The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

 The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

Nanaimo Bird Report

June 5, 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.
*********************************************************

Common Merganser- female (R. Hocken)

Tuesday June 3, 2025: 

The Tuesday Bird Walk went to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. Weather was sunny with a light breeze, 14C, and tide was out. A few highlights from the walk were three Spotted Sandpipers seen in the estuary near the mouth of the river. Western and Willow Flycatchers were heard singing and Cedar Waxwings were seen.

10 birders saw and heard the following 47 species:

Canada Goose

Mallard

Surf Scoter

Common Merganser

Common Loon

Pelagic Cormorant

Double-crested Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Turkey Vulture

Bald Eagle

Killdeer

Spotted Sandpiper

Glaucous-winged Gull

Eurasian Collared Dove

Anna’s Hummingbird

Rufous Hummingbird

Belted Kingfisher

Downy Woodpecker

Pileated Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Warbling Vireo

Western Flycatcher

Willow Flycatcher

Violet-green Swallow

Tree Swallow

Common Raven

American Crow

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Bewick’s Wren

Brown Creeper

American Robin

Swainson’s Thrush

Cedar Waxwing

European Starling

Yellow Warber

Orange-crowned Warbler

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

Chipping Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Brewer’s Blackbird

Brown-headed Cowbird

Red Crossbill

Purple Finch

American Goldfinch

Pine Siskin

Sunday June 1, 2025:

The Sunday Bird Walk went to Legacy Marsh in Lantzville. Weather was sunny, 13C, and windy. A few highlights from the walk was a Virgina Rail calling and seen at the west end of the marsh, a Pied-billed Grebe also vocalizing in the west end of the marsh. Western, Willow, Hammond’s and Olive-sided Flycatchers were heard along with a House Wren.

11 birders saw and heard the following 48 species:

Wood Duck

Great Blue Heron

Turkey Vulture

Copper’s Hawk

Bald Eagle

Pied-billed Grebe

Virgina Rail

Anna’s Hummingbird

Rufous Hummingbird

Red-breasted Sapsucker

Northern Flicker

Western Flycatcher

Hammond’s Flycatcher

Olive-sided Flycatcher

Willow Flycatcher

Hutton’s Vireo

Warbling Vireo

Violet-green Swallow

Barn Swallow

Common Raven

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Bushtit

Bewick’s Wren

House Wren

Pacific Wren

Marsh Wren

American Robin

Swainson’s Thrush

Cedar Waxwing

Townsend’s Warbler

Orange-crowned Warbler

Yellow Warbler

Wilson’s Warbler

MacGillivray’s Warbler

Common Yellowthroat

Western Tanager

Black-headed Grosbeak

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Red-winged Blackbird

Red Crossbill

House Finch

Purple Finch

American Goldfinch

Pine Siskin

2 pairs of Western Tanagers were seen in a yard on Crystal Place in Naniamo.

Saturday May 31, 2025:

2 Black-headed Grosbeaks were visiting a backyard on Timberlands Road in South Nanaimo.

Common Yellowthroat (J. Morrison)

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, June 8, 2025.

Sunday Bird Walk will be going to Maki Road Trail in South Nanaimo.

Meet directly at the parking lot at the end of Maki Road, off old island HWY 1A where Rona is, at 9:00 am. Weather cooperating.

Tuesday Bird Walk, June 10, 2025.

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

Meet at the directly at the end of Despard Avenue by the corner of Chestnut Street at 9:00am. Weather Cooperating.

Good birding! Colin Bartlett