The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

Nanaimo Bird Report

February 19, 2020

“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 was seen and location of your sighting.
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Wednesday February 19, 2020:



We received our first report of a Turkey Vulture was seen around noon flying over Woodgrove Centre Mall and Applecross Centre area in North Nanaimo.

Photo: Turkey Vulture (S. Petersen)

Sunday February 16, 2020:

There was no Bird Walk on Sunday of the long weekend.



Friday February 14, 2020:



A Hutton’s Vireo was heard singing and a Barred Owl was seen at Living Forest Campground, site 160.

Photo: Barred Owl (S. Petersen)

Tuesday February 18, 2020:



The Tuesday Bird Walk went to Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville. The weather was +2 but cool with a light breeze and misty showers. Lots to see on the water when we started, Brant, Greater Scaup, Red-necked and Horned Grebes, and a Ring-billed Gull mixed in amongst the other gulls. A Snow Goose was seen flying amongst a flock of Canada Geese. A little farther out a Long-tailed Duck, Rhinoceros Auklet and Common Murre were seen.

15 birders saw and heard the following 52 species:

Snow Goose

Brant

Canada Goose

Cackling Goose

American Wigeon

Mallard

Northern Pintail

Greater Scaup

Surf Scoter

Black Scoter

Long-tailed Duck

Bufflehead

Common Goldeneye

Common Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

Horned Grebe

Red-necked Grebe

Double-crested Cormorant

Common Loon

Pacific Loon

Bald Eagle

Black Oystercatcher

Black-bellied Plover

Black Turnstone

Dunlin

Mew Gull

Thayer’s Gull

California Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Ring-billed Gull

Common Murre

Rhinoceros Auklet

Anna's Hummingbird

Pileated Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Northwestern Crow

Common Raven

Steller’s Jay

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Brown Creeper

Bewick’s Wren

Pacific Wren

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

American Robin

Spotted Towhee

White-crowned Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Pine Siskin

Pacific Wren(Photo: Kathy Fowler), seen on a log during the Tuesday Bird Walk at Rathtrevor Provincial Park

Backyard Feeder Notes:

With the nice weather this week it is a good time to give your bird feeders and bird feeding area a good cleaning. Through fall and winter some bird seed may have accumulated under the feeders which can be a problem for the birds with diseases and bacteria, it especially affects Pine Siskins. To help keep the birds safe and healthy it is a good idea to clean under the feeder regularly and disinfect with the bleach and water solution if a solid surface like concrete. If your bird feeding station is above grass or soil move your feeders over to a new area about 4 feet or so away where the ground under the feeders is clean and it allows the old area to recoup. Later you can move the feeders back to that area when it is clean and ready for the birds.

 

The Sunday Bird Walk February 23, 2020:

This Sunday Bird Walk will be going to Buttertubs Marsh.

Meet at The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store at 9:00am or at the end of Buttertubs Drive at 9:10 am.

  

The Tuesday Bird Walk February 25, 2020:

This Tuesday Bird Walk will be going to Little Qualicum River Estuary.

Meet at the Parksville Tourist Information Center parking lot, located by Hwy 19A, Northwest Bay road and Franklin’s Gull road in Parksville, at 9:00 am or meet at the Brant viewing stand at the end of Qualicum Beach at 9:15 am.

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

Good birding!

Colin Bartlett

The Backyard

Wildbird and Nature Store
6314 Metral Drive V9T-2L8
Phone: 250-390-3669

Email: thebackyard@shaw.ca
Blog: www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com