Nanaimo Bird Report October 3, 2018

Nanaimo Bird Report, October 3, 2018.

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 Bird Walk, September 30, 2018

The Sunday bird walk went to the Englishman River Estuary, Shelley road side. Weather was cloudy and cool but no rain during our walk and the tide was high. Things were quiet walking through the woods but picked up closer to the estuary where we saw a small flock of Yellow-rumped Warblers. There was not much action on the water but did see Surf and White-winged Scoters fly by. Other highlights, flocks of Cedar Waxwings and we had great views of Red Crossbills feeding in the tree beside the new viewing mound.

Red Crossbill: Photo by Ralph Hocken

Seven birders saw and heard 38 species:

Common Loon

Pacific Loon

Canada Goose

Double-crested Cormorant

Harlequin Duck

Mallard

American Wigeon

Common Merganser

Great Blue Heron

Surf Scoter

White-winged Scoter

Cooper’s Hawk

Bald Eagle

Glaucous-winged Gull

California Gull

Mew Gull

Band-tailed Pigeon

Anna’s Hummingbird

Belted Kingfisher

Pileated Woodpecker

Hairy Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Common Raven

Northwestern Crow

Chestnut-backyard Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Bewick’s Wren

Bushtit

American Robin

Cedar Waxwing

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Brewer’s Blackbird

Song Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Spotted Towhee

Dark-eyed Junco

Red Crossbill

House Finch

Backyard bird sightings:

Song Sparrows are starting to be a frequent visitor to my backyard feeders, along with the Spotted Towhee, Golden-crowned Sparrows and more Dark-eyed Juncos. I have also heard that Fox Sparrows are making an appearance at some feeders. House Finches and American Goldfinch are busy at the feeders along with the Bushtit’s but Chickadee’s and nuthatch are quiet and that may have something to do with a good natural seed crop. Wondering where the Steller’s Jays are, well if the natural seed crop is good we may not see any of them this year unlike last year but we are here of more Pine Siskins visiting the backyard feeders so we will see if it is a big year for them.

American Goldfinch in winter plumage: Photo Rick Harbo

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, October 2, 2018.

The Tuesday bird walk went to Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park in Parksville. The morning was cloudy with very strong winds on the Strait of Georgia. A Cedar Waxwing was seen in a bush just off the trail at the start of the walk. Several Savannah Sparrows were spotted on a snag along the waterfront. A huge flock of Mew Gulls, California Gulls and Glaucous-winged Gulls were resting along the shoreline. The highlight of the morning was the sighting of a single Vaux’s Swift, flying high above us.  A Western Grebe was spotted just off shore with a Horned Grebe, a Red-necked Grebe, Pacific Loons and Common Loons. We spotted a Downy Woodpecker high up in a tall tree at the end of the walk.

Cedar Waxwing: Ralph Hocken photo

Seventeen birders including two visiting birders from Toronto saw and heard the following forty-four species:

Canada Geese

Mallard

Northern Pintail

Harlequin Duck

American Wigeon
Surf Scoter
White-wing Scoter 

Common Merganser

Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe

Western Grebe 

Pacific Loon 
Common Loon 

Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant

Mew Gull

California Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull 

Bald Eagle

Cooper’s Hawk

Belted Kingfisher

Downy Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Pileated Woodpecker

Northwestern Crow
American Raven

Chestnut-backed Chickadee 

Red-breasted Nuthatch
Golden-crowned Kinglet

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

American Robin

Cedar Waxwing

Bewick’s Wren

Pacific Wren

Bushtit

Vaux’s Swift

European Startling

Spotted Towhee 

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Fox Sparrow

Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Purple Finch

Downy Woodpecker: photo by Ralph Hocken

Please Note
Check this site (www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com) early Tuesday and Sunday on stormy mornings to see if the walks have been cancelled!

The Sunday Bird Walk on October 07, 2018 will be going to Buttertubs Marsh, Nanaimo. Meet at the Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store, 6314 Metral Drive in Nanaimo at 9:00 a.m. or at the end of Buttertubs Drive at the marsh entrance at about 9:15am.

The Tuesday Bird Walk on October 09, 2018 will be going to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. Meet at the Parksville Community Park (near the Lions Club playground parking lot) in Parksville at 9:00 am, or at the corner of Plummer Road and Shorewood Drive in Parksville at about 9:10 am.

Good birding

Neil Robins

THE BACKYARD WILDBIRD & NATURE STORE

6314 Metral Drive

Nanaimo, B.C.

V9T-2L8

Phone: 250-390-3669

Email: thebackyard@shaw.ca

www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com