The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store
Nanaimo Bird Report
October 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.
*********************************************************
NOTICES
-
Access to the Nanaimo
River Estuary by Raines Road is closed due to Covid concerns.
- No Sunday Bird Walk on October 11, 2020. Happy Thanksgiving.
Saturday September 26, 2020:
50 plus Vaux Swifts were seen over the Saltair area of South Oyster School Road.
Tuesday October 6, 2020:
The Tuesday Bird Walk went to Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville. The weather was overcast with sunny breaks, winds were calm, and the tide was high. A few highlights were Ring-billed Gull on the beach up close to see and Red Crossbills constantly about and providing a good show.
16 birders saw and heard the following 42 species:
Canada
Goose
American
Wigeon
Mallard
Harlequin
Duck
Surf
Scoter
White-winged
Scoter
Common
Merganser
Pacific
Loon
Common
Loon
Horned
Grebe
Red-necked
Grebe
Pelagic
Cormorant
Double-crested
Cormorant
Great
Blue Heron
Bonaparte’s
Gull
Mew
Gull
Ring-billed
Gull
California
Gull
Glaucous-winged
Gull
Anna’s
Hummingbird
Downy
Woodpecker
Pileated
Woodpecker
Northern
Flicker
Common
Raven
American
Crow
Steller’s
Jay
Chestnut-backed
Chickadee
Red-breasted
Nuthatch
Brown
Creeper
Ruby-crowned
Kinglet
Bewick’s
Wren
Pacific
Wren
Bushtit
American
Robin
Spotted
Towhee
Golden-crowned
Sparrow
Song
Sparrow
Dark-eyed
Junco
Red
Crossbill
House
Finch
Pine Siskin
Friday October 2, 2020:
2x Wilson’s Snipe were seen in the downtown area of Qualicum Beach.
Sunday October 4, 2020:
A White-throated Sparrow was seen amongst Golden-crowned and White-crowned Sparrows on South Oyster School Road in Saltair.
Sunday October 4, 2020:
The Sunday Bird Walk went to Nanoose Bay Estuary in Nanoose Bay. The weather was foggy and misty, tide was high and starting to go out. A few of the highlights were Western Grebe seen out by the floats with other grebes, American Pipits, and Yellow-rumped Warblers. The walk was cut a little short as we walked down the railway trtacks a healthy looking Black Bear was walking the railway tracks towards us.
9 Birders saw and heard the following 42 species:
Canada
Goose
American
Wigeon
Northern
Shoveler
Mallard
Green-winged
Teal
Surf
Scoter
Common
Loon
Horned
Grebe
Red-necked
Grebe
Western
Grebe
Great
Blue Heron
Sharp-shinned
Hawk
Bald
Eagle
Killdeer
California
Gull
Glaucous-winged
Gull
Mew
Gull
Anna's
Hummingbird
Belted
Kingfisher
Downy
Woodpecker
Northern
Flicker
Northwestern
(American) Crow
Common
Raven
Chestnut-backed
Chickadee
Bewick's
Wren
Golden-crowned
Kinglet
Ruby-crowned
Kinglet
Bushtit
American
Robin
American
Pipit
Cedar
Waxwing
Yellow-rumped
Warbler
European
Starling
Red-winged
Blackbird
Spotted Towhee
Savannah
Sparrow
Song
Sparrow
White-crowned
Sparrow
Golden-crowned
Sparrow
Dark-eyed
Junco
Purple
Finch
Pine
Siskin
And a Black Bear
Saturday October 10, 2020:
A single immature Snow Goose was seen wandering on Lewis Road in Nanaimo.
Backyard
Feeder Notes:
Over the last couple of weeks you may have heard a few birds singing like it was spring again. It may be the amount of daylight that causes this, as this time of autumn has about the same day light hours as it would be in the spring. The warm autumn weather probably helped as well. Juvenile male birds will be practicing their songs and although the song sounds familiar it might not be sung correctly, but practice makes perfect. One example is the Golden-crowned Sparrow who’s song is three notes going down in tone. It’s easy to remember with OH DEAR ME, but sometimes the juveniles only get a couple of the notes and are distracted before finishing so you hear just the first two notes starting high pitch, OH DEAR and that’s it. House Finches sing a lot in the autumn and it is beautiful to hear their cheery song. But as the weather changes the songs will disappear until next April to signal spring is here.
October 7/20 – Anna’s Hummingbird young, how fast they grow. (R. Harbo)
The Backyard Bird Walks
Our bird walks go out Sunday mornings in Nanaimo and
Tuesday mornings in Parksville and Qualicum Beach area, are easy walks that go
for two to three hours (back for lunch is the plan). Bring binoculars and a
field guide.
Please
check our blog (www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com) for any cancelations.
Covid-19 Precautions
·
Please
do not attend if you have traveled outside of Canada in the last 14 days.
·
Do
not attend if you have been sick or in contact with someone possibly sick in
the last 14 days.
·
Please
respect social distancing, 2 meters or 6 feet.
·
Wear
your mask when unable to maintain social distancing.
Thank you.
The Tuesday Bird Walk
October
13
Will be going to the 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 at the Brant viewing stand on hwy 19A at the end of Qualicum Beach at 9:20. Then we will head to the estuary at the end of Surfside Drive off of Kinkade Road at 9:45 am.
The Sunday Bird Walk
October 11
NO BIRD WALK
October 18
Will be going to the Maki Road Trail
Meet at The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store at 9:00am or meet us at the end of Maki Road at 9:20 am.
Good birding! Colin Bartlett
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