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.

Tuesday 31 January 2017

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, January 31, 2017

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday Bird Walk.

The Tuesday bird walk on January 31, 2017 went to Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park in Parksville. The morning was mostly sunny with calm winds, although the Strait of Georgia was a little rough and the tide was high. We saw sixty Brant Geese, hundreds of Dunlin, six Black Turnstones, twelve Black-bellied Plovers and one Black Oystercatcher all feeding along the tide line not far from us. We saw Wing-winged Scoters, Bufflehead, Barrow’s Goldeneye, Common Goldeneye, Long-tailed Duck, Common Mergansers, Red-breasted Mergansers, Pacific Loons and Common Loons further off shore. A Red-breasted Sapsucker flew across the road and landed in a tall conifer. A Hermit Thrush was spotted in the grass and then flew into a bushy area.  We spotted the Thrush again at the edge of a bush where it stayed for a long time giving us all excellent views.
 



Hermit Thrush: John Purves Photo.
 



 
Twenty-two birders including a visiting birder from Finland saw and heard the following forty-eight species:

Canada Geese 
Brant
Harlequin Duck
Greater Scaup
Surf Scoter
Wing-winged Scoter
Bufflehead
Barrow’s Goldeneye
Common Goldeneye
Long-tailed Duck
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Western Grebe
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Pelagic Cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant
Marbled Murrelet
Common Murre
Mew Gull
Thayer's Gull
California Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Dunlin
Black Turnstone
Black-bellied Plover
Black Oystercatcher
Bald Eagle
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Northern Flicker
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
American Robin
Hermit Thrush
Anna’s Hummingbird
Brown Creeper
Bewick’s Wren
Pacific Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Spotted Towhee
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Song Sparrow 

Dunlin: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

The Tuesday bird walk on February 07, 2017 will be going to Deep Bay. Meet at the Parksville Community Park at the parking lot near the Lions Club Playground at 9:00 a.m. or at the Deep Bay Marine parking lot at about 9:30 a.m. 

Good birding
Neil Robins
Parksville
 
 http://thebirdstore.blogspot.ca/

       thebackyard@shaw.ca

Sunday 29 January 2017

Nanaimo bird report, January 29, 2017


“Nanaimo bird report”

“Explore Nature--Go Birding”

To report your sightings call the birdstore at 250-390-3669 or e-mail thebirdstore@shaw.ca
Please remember when reporting a sighting please leave your name and phone number with the date and location of the sightings.



The Sunday bird walk on January 29, 2017 went to Buttertubs Marsh Nanaimo. The morning was cloudy with rain showers but calm winds.

We spotted two Varied Thrush perched in a tree next to the trail, an Anna’s Humming was also flitting around in the same tree.  Over twenty Cedar Waxwings

were feeding on a berry tree just off the trail giving us great views. Many Bufflehead, one Hooded Merganser, several Ring-necked Ducks one Pied-billed Grebe and

twelve Wood Ducks were seen on the marsh.





Varied Thrush: Ralph Hocken Photo.



Fourteen birders was and heard the following thirty-two species:

Canada Geese

Mallard

Bufflehead

Hooded Merganser

Ring-necked Duck

Pied-billed Grebe

Wood Duck

Belted Kingfisher

Double-crested Cormorant

Glaucous-winged Gull

Downy Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Northwestern Crow

Common Raven

California Quail

European Starling

Brewer’s Blackbird

Red-winged Blackbird

Anna’s Hummingbird

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Pacific Wren

Marsh Wren

Bewick's Wren

American Robin

Varied Thrush

Cedar Waxwing

Spotted Towhee

Golden-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed  Junco                                                                                                                                    Purple Finch

House Finch

House Sparrow





Cedar Waxwings: Ralph Hocken Photo.



Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, January 24, 2017

The Tuesday bird walk on January 24, 2017 went to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. The morning was sunny and the winds were calm. The the tide was high so mud flats had lots of water.  Large flocks of American Wigeon, Mallards, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, two Killdeer, one Hooded Merganser and two Gadwall were feeding on the mud flats. We saw Surf Scoters, White-winged Scoters, three Long-tailed Ducks, Pacific Loons, Common Loons, Horned Grebes and Red-necked Grebes on the Strait of Georgia during the morning.  A Coopers Hawk flew past us and landed on a tall tree next to the road giving us great views as it looked down on us.



Seventeen birders saw and heard the following forty-four species:

Canada Geese

Brant

American Wigeon

Mallard

Northern Pintail

Green-winged Teal

Gadwall

Harlequin Duck

Surf Scoter

White-winged Scoter

Long-tailed Duck

Bufflehead

Barrow’s Goldeneye

Common Goldeneye

Red-breasted Merganser

Common Merganser

Hooded Merganser

Pacific Loon

Common Loon

Horned Grebe

Red-necked Grebe

Double-crested Cormorant

Brandt's Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Bald Eagle

Cooper’s Hawk

Mew Gull

Thayer's Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Common Murre

Killdeer

Downy Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Eurasian-collared Dove

Northwestern Crow

Common Raven

Anna’s Hummingbird

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Bewick's Wren

Golden-crowned Kinglet

American Robin

Spotted Towhee

Dark-eyed Junco

                                                                                                                                                                                          Purple Finch

House Finch





                                               Friday, January 27:

The Birdstore received a report of a possible Three-toed Woodpecker feeding in a backyard in Parksville.



Sunday, January 22:

 Ten Northern Flickers were seen perched in a tree in the 3200 block of Singleton Road in Nanaimo.



The Tuesday bird walk on January 31, 2017 will be going to Rathtrevor 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.

The Sunday bird walk on February 05,  2017 will be going to the Bowen Park in Nanaimo. Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 a.m. or at the main parking lot off  Bowen Road in Bowen park near the Lawn Bowling Green’s  at about 9:15 a.m



Good birding

Neil Robins




6314 Metral Drive

Nanaimo B.C.

V9T-2L8

Phone: 250-390-3669

Fax: 250-390-1633


Blog: www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com


Tuesday 24 January 2017

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, January 24, 2017

The Tuesday bird walk went to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. The morning was sunny and the winds were calm. The the tide was high so mud flats had lots of water.  Large flocks of American Wigeon, Mallards, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, two Killdeer, one Hooded Merganser and two Gadwall were feeding on the mud flats. We saw Surf Scoters, White-winged Scoters, three Long-tailed Ducks, Pacific Loons, Common Loons, Horned Grebes and Red-necked Grebes on the Strait of Georgia during the morning.  A Coopers Hawk flew past us and landed on a tall tree next to the road giving us great views as it looked down on us.

                                            Long-tailed Duck: Ralph Hocken Photo.

Seventeen birders saw and heard the following forty-four species:
Canada Geese
Brant
American Wigeon
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Gadwall
Harlequin Duck
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Bufflehead
Barrow’s Goldeneye
Common Goldeneye
Red-breasted Merganser
Common Merganser
Hooded Merganser
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Brandt's Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Cooper’s Hawk
Mew Gull
Thayer's Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Common Murre
Killdeer
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Eurasian-collared Dove
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Anna’s Hummingbird
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Bewick's Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
American Robin
Spotted Towhee
Dark-eyed Junco
                                                     Purple Finch
House Finch

                                             Green-winged Teal: Ralph Hocken Photo.

The Tuesday bird walk on January 31, 2017 will be going to Rathtrevor 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.
 
Good birding
Neil Robins
Parksville
 

       thebackyard@shaw.ca

Sunday 22 January 2017

Nanaimo bird report, January 22, 2017


“Nanaimo bird report”
“Explore Nature--Go Birding”
To report your sightings call the birdstore at 250-390-3669 or e-mail thebirdstore@shaw.ca
Please remember when reporting a sighting please leave your name and phone number with the date and location of the sightings.

The Sunday bird walk on January 22, 2017 went to the Nanaimo River Estuary in south Nanaimo. The morning was cloudy with rain showers but calm winds.

Western Meadowlarks were spotted along the fence post line.  Four Trumpeter Swans were resting in the estuary and then twenty more flew in and landed near the tide line.  We spotted a Northern Shrike perched in a tall bush on the estuary and then watched him throughout the morning.
Nineteen birders saw and heard the following thirty-six species:
Trumpeter Swan
Canada Geese
Mallard
Greater Scaup
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Bufflehead
 Common Goldeneye
Surf Scoter
Red-breasted Merganser
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser
Belted Kingfisher
Bald Eagle
Northern Shrike
Northern Harrier
Common Raven
Northwestern Crow
American Robin
Western Meadowlark
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Bushtit
Bewick’s Wren
 Killdeer
 Mew Gull
Thayer’s Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Great Blue Heron
Northern Flicker
 European Starling
 Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
 Golden-crowned Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird


Western Meadowlark: Ralph Hocken Photo. 



Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday Bird Walk January 17, 2017 

This week’s Tuesday Bird Walk went to the Little Qualicum River Estuary in north Qualicum Beach. The morning was cloudy with a very strong wind off the Strait Of Georgia.  Black-bellied Plovers, Black Turnstones, Black Oystercatchers and Killdeer were seen walking not far from us along the tide line.  Large flocks of Greater Scaup, Surf Scoters, White-winged Scoters and Black Scoters were seen bouncing in the waves not far from shore.  Thirty-two seals were lounging on the gravel bar near the estuary. We spotted twenty Trumpeter Swans along the river and the estuary during the morning. A large number of great Blue Heron were resting in the tall grass on the estuary.

Twelve birders saw and heard the following thirty-four species.
Canada Geese
Brant
Trumpeter Swan

Mallard

American Widgeon

Green-winged Teal

Northern Pintail

Lesser Scaup

Greater Scaup

Surf Scoter

White-winged Scoter

Black Scoter

Bufflehead

Common Goldeneye

Common Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

Red-necked Grebe

Great Blue Heron

Black-bellied Plover

Black Turnstone

Dunlin

Black Oystercatcher

Killdeer

Mew Gull

California Gull

Thayer's Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Common Murre

Marbled Murrelet

Northwestern Crow

Common Raven

Anna’s Hummingbird

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Dark-eyed Junco



The Tuesday bird walk on January 24, 2017 will be going to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville. Meet at the Parksville Community Park at the parking lot next to the Lions Club Kids Playground at 9:00 a.m. or at the corner of Plummer Road and Shorewood Drive, on the Oceanside of Highway 19a at about 9:10 a.m.

The Sunday bird walk on January 29, 2017 will be going to the Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo. Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 a.m. or at the Jingle Pot Road side of Buttertubs at about 9:15 a.m


Good birding,

Neil Robins



       thebackyard@shaw.ca




Tuesday 17 January 2017

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, January 17, 2017

The Tuesday bird walk went to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville. The wind was blasting off the Strait of Georgia and through the forest all morning.  We saw Golden-crowned Kinglets feeding on the trail just ahead of us at the start of the walk.  We spotted a pair of Varied Thrush not far from the trail and they gave us a great show playing around with each other.  There was a young Peregrine Falcon perched in a tall tree swaying in the wind not far from us.  Surf Scoters and White-wing Scoters were playing hide and seek with us in the choppy waters on the Strait.  Common Loons and Pacific Loons were seen flying just above the water heading down the Strait.


                                                 Peregrine Falcon: Ralph Hocken Photo.

Nine dedicated birders, including a visiting birder from Whitehorse, saw and heard the following forty species:

Canada Geese
Cackling Goose
Brant
 American Widgeon
 Mallard
Northern Pintail
Green-wing Teal
Gadwall
 Surf Scoter
White-wing Scoter
 Bufflehead
 Common Goldeneye
Red-necked Grebe
 Common Merganser
 Common Loon
 Pacific Loon
 Great Blue Heron
 Bald Eagle
Peregrine Falcon
 Mew Gull
 Thayer's Gull
 Glaucous-winged Gull
 Anna's Hummingbird
 Northern Flicker
Hairy Woodpecker
  Northwestern Crow
 Common Raven
American Robin
Varied Thrush
 Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Brown Creeper
Pacific Wren
Bewick’s Wren
 Spotted Towhee
 Song Sparrow
 Golden-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
 House Finch
American Goldfinch 


Varied Thrush: Ralph Hocken Photo.

The Tuesday bird walk on January 24, 2017 will be going to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville. Meet at the parking lot next to the Lions kid playground in the Parksville Community Park 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 

 http://thebirdstore.blogspot.ca/

       thebackyard@shaw.ca