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 27 August 2017

Nanaimo bird report, August 27, 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 that when reporting a sighting leave your name and phone number with the date and location of the sighting.

                                             Sunday Bird Walk, August 27 2017:

The Sunday bird walk went to the Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo.  The morning was sunny with cool winds.  Wood Ducks, Green-wing Teal, Hooded Merganser and two Pied-billed Grebes were seen at the start of the walk. We had great views of a Cooper’s Hawk perched at the top of a conifer tree next to the trail. Two Cedar Waxwings were spotted at the top of a snag, giving us great looks.  A Western Tanager stopped at the top of a tree long enough to give us a good look at it.
Pied-billed Grebe: Ralph Hocken Photo.



Twenty-two birders including a visiting birder from Seattle saw and heard following twenty-nine species:

Canada Geese
Mallard,
Wood Duck
Green-wing Teal
Hooded Merganser
Pied-billed Grebe
Great Blue Heron,
Turkey Vulture,
Cooper’s hawk
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Glaucous-winged Gull
Eurasian-collared Doves
Rock Doves
Tree Swallow
Northern Flicker
Anna’s Hummingbird
Orange-crowned Warbler
Cedar Waxwing
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
California Quail
Chestnut-backed Chickadee,
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Marsh Wren
Western Tanager
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
Purple Finch
American Goldfinch
House Finch
House Sparrow.
 
Western Tanager: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

Wednesday August 23
A Great Horned Owl was seen at Neck Point Park on the trail near the last Beach. 

                   The Tuesday Birdwalks will resume on September 5, 2017.

The Sunday Birdwalk on September 03, 2017 will be going to the Nanaimo River Estuary in south Nanaimo.  Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 a.m. or at end of Raines Road at about 9:30 a.m

Good birding
Neil Robins

THE BACKYARD WILDBIRD & NATURE STORE

314 Metral Drive Nanaimo B.C.
V9T-2L8

Phone: 250-390-3669Fax: 250-390-1633





Sunday 20 August 2017

Nanaimo bird report, August 20, 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 that when reporting a sighting to please leave your name and phone number with the date and location of the sighting.

Sunday Bird Walk, August 20 2017
The Sunday bird walk went to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville.  The morning was sunny with calm winds.
Over twenty Steller’s Jays flew into the trees not far from the trail.  This is the first time we have seen the Jay’s for about two years—a great sight!  A large number of Killdeer, Western Sandpipers, Least Sandpipers and a Semi-palmated Plover were seen on the mudflats. Thirty Common Mergansers were seen on the gravel bar just off shore. We spotted a lone White-winged Scoter flying just above the water, heading up the Strait of Georgia.  A Merlin flew in chasing a flock of Western Sandpipers and Least Sandpipers but left empty handed.  A Ring-necked Pheasant was seen along the Art Gallery fence and again just off the trail near the end of the walk.

Steller’s Jay: Ralph Hocken Photo.



Sixteen birders including a visiting birder from Seattle saw and heard the following thirty-nine species:
Canada Geese
Mallard
Common Merganser
White-winged Scoter
Common Loon
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Merlin
Turkey Vulture
Killdeer
Western Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
Semi-palmated Plovers
California Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Band-tailed Pigeon
Eurasian Collared Dove
Anna's Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Northern Flicker
Steller’s Jay
Ring-necked Pheasant
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Brown Creeper
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Bewick's Wren
Cassin’s Vireo
American Robin
Swainson’s Thrush
California Quail
European Starling
Spotted Towhee
                                                                    Song Sparrow
Purple Finch
House Finch
Pine Siskin
American Goldfinch 
Ring-necked Pheasant: Ralph Hocken Photo:

The Tuesday Birdwalks will resume on September 5, 2017.

The Sunday Birdwalk on August 27, 2017 will be going to the Buttertubs marsh in Nanaimo.  Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 a.m. or at the Bowen Road side of Buttertubs at about 9:15 a.m.

Good birding
Neil Robins

THE BACKYARD WILDBIRD & NATURE STORE
314 Metral Drive
 Nanaimo B.C.
V9T-2L8
Phone: 250-390-3669
Fax: 250-390-1633

Friday 18 August 2017

Solar Eclipse 2017

There will be a solar eclipse on August 21. Here's an article about how solar eclipses affect the wildlife around us.

Sunday 13 August 2017

Nanaimo bird report, August 13, 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 sighting.

Sunday Bird Walk, August 13, 2017
The Sunday bird walk went to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo.  The morning was cloudy with strong winds—AND no smoke!  A Marbled Murrelet, a Pigeon Guillemot, a Brandt’s Cormorant and a large number of Double-crested Cormorants and Pelagic Cormorants were seen offshore on the Strait of Georgia. We watched a Bewick's Wren preening itself on a tree not far from the trail.  A Cooper’s Hawk flew overhead at the end of the walk.

Bewick’s Wren: Ralph Hocken Photo.

Fifteen birders saw and heard the following twenty-three species:
Canada Geese,
Marbled Murrelet
Pigeon Guillemot
Brandt’s Cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant,
Pelagic Cormorant
Bald Eagle
Cooper’s Hawk
Turkey Vulture
Great Blue Heron
Heermann’s Gull
California Gull,
Glaucous-winged Gull
Common Raven
Northwestern Crow
Northern Flicker
Anna’s Hummingbird
Chestnut-backed Chickadee,
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Bewick's Wren
Song Sparrow
House Finch
Spotted Towhee
Brandt’s Cormorant: Ralph Hocken Photo:

The Tuesday Birdwalks will resume on September 5, 2017.

The Sunday Birdwalk on August 20, 2017 will be going to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville.  Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 a.m. or at corner of Plummer Road and Shorewood Drive in Parksville at about 9:25 a.m.

Good birding
Neil Robins

THE BACKYARD WILDBIRD & NATURE STORE
314 Metral Drive
 Nanaimo B.C.
V9T-2L8
Phone: 250-390-3669
Fax: 250-390-1633

Monday 7 August 2017

Bird walk, August 13, 2017

Please Note ......

The Sunday Birdwalk on August 13, 2017 will be going to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo.  Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 a.m. or at main parking lot at Neck Point off Hammond Bay Road in Nanaimo at about 9:15 a.m.

Sunday 6 August 2017

Nanaimo bird report, August 06, 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 sighting.

Sunday Bird Walk, August 06, 2017
The Sunday bird walk went to Bowen Park Nanaimo.  The morning was sunny and warm with calm winds and we welcomed the coolness in the forest.
We watched an Anna’s Hummingbird, a Red-breasted Nuthatch and American Robins mobbing a perched Barred Owl not far from the trail.  A flock of Bushtits flew into a conifer next to the trail. We had great views of a Pacific-slope Flycatcher perched on a tree for a long time--it gave everyone a chance to study him well.  An American Dipper stood looking over the river near the trail.


Barred Owl: Ralph Hocken Photo:

Twenty birders saw and heard the following twenty-four species:
Mallard
Barred Owl
Rock Pigeon
 American Dipper
Glaucous-winged Gull
 Anna’s Hummingbird
 Western Tanager
Purple Martin
Northern Flicker
 Pileated Woodpecker
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Northwestern Crow
 Common Raven
California Quail
Orange-crowned Warbler
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
 Pacific-slope Flycatcher
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Bushtit
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
 American Robin
 Spotted Towhee
American Dipper: Ralph Hocken Photo:

Tuesday August 01:
Forty to sixty Common Nighthawks were seen over the 500 block of Louise Road in Ladysmith:

Friday, July 28:
Thirty Western Sandpipers and five Long-billed Dowitchers were seen on the mud flats of the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville.

Monday, July 25:
House Wrens were seen nesting in the 2800, block of Dolphin Drive and in the 3500 block of Shetland Place in Nanoose Bay.

Saturday, July 22:
Western Tanagers were seen in the 3500 block of Shetland Place in Nanoose Bay.

The Tuesday Birdwalks will resume on September 5, 2017

The Sunday Birdwalk on August 13, 2017 will be going to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo.  Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 a.m. or at main parking lot at Neck Point off Hammond Bay Road in Nanaimo at about 9:15 a.m.

Good birding
Neil Robins
THE BACKYARD WILDBIRD & NATURE STORE

314 Metral Drive
 Nanaimo B.C.
V9T-2L8
Phone: 250-390-3669
Fax: 250-390-1633