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 November 2015

Nanaimo bird report, November 01, 2015


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, November 01, 2015  
The Sunday bird walk went to the Nanaimo River Estuary in south Nanaimo. The morning was cloudy to begin with but heavy rains started and ended the walk at about 10:40 am. We did see a large number of Barrow’s Goldeneye on the river.  A Northern Harrier put in an appearance.
 A Short-eared Owl put on a show for us for about ten minutes—making the wet morning well worth it.  Ten Western Meadowlarks flew over the estuary as the Short-eared Owl was hunting for prey.  Over two hundred American Widgeon were sitting on the rising tides. 

Short-eared Owl: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

Twenty-one hardy birders saw and heard the following twenty-six species:
Canada Geese
Mallard
American Widgeon
Barrow’s Goldeneye
Northern Pintail
Great Blue Heron
  Bald Eagle
Short-eared Owl
Cooper’s Hawk
Northern Harrier
Thayer’s Gull
California Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Northern Flicker
  Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
  Western Meadowlark
  American Robin
Spotted Towhee
Bewick’s Wren
Red-wing Blackbird
Song Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
 Purple Finch  
Saturday, October 31:
A Northern Pygmy Owl was seen near the Oak Trees close to the town houses at Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo 

A Barred Owl was spotted at Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo
 
                                 Tuesday, October 27:
The Tuesday bird walk went to the Shelly road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. The morning was cloudy and cool. Three Trumpeter Swans flew over head and headed down the island.  We saw a Northern Shrike perched near Surfside and another one perched near the river. A flock of over two hundred noisy Pine Siskins landed in the top of the trees near the trail.  A large flock of Black Turnstones landed near the gravel bar that was loaded with a large number of gulls just off shore.  We spotted a Eurasian Wigeon in with the American Wigeon near the tide line.  A Cooper’s Hawk was perched just off the trail at the end of the walk.
                Seventeen birders saw and heard the following fifty-eight species:
Trumpeter Swan
Canada Goose
Eurasian Wigeon
American Wigeon
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Harlequin Duck
Greater Scaup
Green-wing Teal
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
 Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Brandt’s Cormorant 
Pelagic Cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Cooper’s Hawk
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Northern Shrike
Black Turnstone
Mew Gull
Bonaparte’s Gull
California Gull
Thayer's Gull
Western Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Anna's Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Northern Flicker
Steller's Jay
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
California Quail
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Bewick's Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
American Robin
Varied Thrush
European Starling
Spotted Towhee
Lincoln's Sparrow 
Song Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Red-winged Blackbird
Brewer's Blackbird
House Finch
Purple Finch
American Goldfinch
Pine Siskin  

Eurasian Wigeon: Ralph Hocken Photo.g Eider and a Red-throated Loon were seen on the Strait of Georgia looking from Madronia Point and looking towards Rathtrevor Park, in Parksville.

A King Eider and a Red-throated Loon were seen on the Strait of Georgia looking from Madronia Point and looking towards Rathtrevor Park, in Parksville.A King Eider and a Red-throated Loon were seen on the Strait of Georgia looking from Madronia Point and looking towards Rathtrevor Park, in Parksvi ********************************************************************************
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 November 03 will be going to Columbia Beach. Meet at the Parksville Community Park at the parking lot near the Lions club Playground at 9:00 a.m. or at the parking area off Admiral Tyron Bld. (take Columbia Drive off highway 19a turn right on Admiral Tyron Bld. Go about 100 yards to the parking area on the left.) 

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The Sunday bird walk on November 08, 2015 will be going Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo.  Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 a.m. or at parking lot at Buttertubs Marsh, off Bowen Road at about 9:15 am.
 

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British Columbia Rare Bird Alert link---
http://www.bcbirdalert.blogspot.ca/
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Rare Birds of Vancouver Island:

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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.co

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