The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

 The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

Nanaimo Bird Report

June 18, 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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Hutton’s Vireo (R. Hocken)

Tuesday June 17, 2025: 

The Tuesday Bird Walk went to Top Bridge Trail and started from the parking lot on Industrial Way. Weather was overcast to start and 14C. A few highlights from the walk was watching a family of Brown Creepers feeding, a female Red Crossbill perch nicely for us to see and we heard a Hutton’s Vireo and Western Tanager singing.

14 birders saw and heard the following 29 species:

Turkey Vulture

Rufous Hummingbird

Northern Flicker

Warbling Vireo

Hutton’s Vireo

Western Flycatcher

Willow Flycatcher

Violet-green Swallow

Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Common Raven

American Crow

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Pacific Wren

Brown Creeper

American Robin

Swainson’s Thrush

Orange-crowned Warbler

Yellow Warber

Western Tanager

Spotted Towhee

Chipping Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Red Crossbill

House Finch

Purple Finch

American Goldfinch

Pine Siskin

Sunday June 15, 2025:

The Sunday Bird Walk went to Morden Colliery Historical Provincial Park in south Nanaimo. Weather was sunny and 14C. unfortunately we did not hear or see a Red-eyed Vireo but a few highlights from the walk were Red-breasted Sapsuckers being busy in the trees by the marsh and then a Barred Owl started to call in the same area. Across the river at the end of the trail a Cassin’s Vireo was calling and a Spotted Sandpiper and a Killdeer were seen along the river.

14 birders saw and heard the following 39 species:

Turkey Vulture

Bald Eagle

Killdeer

Spotted Sandpiper

Glaucous-winged Gull

Band-tailed Pigeon

Barred Owl

Rufous Hummingbird

Northern Flicker

Pileated Woodpecker

Red-breasted Sapsucker

Cassin’s Vireo

Warbling Vireo

Western Flycatcher

Olive-sided Flycatcher

Violet-green Swallow

Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Common Raven

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Brown Creeper

Bewick’s Wren

Pacific Wren

Marsh Wren

American Robin

Swainson’s Thrush

Black-throated Gray Warbler

Yellow Warbler

Common Yellowthroat

Western Tanager

Black-headed Grosbeak

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Brown-headed Cowbird

Red Crossbill

Purple Finch

American Goldfinch

Pine Siskin

Saturday June 14, 2025:

A Western Tanager was a first-time visitor to a backyard in Lantzville.

Barred Owl (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 22, 2025.

Sunday Bird Walk will be going to Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo.

Meet directly at the parking lot by Jingle Pot Road and Third Street by the miner’s cabin at 9:00 am. Weather cooperating.

Tuesday Bird Walk, June 24, 2025.

Tuesday Bird Walk will be going to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary, in Parksville.

Meet at the directly at the parking area at the bottom of Shelly Road off of Hwy 19A at 9:00am. Weather Cooperating.

Good birding! Colin Bartlett