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 31 January 2016

Nanaimo bird report, January 31, 2016

 

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, January 31, 2016

The Sunday bird walk went to Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo. The morning was cloudy with light rain showers but the wind was calm. We saw seven Great-blue Herons perched in the tall oak trees throughout the morning.  Mallards, Pied-billed Grebe, Ring-necked Ducks, Bufflehead, Hooded Mergansers and Wood Ducks were on the marsh. We heard a Virginia Rail singing near the trail. 
                                                      Great-blue Heron: Ralph Hocken Photo.

Fourteen birders including two visiting birders from Campbell River saw and heard the following thirty-three species.
Canada Geese
Great-blue Heron
Mallard
Pied-billed Grebe
Ring-necked Duck
Bufflehead
Hooded Merganser
Wood Duck
Glaucous-winged Gull
Bald Eagle
Red-tail Hawk
Virginia Rail
Anna’s Hummingbird
Downy Woodpecker
Common Raven
Northwestern crow
Steller’s Jay
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Bewick’s Wren
Marsh Wren
American Robin
European Starling
Red-winged Blackbird
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
American Goldfinch
House Finch
House Sparrow 

Tuesday, January 26 
The Tuesday bird walk went to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. The morning started out with light rain but the rain soon stopped making for a pleasant time for birding.  As we started on our walk a Brown Creeper flew in over the trail and hurried up a conifer tree.  Many Bald Eagles and Canada Geese were seen and heard as the morning went on. Six Gadwall and several Green-winged Teal were feeding along the edge of the estuary. Many small flocks of Brant Geese, Common Murre, Dunlin, Black Turnstones and Black-bellied Plovers were seen heading down the Strait of Georgia. 
                                                         Brant on the wing: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

Twelve birders including two visiting birders from Regina saw and heard the following fifty-four species
Canada Geese
Brant
American Wigeon
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Gadwall
Surf Scoter
Harlequin Duck
Greater Scaup
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Red-breasted Merganser
Common Merganser
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Brandt’s Cormorant
Belted Kingfisher
Great Blue Heron
Common Murre
Dunlin
Black Turnstone
Black-bellied Plover
Bald Eagle
Cooper’s Hawk
Mew Gull
Thayer's Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
European Startling
Northern Flicker
Steller’s Jay
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Anna’s Hummingbird
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Brown Creeper
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Red-breasted Nuthatch
American Robin
Varied Thrush
Brewer’s Blackbird
Red-wing Blackbird
Spotted Towhee
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
House Finch
Purple Finch
Pine Siskin

 
                                            Dunlin & Black-bellied Plovers in flight: 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 walk on February 02, 2016 will be going to Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park in Parksville. Meet at the Parksville Community Park near the Lions Club Kids Playground Parking Lot at 9:00 a.m. or at the main parking lot at Rathtrevor Park at about 9:10 a.m. 

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

The Sunday bird walk on February 07, 2016 will be going to the Nanaimo River Estuary in south Nanaimo. Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 a.m. or at the end of Raines Road at about 9:30 a.m. 

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

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.co

Tuesday 26 January 2016

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, January 26, 2016

The Tuesday bird walk went to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. The morning started out with light rain but the rain soon stopped making for a pleasant time for birding.  As we started on our walk a Brown Creeper flew in over the trail and hurried up a conifer tree.  Many Bald Eagles and Canada Geese were seen and heard as the morning went on. Six Gadwall and several Green-winged Teal were feeding along the edge of the estuary. Many small flocks of Brant Geese, Common Murre, Dunlin, Black Turnstones and Black-bellied Plovers were seen heading down the Strait of Georgia. 

                                                              Brant on the wing: Ralph Hocken Photo.
 

Twelve birders including two visiting birders from Regina saw and heard the following fifty-four species
Canada Geese
Brant
American Wigeon
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Gadwall
Surf Scoter
Harlequin Duck
Greater Scaup
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Red-breasted Merganser
Common Merganser
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Brandt’s Cormorant
Belted Kingfisher
Great Blue Heron
Common Murre
Dunlin
Black Turnstone
Black-bellied Plover
Bald Eagle
Cooper’s Hawk
Mew Gull
Thayer's Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
European Startling
Northern Flicker
Steller’s Jay
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Anna’s Hummingbird
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Brown Creeper
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Red-breasted Nuthatch
American Robin
Varied Thrush
Brewer’s Blackbird
Red-wing Blackbird
Spotted Towhee
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
House Finch
Purple Finch
Pine Siskin 

                                              Dunlin & Black-bellied Plovers in flight: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

The Tuesday bird walk on February 02, 2016 will be going to Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park in Parksville. Meet at the Parksville Community Park near the Lions Club Kids Playground Parking Lot at 9:00 a.m. or at the main parking lot at Rathtrevor Park at about 9:10 a.m. 

Good birding
Neil Robins
Parksville.
thebirdstore.blogspot.com

Sunday 24 January 2016

Nanaimo bird report, January 24, 2016

 

BIRD REPORT
“EXPLORE NATURE”---GO BIRDING:
To report your sightings phone the Store at 250-390-3669 or e-mail us at
Please remember, when reporting a sighting, to leave your name and phone
number along with the date, the species and location of your sighting.
******************************************************************** 

January 24, 2016
The Sunday bird walk went to Bowen Park in Nanaimo. The morning started out foggy but soon the sun was shining. The river was running full and forceful. We watched as a Common Merganser dove into the falls and then reappeared down the river.  Bewick's Wrens and Pacific Wrens entertained us with their singing throughout the morning.  A Varied Thrush was tossing leaves just off the trail as the walk ended.
Twenty-one birders saw and hear the following nineteen species.
Mallard
Common Merganser
Glaucous-winged Gull
American Dipper
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Anna's Hummingbird
Northern Flicker
Steller’s Jay
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Bewick's Wren
Pacific Wren
American Robin
Varied Thrush
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Red Crossbills
Pine Siskin

Thursday, January 21.
Evening Grosbeaks were seen near Chase River and Douglas Avenue in Nanaimo.    

Tuesday, January 19.
The Tuesday bird walk went to the Little Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum Beach. The morning was partly sunny with calm winds making for a good day of birding.
A large number of Black-bellied Plovers, Black Turnstones, Black Oystercatchers and one lone Dunlin greeted us at the viewing tower.  There was a flock of Ancient Murrelets further off shore. We had the unusual sighting of four River Otters swimming and playing at the mouth of the river. There were also many Seals offshore keeping an eye on us. The trees around the estuary were loaded with Bald Eagles.  Four Trumpeter Swans and large numbers of Great Blue Herons were resting on the estuary. Hundreds and hundreds of Pacific Loons and Common Murre were flying down the Strait of  Georgia.                                                                    
Twenty birders saw and heard the following sixty species:
Canada Goose
Snow Goose
Trumpeter Swan
Mallard
American Widgeon
Green-winged Teal
Northern Pintail
Greater Scaup
Harlequin Duck
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Merlin
Cooper’s Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Black-bellied Plover
Black Turnstone
Dunlin
Black Oystercatcher
Killdeer
Mew Gull
California Gull
Thayer's Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Common Murre
Ancient Murrelet
California Quail
Belted Kingfisher
Northern Flicker
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Anna’s Hummingbird
Pacific Wren
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
European Starling
Spotted Towhee
Fox Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Red-winged Blackbird
Purple Finch
House Finch
House Sparrow     

Monday, January 18.
Fifteen Red Crossbills were seen in Saltair.   

Saturday January 15.
Common Redpolls and a Lincoln’s Sparrow were seen at Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo.  

Wednesday, January 13.
A Clark’s Grebe was spotted offshore at Columbia Beach. 

********************************************************************
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 January 26, 2016 will be going to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville. Meet at the Parksville Community Park near the Lions Club Kids Playground Parking Lot at 9:00 a.m. or at the corner of Plummer Road and Shorewood Drive at about 9:10 a.m.  

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

The Sunday bird walk on January 31, 2016 will be going to Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo. Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 a.m. or at the parking lot at Buttertubs Marsh off Bowen Road about 9:15 a.m.
***************************************************************************************
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.co

Tuesday 19 January 2016

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, January 19, 2016

The Tuesday bird walk went to the Little Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum Beach. The morning was partly sunny with calm winds making a good day for birding. 
A large number of Black-bellied Plovers, Black Turnstones, Black Oystercatchers and one lone Dunlin greeted us at the viewing tower.  There was a flock of Ancient Murrelets further off shore. We had the unusual sighting of four River Otters swimming and playing at the mouth of the river. There were also many Seals offshore keeping an eye on us. The trees around the estuary were loaded with Bald Eagles.  Four Trumpeter Swans and large numbers of Great Blue Herons were resting on the estuary. Hundreds and hundreds of Pacific Loons and Common Murre were flying down the Strait of Georgia.

                                                                               River Otters: Len Bettam Photo. 

Twenty birders saw and heard the following sixty species:
Canada Goose
Snow Goose
Trumpeter Swan
Mallard
American Widgeon
Green-winged Teal
Northern Pintail
Greater Scaup
Harlequin Duck
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Merlin
Cooper’s Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Black-bellied Plover
Black Turnstone
Dunlin
Black Oystercatcher
Killdeer
Mew Gull
California Gull
Thayer's Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Common Murre
Ancient Murrelet
California Quail
Belted Kingfisher
Northern Flicker
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Anna’s Hummingbird
Pacific Wren
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
European Starling
Spotted Towhee
Fox Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Red-winged Blackbird
Purple Finch
House Finch
House Sparrow

 

                                                                       Bald Eagle: Rosemary Taylor Photo. 

The Tuesday bird walk on January 26, 2016 will be going to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville. Meet at the Parksville Community Park near the Lions Club Kids Playground Parking Lot at 9:00 a.m. or at the corner of Plummer Road and Shorewood Drive at about 9:10 a.m. 

Good birding
Neil Robins
Parksville 

Thebirdstore.blogspot.com

Sunday 17 January 2016

Nanaimo bird report, January 17, 2016


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.
********************************************************************

January 17, 2016

The Sunday bird walk went to Nanoose Bay. The morning was cloudy with rain and strong winds off the Strait of Georgia. Large numbers of Northwestern Crows were mobbing a Common Raven during the morning. Many Mew Gulls were roosting on the water.  A Northern Shrike was perched on a short bush checking out the meadows for prey. Spotted Towhees,

  Fox Sparrows  Song Sparrows and  Golden-crowned Sparrows were feeding on the ground near the parking area.

Northern Shrike: Ralph Hocken Photo.



Two birders saw and hear the following twenty-four species.

American Wigeon

Mallard

Northern Pintail

Green-winged Teal

Bufflehead

 Common Goldeneye

Bald Eagle

Northern Shrike

Common Raven

Northwestern Crow

Golden-crowned Kinglet

 Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Bewick’s Wren

 Killdeer

 Mew Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Great Blue Heron

Northern Flicker

 European Starling

 Spotted Towhee

  Fox Sparrow

 Song Sparrow

 Golden-crowned Sparrow

Red-winged Blackbird



Thursday, January 14.

Three Black Oystercatchers and several Harlequin Ducks were seen at Moorecroft Park in Nanoose.





Tuesday, January 12.

The Tuesday bird walk went to Columbia Beach. The morning was cloudy with steady rain and a strong wind blasting off the Strait of Georgia.  The tide was a high King Tide. Harlequin Ducks, Surf Scoters, Bufflehead and Common Goldeneye were just offshore swimming in the high waves playing hide and seek with us. We spotted many flocks of Common Murre and Pacific Loon racing up the strait with the strong wind behind them.  Black Oystercatchers, Killdeer, Black Turnstone, Black-bellied Plovers, Gulls and Dunlin were feeding and resting along the gravel bar, as the tide was going out.

 



Common Murre: Ralph Hocken Photo.



Seven dedicated  birders saw and heard the following thirty-six species:

Canada Geese

Brant

Harlequin Duck

Surf Scoter

Bufflehead

Common Goldeneye

Common Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

Pacific Loon

Common Loon

Horned Grebe

Red-necked Grebe

Common Murre

Double-crested Cormorant

Pelagic Cormorant

Bald Eagle

Black Oystercatcher

Killdeer

Black Turnstone

Black-bellied Plover

Dunlin

Mew Gull

Thayer's Gull

California Gull

Ring-billed Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Northern Flicker

Northwestern Crow

American Robin

Anna’s Hummingbird

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

House Finch

Pine Siskin



Black Oystercatchers: Ralph Hocken Photo.



Monday, January 11.

A Townsend’s Warbler has been visiting backyard feeders along Clubhouse Drive in Qualicum Beach.



Over twenty Evening Grosbeaks were seen at backyard feeders along Rosstown Road in Nanaimo.



Sunday, January 10.

A Coopers Hawk has been visiting feeders along Overlook Drive in Nanaimo.



Saturday, January 09.

A Townsend’s Solitaire was spotted sitting on a fence along Meridian Way in Parksville.

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

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 January 19 will be going to the Little Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum Beach. Meet at the parking lot near the Lions Club Kids Playground at Parksville Community Park at 9:00 a.m. or at the Brant viewing platform in north Qualicum Beach at about 9:20 a.m.

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

The Sunday bird walk on January 24, 2016 will be going to Bowen Park in Nanaimo. Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 a.m. or at the Bowen Park parking lot off Bowen Road near the bowling green at the park about 9:15 a.m.

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

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


Friday 15 January 2016

Sunday, January 10, 2016 Bird Report


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.
********************************************************************



Friday, January 01, 2016



White-throated Sparrow was sighted around Bluebell Terrace in Central Nanaimo



Sunday, January 4, 2016



Red Crossbills have been seen frequenting the area around Thunderbird Cres.



Sunday, January 09, 2016



12 Evening Grosbeaks were seen visiting a feeder on Rosstown Rd. and Brianwood Pl. near the Bailey Theatre

 



Sunday, January 10, 2016

The Sunday bird walk went to Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park in Parksville, where the highlight on the sunny, calm wind day was watching a flock of chickadees, a golden-crowned kinglet and a ruby-crowned kinglet bathing in a water puddle along the camp ground road.



Golden-crowned Kinglet: Ralph Hocken Photo.



Birders saw and heard the following forty-one species:

Common Loon

Horned Grebe

Double-crested Cormorant

Mallard

Bufflehead

Surf Scoter

White-winged Scoter

Brant

Glaucous-winged Gull

Mew Gull

Bald Eagle

Pigeon Guillemot

Anna’s hummingbird

Common Raven

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Bewick’s Wren

Pacific Wren

Varied Thrush

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Black Turnstone

Black-bellied Plover

Dunlin

Red-breasted Merganser

Barred Owl

Red-necked Grebe

Northern Pintail

California Gull

Thayer’s Gull

Common Goldeneye

Ancient Murrlets

Common Merganser

Barrow’s Goldeneye

Harlequin Duck

Long-tailed Duck

Pacific Loon

Common Murre



Tuesday, January 05 2016



The Tuesday bird walk went to Deep Bay. The morning started out cloudy and cool with calm winds.  Snow started to fall and became very heavy as the morning progressed.  The Strait of Georgia was clouded over with the heavy snow. The Black Scoters were singing for most of the morning.  We saw hundreds of Surf Scoters, White-winged Scoters and Black Scoters just off shore. We were greeted by a large number of Long-tailed Ducks about ten feet off the point, along with a Pigeon Guillemot in winter plumage, making for an exciting bird watching experience.





Pigeon Guillemot: Ralph Hocken Photo





Thirteen birders including a visiting birder from New Brunswick saw and heard the following fifty-three species:

Canada Geese

American Widgeon

 Mallard

Harlequin Duck

Bufflehead

Surf Scoter

White-winged Scoter

Black Scoter

Long-tailed Duck

Greater Scaup

Common Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

Common Loon

Red-necked Grebe

Horned Grebe

Pelagic Cormorant

Double-crested Cormorant

Brandt’s Cormorant

Pigeon Guillemot

Great Blue Heron

Bald Eagle

Merlin

Black Oystercatcher

Killdeer

Black-bellied Plover

Black Turnstone

Mew Gull

California Gull

Thayer’s Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Rock Pigeon

Northwestern Crow

Common Raven

Northern Flicker

Anna’s Hummingbird

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Bewick’s Wren

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

American Robin

European Starling

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

House Finch

Pine Siskin

House Sparrow



Long-tailed Duck: 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 walk on January 12, 2016 will be going to Columbia Beach. Meet at the Parksville Community Park at the parking lot near the Lions Club Kids playground at 9:00 a.m. or at the parking lot at the parking area off Admiral Tyron Bld. at about 9:15am.

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

The Sunday bird walk on January 16, 2016 will be going to the Nanoose Estuary. Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 a.m. or at the Nanoose Estuary at about 9:30 a.m.

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

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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Tuesday 12 January 2016

The Tuesday bird walk went to Columbia Beach. The morning was cloudy with steady rain and a strong wind blasting off the Strait of Georgia, the tide was a strong high king tide. Harlequin Ducks, Surf Scoters, Bufflehead and Common Goldeneye were just offshore swimming in the strong waves playing hide and seek with us. We spotted many flocks of Common Murre and Pacific Loon racing up the strait with the strong wind behind them. Black Oystercatchers, Killdeer, Black Turnstone, Black-bellied Plovers, Gulls and Dunlin were feeding and resting along the gravel bar, as the tide was going out. 

                                                             Common Murre: Ralph Hocken Photo.

Seven dedicated birders saw and heard the following thirty-six species:
Canada Geese
Brant
Harlequin Duck
Surf Scoter
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Common Murre
Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
                                                                 Bald Eagle
Black Oystercatcher
Killdeer
Black Turnstone
Black-bellied Plover
Dunlin
Mew Gull
Thayer's Gull
California Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Northern Flicker
Northwestern Crow
American Robin
Anna’s Hummingbird
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
House Finch
Pine Siskin
 

Black Oystercatchers: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

The Tuesday bird walk on January 19, 2016 will be going to the Little Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum Beach. Meet at the Parksville Community Park at the parking lot near the Lions Club Kids Playground at 9:00 a.m. or at the Brant viewing platform in north Qualicum Beach at about 9:20 a.m. 

Good birding
Neil Robins
Parksville

Thebirdstore.blogspot.com