Nanaimo bird report, May 08, 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.

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Sunday, May 08, 2016:

The Sunday bird walk went to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo. The morning was mostly sunny with very strong winds off the Strait of Georgia.  A Wilson’s Warbler entertained us with his song for the longest time near the parking lot and he did appear in the open for us to have a short glimpse.  A MacGillivray’s Warbler and a Warbling Vireo were seen in the same area.  Two Savannah Sparrows were feeding along the shoreline.  A Red-necked Grebe was spotted just off shore.  Two Black Oystercatchers flew along the shoreline, singing all the way. 

                                                   Red-necked Grebe: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

Fifteen birders saw and heard the following thirty-six species:

       Brant Geese     

Canada Geese

Harlequin Duck

Red-necked Grebe

Pelagic Cormorant

Double-crested Cormorant

Glaucous-wing Gull

Great Blue Heron

Bald Eagle

Turkey Vulture

Belted Kingfisher

Black Oystercatcher

Spotted Sandpiper

Downy Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Pacific-slope Flycatcher

Warbling Vireo

Northwestern Crow

Violet-green Swallow

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Brown Creeper

Pacific Wren

Bewick’s Wren

Rufous Hummingbird

Anna’s Hummingbird

American Robin

European Starling

MacGillivray’s Warbler

Orange-crowned Warbler

Wilson’s Warbler

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

Savannah Sparrow

Purple Finch  

Thursday, May 05:

A Black-headed Grosbeak was seen along Morrell Circle in Nanaimo.  

Seven Evening Grosbeaks were seen at the backyard feeders along Meridian Way in Parksville. 

Tuesday, May 03:

The Tuesday bird walk met at the Brant viewing platform in Qualicum Beach and went on to the Little Qualicum River Fish Hatchery. The morning was cloudy with light rain showers but calm winds. One Bonaparte's Gull, seven Pacific Loons and one Common Loon were in their very colorful breeding plumage not far from shore at the viewing platform.  An American Dipper was gathering nesting material and going under the bridge at the Hatchery. We had great views of a Pacific-slope Flycatcher perched  and singing at the top of a tall conifer tree. We heard and then saw a Red-breasted Sapsucker close to the trail.  We first heard a Warbling Vireo singing and after much searching we spotted the Vireo close to the trail.  A Western Tanager, a Hammond’s Flycatcher, a Yellow-rumped Warbler, a Wilson’s Warbler and a Common Yellowthroat as well as several  Black-throated Gray Warblers and Orange-crowned Warblers were heard during the morning. There were a large number of Chipping Sparrows seen throughout the morning. 

                                                                                 

Pacific-slope Flycatcher: Len Bettam Photo. 

Thirteen birders saw and heard the following forty-seven species:

Mallard

Common Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

Pacific Loon

Common Loon

Horned Grebe

Red-necked Grebe

Bald Eagle

Red-tailed Hawk

Black Oystercatcher

American Dipper

Bonaparte's Gull

Mew Gull

Thayer’s Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Belted Kingfisher

Red-breasted Sapsucker

Northern Flicker

Downy Woodpecker

Hairy Woodpecker

Northwestern Crow

Common Raven

Violet-green Swallow

Tree Swallow

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Pacific Wren

American Robin

Rufous Hummingbird

European Starling

Western Tanager

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Black-throated Gray Warbler

Orange-crowned Warbler

Wilson’s Warbler

Common Yellowthroat

Warbling Vireo

Pacific-slope Flycatcher
Hammond’s Flycatcher
Spotted Towhee

Brown-headed Cowbird

Chipping Sparrow

Song Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Red Crossbill

Dark-eyed Junco

American Goldfinch  

                                                                  

Bonaparte's Gull: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

Monday, May 02:

A Western Wood-pewee was spotted in the trees atop Colbourne Drive in the Brook Wood area of Nanaimo. 

Saturday, May 01:

 A Olive-sided Flycatcher was seen along Morrell Circle in Nanaimo.

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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 May 10, 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 at 9:00 a.m. or at the corner of Plummer Road and Shorewood Drive at about 9:10 a.m. 

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The Sunday bird walk on May 15, 2016 will be going to the Beaver  Ponds in Nanoose Bay.  Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 a.m. or follow Highway 19 to Northwest Bay Road.  Take Northwest Bay  Road to Power Point Road and turn right onto Power Point Road.  Go to the four-way stop and proceed about one hundred meters past it to the parking area on the left hand side, at about 9:30 a.m.

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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