The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

Nanaimo Bird Report

April 17, 2025
“EXPLORE NATURE” --- GO BIRDING:
To report your sightings phone the Store at 250-390-3669 or e-mail us at birding@thebackyard.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.
*********************************************************

Orange-crowned Warbler (J. Morrison)

Wednesday April 16, 2025:

A large number of Greater White-fronted Geese were seen flying over Ladysmith in their V formation.

Tuesday April 15, 2025:

The Tuesday Bird Walk went to the Little Qualicum Fish Hatchery. Weather was sunny with a few clouds, light breeze, 10C. A few highlights from the walk were seeing and hearing Orange-crowned Warblers, watching a Chestnut -backed Chickadee pair renovating a nest cavity and a Barred Owl flew across the driveway.

17 birders saw and heard the following 35 species:

Mallard

Common Merganser

Cooper’s Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk

Bald Eagle

Turkey Vulture

Barred Owl

Anna’s Hummingbird

Rufous Hummingbird

Belted Kingfisher

Downy Woodpecker

Red-breasted Sapsucker

Violet-green Swallow

Tree Swallow

Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Common Raven

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Brown Creeper

Pacific Wren

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Golden-crowned Kinglet

American Robin

Varied Thrush

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Orange-crowned Warbler

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Chipping Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Red Crossbill

House Finch

Purple Finch

Pine Siskin

Wilson’s Snipe (R. Hocken)

Monday April 14, 2025:

Approximately six Black-bellied Plovers and a dozen Dunlin were seen at Pipers Lagoon in Nanaimo.

Sunday April 13, 2025:

The Sunday Bird Walk went to Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo. Weather was sunny with a few clouds, 8C. A few highlights from the walk were seeing a Wilson Snipe below the viewing area at the Buttertubs Drive entrance. A lone Cedar Waxwing was seen in the corner with the Hawthorne trees, and we saw a couple of Bushtit pairs busy building their nests, along with a Anna’s Hummingbird nest with two young almost ready to fly.

21 birders saw and heard the following 48 species:

Canada Goose

Mallard

Ring-necked Duck

Bufflehead

Hooded Merganser

Pied-billed Grebe

Great Blue Heron

Turkey Vulture

Bald Eagle

American Coot

Killdeer

Wilson’s Snipe

Virgina Rail

Eurasian Collared Dove

Rock Pigeon

Anna’s Hummingbird

Downy Woodpecker

Pileated Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Tree Swallow

Violet-green Swallow

Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Barn Swallow

Common Raven

American Crow

Chestnut -backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Brown Creeper

Bushtit

Bewick’s Wren

Marsh Wren

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

American Robin

Cedar Waxwing

European Starling

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Orange-crowned Warbler

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

Fox Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Brewer’s Blackbird

Red-winged Blackbird

House Finch

American Goldfinch

Pine Siskin

House Sparrow

Birding Notes:

Back for the summer. Birds to watch for, returning to our backyards this spring are, American Goldfinch, time to get the fresh Nyjer seed out, White-crowned Sparrows, Chipping Sparrows, Bewick’s Wren, which will be competing for your nest boxes with the chickadees and nuthatch and possibly a House Wren.

Other species returning are the warbler family such as Orange-crowned, Black-throated Gray, MacGillivray’s and Wilson’s. The flycatchers will be here shortly with the Western (formally Pacific-sloped), Willow, Hammond’s and Olive-sided Flycatchers. Look high above the swallows for swifts and on the water watch for Caspian Tern.

Have a great weekend.

If you have any bird sightings to report or need help identifying, just email or call the store, birding@thebackyard.ca or 250-390-3669, toll-free 1-888-808-BIRD (2473)

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. The walks are weather pending.

Please check our blog (www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com) for any cancelations.

Sunday Bird Walk, April 20, 2025.

The Sunday Bird Walk CANCELED for the Easter weekend.

Tuesday Bird Walk, April 22, 2025.

The Tuesday Bird Walk will be going to Springwood Park in Parksville.

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 end of Despard Avenue and Chestnut Street at 9:10am. Weather Cooperating.

Good birding! Colin Bartlett