasted Sapsucker (with two youngsters)
Northern Flicker
Willow Flycatcher
Pacific-slope Flycatcher
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Violet-green Swallow
Brown Creeper
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Swainson’s Thrush
American Robin
European Starling
Orange-crowned Warbler
Warbling Vireo
Spotted Towhee
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Purple Finch
House Finch
Red Crossbill
American Goldfinch
 

Two Caspian terns were seen off shore at Piper’s Lagoon in Nanaimo.

 

Red Crossbill was seen at a birdfeeder at the end of Douglas road and Chase River Road.

Wednesday, July 08:

A male Evening Grosbeak was seen near Douglas and Chase River Road in Nanaimo. 


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

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 walks will resume on September 08, 2015

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

The Sunday bird walks will resume on August 23, 2015

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

Thursday 16 July 2015

Birds seen at the Little Qualicum River Hatchery, July 15, 2015 :

 
The following species were seen at the Little Qualicum River Hatchery 
Canada Goose
Great Blue Heron
Common Loon
Pelagic Cormorant
Turkey Vulture
Pigeon Guillemot
Common Murre
Bald Eagle
Killdeer
Belted Kingfisher
Bonaparte's Gull
California Gull
Glaucous Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
American Dipper
Eurasian-collared Dove
Rufous Hummingbird
Anna’s Hummingbird
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Northern Flicker
Willow Flycatcher
Pacific-slope Flycatcher
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Purple Martin
Black Swift
Vaux Swift
Violet-green Swallow
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Brown Creeper
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Swainson’s Thrush
American Robin
Swainson’s Thrush
Cedar Waxwing
European Starling
Townsend's Warbler
Black-throated Gray Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Warbling Vireo
Western Tanager
Black-headed Grosbeak
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow
House Finch
Red Crossbill
American Goldfinch

Birds at the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville on July 14, 2015.

The following species were seen at the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville
Canada Goose
Common Merganser
Great Blue Heron
Pelagic Cormorant
Turkey Vulture
Bald Eagle
Barred Owl
Marbled Murrelet
Rhinoceros Auklet
Long-billed Dowitcher
Least Sandpiper
Western Sandpiper
Semi-palmated Sandpiper
Killdeer
Belted Kingfisher
California Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Eurasian-collared Dove
California Quail
Rufous Hummingbird
Anna’s Hummingbird
Downy Woodpecker
Red-breasted Sapsucker (with two youngsters)
Northern Flicker
Willow Flycatcher
Pacific-slope Flycatcher
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Violet-green Swallow
Brown Creeper
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Swainson’s Thrush
American Robin
European Starling
Orange-crowned Warbler
Warbling Vireo
Spotted Towhee
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Purple Finch
House Finch
Red Crossbill
American Goldfinch

Sunday 12 July 2015

Nanaimo bird report, July 12, 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, June 12, 2015:
The Sunday bird walk went to the Ladysmith Harbour in Ladysmith. The morning was cloudy and the winds were calm. We watched the Purple Martins out in full force.  We watched them from the marina dock as they flew to their nestboxes to feed their fledglings. The majority of the nest boxes had six young to feed. Several American Goldfinch were feeding near the trail. A Black Oystercatcher flew along the shoreline, calling as it went by.

Purple Martin pair: Ralph Hocken Photo.

Five birders saw and heard the following twenty-one species:
Great Blue Heron
Belted Kingfisher
Black Oystercatcher
Bald Eagle
Glaucous-winged Gull
Eurasian-collared Dove
 Northern Flicker
Downy Woodpecker
  Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Purple Martin
Barn Swallow
Violet-green Swallow
  Chestnut-backed Chickadee
American Robin
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
House Finch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow

 

Saturday, July 11:
A Chukar was spotted along Lake Heights Place in Nanaimo. 

Thursday July 09:
Well over forty Common Nighthawks and more than twenty Black Swifts flew over Kite Way in Nanaimo. 

Two Eastern Kingbirds were seen near a pond in Coombs. 

Wednesday July, 01:
Glaucous-winged Gulls, Thayer’s Gulls, Mew Gulls, five  Ring-billed Gulls twelve Bonaparte Gulls and several Common Mergansers, were seen on the water at Union Bay.

Ring-billed Gull: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

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

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 walks will resume on September 08, 2015

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

The Sunday bird walk on July 19, 2015 will be going to Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo.  Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 a.m. or at the parking lot at Buttertubs off Bowen Road at about 9:15 a.m.

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

Sunday 5 July 2015

Nanaimo bird report, July 05, 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, July 05, 2015:
The Sunday bird walk went to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo. The morning was cloudy with smoke clouds and the sun was covered with a smoke screen. Marbled Murrelets, Double-crested Cormorants and Pelagic Cormorant were on the Strait of Georgia. A family of Yellow-rumped Warblers was being fed high up in the conifer trees. A family of five great Blue Herons flew over head.

Pelagic Cormorant: Ralph Hocken Photo.

Twelve birders including visiting birders from the United Kingdom saw and heard the following twenty-six species:
Canada Geese
Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Marbled Murrelet
Great Blue Heron
Belted Kingfisher
Black Oystercatcher
Turkey Vulture
Bald Eagle
Glaucous-winged Gull
  Band-tailed Pigeon
Pacific-sloped Flycatcher
 Yellow-rumped Warbler
Downy Woodpecker
  Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
  Chestnut-backed Chickadee
   Red-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Pacific Wren
Bewick’s Wren
American Robin
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
House Finch 

Tuesday, June 30:
The Tuesday bird walk went to Lot Ten in Qualicum Beach. The morning was sunny and hot but lovely and cool in the forest.  A  Pacific-slope Flycatcher flew in low near the trail and then disappeared in the bushes.   A  Black-headed Grosbeak was singing from high up in a tall conifer.  A pair of Red-breasted Sapsuckers flew in and landed close to the trail.   A large flock of Bushtits were seen flying across the river. We had great views as we watched a very colorful Western Tanager feeding on a tall cedar tree just across the river for about ten minutes.  A flock of Red Crossbills flew overhead.  Swainson's Thrush's filled the morning with their songs and we did seen one on the trail.  Several Turkey Vultures and Violet-green Swallows flew overhead.

 Swainson's Thrush: Ralph Hocken Photo 

Seven birders saw and heard the following thirty-one species:
Turkey Vulture
Spotted Sandpiper
Belted Kingfisher
Anna’s Hummingbird
Rufous Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Downy Woodpecker
 Red-breasted Sapsucker
Red-eyed Vireo
 Pacific-slope Flycatcher
 Warbling Vireo
 Violet-green Swallow
 Chestnut-backed Chickadee
 Brown Creeper
 Bewick's Wren
Bushtit
 Pacific Wren
 Swainson's Thrush
American Robin
Western Tanager
Wilson’s Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
 Spotted Towhee
 Song Sparrow
 Black-headed Grosbeak
 American Goldfinch
 Brown-headed Cowbird
European Starling
Red Crossbill
Purple Finch
Pine Siskin
 

Bushtit: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

 Sunday, June 28:
An Oliver-sided Flycatcher was heard and seen on the hillside behind Colbourne Drive in Nanaimo.

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

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 walks will resume on September 08, 2015

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

The Sunday bird walk on July 12, 2015 will be going to the Ladysmith Harbour in Ladysmith.  Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 a.m. or at the parking area on the left side of Transfer Beach in Ladysmith at about 9:45 a.m.

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