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 31 May 2020


The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

Nanaimo Bird Report
May 31, 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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Photo: Western Wood-Pewee (internet photo)

Wednesday May 20, 2020

Western Wood-Pewee was seen near Aulds Road and the Railway tracks.

Wednesday May 27, 2020

A Western Wood-Pewee was also seen on Beach Drive in the Departure Bay area.

Saturday May 30, 2020:

Our first report of California Quail chicks was reported and seen by Nanaimo Lakes Road and Morrell Wildlife Sanctuary.

Sunday May 31, 2020:

A Barred Owl was seen being mobbed by a group of American Robins by the fish channels at Bowen Park.
Also heard near the fish channels was a Swainson’s Thrush.

Photo: California Quail (R Hocken)
Backyard Feeder Notes:

The House Finches are providing all the activity at my backyard feeders these days with two families of House Finches that just fledged. Both finch families nested in the hedge at the back of our yard with one family at one end and the other family of finches at the other end of the hedge. At the feeders it has been interesting to see the males show little aggression and I have seen them take turn and share while visiting the feeder. I know House Finches are a social bunch but usually they are protective of their territory when nesting. This year was also the first time I have seen House Finches feeding on suet and not just the sunflower seeds.
There are also other birds that are visiting the feeders but not as often, like Spotted Towhee and Black-headed Grosbeak. The Northern Flickers are busy all day on the suet feeder along with the Downy Woodpecker that visits occasionally.
Water is one of the big attractions now so make sure you have some shallow source of water for the birds to drink and bathe. Watching a family of birds in the birdbath is entertaining.
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The Sunday and Tuesday Bird Walks
temporarily postponed
Please watch for further updates when the walks will resume.

Here is a list of birds seen in Moorecroft Regional Park in Nanoose Bay on one of the Tuesday Bird Walks from May 2017. Forty four species were seen and heard:

Mallard
Surf Scoter
Pelagic Cormorant
Pacific Loon
Black Oystercatcher
Mew Gull
Herring Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Turkey Vulture
Bald Eagle
Cooper’s Hawk
Great Horned Owl
Common Raven
Northwestern Crow
Anna’s Hummingbird
Rufous Hummingbird
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Brown Creeper
Red-breasted Nuthatch
American Robin
Swainson’s Thrush
Western Tanager
Black-headed Grosbeak
Willow Flycatcher
Pacific-slope Flycatcher
Hammond’s Flycatcher
Warbling Vireo
Orange-crowned Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Townsend’s Warbler                                                
Wilson’s Warbler
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Purple Finch
American Goldfinch
Photo: Rufous Hummingbird female (R. Hocken)

Good birding!
Colin Bartlett

The Backyard
Wildbird and Nature Store
6314 Metral Drive V9T-2L8
Phone: 250-390-3669
NEW WEBSITE: www.thebackyard.ca

Saturday 23 May 2020


The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store



Nanaimo Bird Report

May 23, 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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Photo: Rose-breasted Grosbeak (internet)



Sunday May 17, 2020



Rose-breasted Grosbeak was seen at the end of Lockinvar Lane on Gabriola Island.



Western Tanager and 2 Evening Grosbeaks were seen in a backyard on Plummer Road  in San Pareil Parksville



Monday May 18, 2020:



House Wren was heard singing in the area of Eagle Crescent and Thunderbird Drive Nanaimo.



Tuesday  May 19, 2020:



Mandarin Duck continues to be seen at the Morning Star Pond, and has been seen with ducklings and a female Wood Duck.


Thursday May 21, 2020:



Cinnamon Teal was seen at the Nanaimo River Estuary from the Maki Road side.


Friday May 22, 2020:



Barred Owl was heard calling in the early hours in the hospital area of Forest Drive and Honeysuckle Terrace.




Photo: Evening Grosbeak (Malcolm)



Backyard Feeder Notes:



With juvenile birds now beginning to leave the nest we begin to receive more inquiries about what bird is this. For some bird species the juvenile birds will look completely different than the adults such as the Spotted Towhee and Dark-eyed Junco. These juveniles along with some others look like an LBB (little brown bird) with no unique markings. Many identification guides only show the adult birds in breeding plumage when they look their best so it can be hard to identify the juveniles. One way is to observe the bird and watch whom it is associating but look at the shape, size and habits to help with the identification. There is one exception to using association to identify and that is the Brown-headed Cowbird. This species will lay their eggs in another birds nest and the host birds will do all the work. Juvenile Cowbird can be twice the size as their host parents.

If you are looking for a good online app to use try Merlin by The Cornell Lab.

___________________



The Sunday and Tuesday Bird Walks

temporarily postponed

Please watch for further updates when the walks will resume.





Here is a list of birds seen in Springwood Park in Parksville on one of the Tuesday Bird Walks last May. Forty species were seen and heard:



Turkey Vulture

Bald Eagle

Red-tailed Hawk

Coopers Hawk
Anna's Hummingbird


Rufous Hummingbird

Downy Woodpecker

Hairy Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Pileated Woodpecker

Pacific-slope Flycatcher

Northwestern Crow
Bewick’s Wren


Swainson's Thrush

American Robin

European Starling

Tree Swallow

Brown Creeper

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Warbling Vireo

Red-eyed Vireo

Orange-crowned Warbler

Yellow Warbler

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Common Yellowthroat

Wilson's Warbler

Townsend’s Warbler

Western Tanager

Spotted Towhee

Chipping Sparrow

Song Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Brown-headed Cowbird

Red-winged Blackbird

Dark-eyed Junco

Black-headed Grosbeak

Purple Finch

American Goldfinch

Pine Siskin


Photo: Spotted Towhee juvenile (R. Hocken)



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

NEW WEBSITE: www.thebackyard.ca

Tuesday 19 May 2020

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

We received a report and photos of a Rose-breasted Grosbeak seen on  Gabriola Island May 17th at 7 pm near the end of Lockinvar Lane.

Monday 18 May 2020

Englishman River Estuary May 18/20

2 Whimbrel were seen feeding at the Englishman River Estuary near the end of Mariner Way in Parksville. Also seen there were a Cinnamon Teal and a Blue-winged Teal.

Sunday 17 May 2020

The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

Nanaimo Bird Report
May 17, 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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Photo: Barred Owl (J. Morrison)

Friday May 8, 2020

Barred Owl was seen in Bowen Park. (Look for Barred Owls near the fish channels)

Saturday May 9, 2020:

Osprey and Olive-sided Flycatcher were seen at Legacy Marsh in upper Lantzville.

Northern Shoveler and Blue-winged Teal were seen in the Morning Star Pond in French Creek.

House Wren was seen at Colbourne Drive and Broadmoor Place Nanaimo.

Tuesday  May 12, 2020:

Peregrine Falcon pair was seen at the bottom of Blueback Road and Icarus Drive in Nanaimo.

Thursday May 14, 2020:

Whimbrel was seen at Columbia Beach in French Creek.

Friday May 15, 2020:

Cinnamon Teal was seen at the Nanaimo River Estuary from the Maki Road side.

Sunday May 17, 2020:

Seen at Legacy Marsh in upper Lantzville, Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Warbling Vireo, Western Tanager, MacGillivray’s Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Orange-crowned Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, and Black-headed Grosbeaks.

Photo: Cinnamon Teal (J. Morrison)

Backyard Feeder Notes:

Not too much different happening at the backyard feeder this past week other than there seems to be a few less birds visiting. With the adults feeding their young insects I figure in about two weeks there will be more activity at the feeders as the young leave the nests.
At the store’s bird feeders we mostly see White-crowned Sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos, Spotted Towhees and House Sparrows. These few species have been busy bathing as much as they have been feeding. At home the feeders are busy with finches, House Finch, Pine Siskin’s, occasional visit from the Black-headed Grosbeak but no American Goldfinch.
We have received more reports of Western Tanagers and Black-headed Grosbeaks visiting backyard feeders again this past week, and just waiting for the first Common Nighthawks to arrive.
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The Sunday and Tuesday Bird Walks
temporarily postponed
Please watch for further updates when the walks will resume.

Here is a list of birds seen in Bowen Park on one of the Sunday Bird Walks in August 2017. Twenty four species were seen and heard:

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
Photo: Western Tanager (J. Morrison)

Good birding!
Colin Bartlett

The Backyard
Wildbird and Nature Store
6314 Metral Drive V9T-2L8
Phone: 250-390-3669
NEW WEBSITE: www.thebackyard.ca

Sunday 10 May 2020

The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store
Nanaimo Bird Report
May 10, 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.
*********************************************************
Photo: Great Egret (C. Golby)
Friday May 1, 2020
Great Egret was seen in the marsh at the end of Fielding Road in Cedar. The bird was only seen the one day.
Saturday May 2, 2020:
Black-headed Grosbeaks were a popular sighting this day as we had reports from South Nanaimo, Morrell Wildlife Sanctuary, Nanaimo, Lantzville and up to Parksville. 
Chipping Sparrow was seen at a backyard feeder on Aulds road in Lantzville.
Thursday May 7, 2020:
Indigo Bunting (male) was seen at the parking lot of Jacks Point Trail near the Duke Point ferry terminal.
Wilson’s Warbler, Orange-crowned Warbler and American Goldfinch were seen at McGregor’s Ponds Nanaimo.
Sunday May 10, 2020:
Common Yellowthroat was seen and heard singing at Brookwood Marsh Nanaimo, along with a female Anna’s Hummingbird seen taking nesting material away.
Hooded Merganser was seen on McGregor’s Pond Nanaimo.
Black-headed Grosbeak, Chipping Sparrow, and Yellow Warbler were seen and heard in the hospital near Forest drive and Honeysuckle Terrace.
Photo: Black-headed Grosbeak (R. Hocken)
Backyard Feeder Notes:
Happy Mother’s Day! This week has been entertaining with the first of the new fledglings out. At the store we have a lone juvenile Dark-eyed Junco being fed by two adults and the odd juvenile Anna’s Hummingbird visiting. The chickadee young are very noisy in the nest box when the adults arrive to feed them and I expect them to take flight shortly. Activity at the feeders is quieter as the adults are busy finding insects to feed the young. Once the young fledge there is usually a short burst of activity at the feeders before they head out into the big world.
Black-headed Grosbeaks have arrived and are busy visiting backyard feeders along with Chipping Sparrows and American Goldfinch. It has been interesting to watch a pair of House Finch regularly feeding at my backyard suet feeder, as this is the first time if have seen House Finch constantly feed on suet.
Watch for warblers visiting the backyard adding a splash of colour. Yellow, Orange-crowned and Wilson’s Warblers are what I usually can see visiting and attacking the apple tree blossoms.
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The Sunday and Tuesday Bird Walks
temporarily postponed
Please watch for further updates when the walks will resume.

Here is one of our bird walk list from a couple years ago at the Little Qualicum River Fish Hatchery with a brief stop at the Brant Viewing Tower in Qualicum Beach in May 2018. Eighteen birders saw and heard the following fifty-three species:                     
American Dipper
Iceland Gull
Mew Gull
Ring-billed Gull
California Gull
Glaucous-wing Gull
Belted Kingfisher
Eurasian-collared Dove
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Northwestern Crow
Violet-green Swallow
Barn Swallow
Tree Swallow
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Pacific Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
American Robin
Rufous Hummingbird
Swanson’s Thrush
European Starling
Western Tanager
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Grey Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Wilson’s Warbler 
Yellow Warbler
Cassin’s Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Pacific-slope Flycatcher
Hammond’s Flycatcher
Willow Flycatcher
Spotted Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
House Finch
Purple Finch 
American Goldfinch
Photo: Wilson’s Warbler (J. Morrison)
Good birding! Colin




The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

6314 Metral Drive V9T-2L8
Phone: 250-390-3669

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

NEW WEBSITE: www.thebackyard.ca