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 by 8am the day of the walk.

Tuesday 6 December 2016

Bird Report December 4 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, December 4, 2016
The Sunday bird walk went to the Shelley Rd. side of the Englishman River estuary in Parksville. The weather was a nice, cool, winter morning with lots of wind resulting in some crazy waves. We were able to see some great views of some Brant as they flew out of the estuary. 

Brant: Ralph Hocken Photo.
Eighteen birders saw and heard the following thirty-eight species
Double-breasted Cormorant
Mallard
American Widgeon
 Northern Pintail
White-winged Scoter
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Barrow’s Goldeneye
Common Merganser
Common Loon
Great Blue Heron
Belted Kingfisher
Bald Eagle
Glaucous-winged Gull
Thayer’s Gull
Surf Scoter
Mew Gull
California Gull
Anna’s Hummingbird
Northern Flicker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northwestern Crown
Common Raven
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Bewick’s Wren
American Robin
Spotted Towhee
Fox Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Pacific Wren
Pine Siskin
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Eurasian Widgeon
Hooded Merganser
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Brant

November 28 2016
A Swainson’s thrush was spotted north of Nile’s Creek.

November 25 2016
A yellow-rumped warbler was spotted between Rym rd. and Highway 19

November 24 2016
Two western grebes were spotted in Departure Bay

December 4 2016
Due to the cold weather a birder reported seeing seven Anna’s Hummingbirds at their hummingbird feeder in the morning at Fairbanks Rd.


Tuesday, December 6 2016

The Parksville/Qualicum Beach bird walk was to go to Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park.  Unfortunately, due to the snowfall causing tree damage and possible danger to visitors the park was closed.  We therefore headed over to Plummer Road.  It was a brisk, snow covered morning with several sunny breaks.  We saw two flocks of Snow Geese fly over and spotted 4 Trumpeter Swans in the estuary.   We had great views of a Cooper’s Hawk perched high on a branch at the start of our walk, and we also got our first of the season view of several Varied Thrush.  Once we were on the ocean side we viewed hundreds of Ancient Murrelet’s flying low over the water.


12 adventurous birders saw and heard the following 51 species:

Canada Geese
Snow Geese
Brant
Trumpeter Swan
American Widgeon
Mallard
Greater Scaup
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Harlequin Duck
Long-tailed Duck
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Barrow’s Goldeneye
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Brandt’s Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Ancient Murrelet
Marbled Murrelet
Common Murre
Great Blue Heron
Belted Kingfisher
Bald Eagle
Cooper’s Hawk
Mew Gull
California Gull
Thayer’s Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Herring Gull
Northern Flicker
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Anna’s Hummingbird
American Robin
Varied Thrush
Spotted Towhee
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Purple Finch
Pine Siskin
House Finch

Good Birding,
Rhonda Fleming
Parksville

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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 December 13, 2016 will be returning to Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park in Parksville. Meet at the Parksville Community Park at the parking lot near the Lions Club Kids Playground at 9:00 a.m. or at the main parking lot at Rathtrevor Park at about 9:10 a.m.

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The Sunday bird walk will resume in January. Happy holidays everyone!
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Good birding
Colin Bartlett

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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