The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

 The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

Nanaimo Bird Report

May 22, 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.
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Olive-sided Flycatcher (R. Hocken)

Wednesday May 21, 2025:

Cooper’s Hawk was seen at The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store in Nanaimo.

Tuesday May 20, 2025: 

The Tuesday Bird Walk went to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. Weather was cloudy with sunny breaks, 12C, and was low tide. A few highlights from the walk were Olive-sided Flycatcher perched for all to observe, Black-headed Grosbeaks, and Red Crossbills that were close and great to see.

11 birders saw and heard the following 49 species:

Canada Goose

Mallard

Common Merganser

Great Blue Heron

Pelagic Cormorant

Turkey Vulture

Bald Eagle

Killdeer

Oystercatcher

Bonaparte’s Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Eurasian Collared Dove

Anna’s Hummingbird

Belted Kingfisher

Downy Woodpecker

Pileated Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Western Flycatcher

Olive-sided Flycatcher

Tree Swallow

Violet-green Swallow

Barn Swallow

Warbling Vireo

Common Raven

American Crow

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Brown Creeper

Bushtit

Bewick’s Wren

Pacific Wren

American Robin

Swainson’s Thrush

European Starling

Yellow Warber

Orange-crowned Warbler

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

Chipping Sparrow

Savanah Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Black-headed Grosbeak

Red-winged Blackbird

Red Crossbill

House Finch

Purple Finch

American Goldfinch

Pine Siskin

A Swainson’s Thrush was heard singing at the Willow Park Estates on Nanaimo Lakes Road.

Sunday May 18, 2025:

The Sunday Bird Walk was canceled for the long weekend.

Swainson's Thrush (J. Morrison)

A pair of Swainson's Thrush were seen in the backyard on Honeysuckle Terrace in Nanaimo.

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, May 25, 2025.

The Sunday Bird Walk will be going to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo.

Meet at The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store at 9:00 am or at Neck Point Park parking lot at 9:10 am. Weather cooperating.

Tuesday Bird Walk, May 27, 2025.

The Tuesday Bird Walk will be going to the Little Qualicum Fish Hatchery in Qualicum Beach.

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 Little Qualicum Fish Hatchery on Claymore Road, located off Laburnum Road, Qualicum Beach about 9:15am. Weather Cooperating.

Good birding! Colin Bartlett