The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

 The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

Nanaimo Bird Report

October 7, 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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Peregrine Falcon (R. Hocken)

Tuesday June 24, 2025: 

The Tuesday Bird Walk went to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. Weather was overcast with a few showers, 9C to start, and the tide was out. It was good to get back out birding with the Tuesday bird walk. A few highlights from the walk today were Peregrine Falcon, Barred Owl and three Western Meadowlarks.

18 birders saw and heard the following 54 species:

Canada Goose

American Wigeon

Mallard

Northern Pintail

Green-winged Teal

Harlequin Duck

Surf Scoter

White-winged Scoter

Common Merganser

Common Loon

Red-necked Grebe

Horned Grebe

Great Blue Heron

Northern Harrier

Bald Eagle

Cooper’s Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk

Merlin

Peregrine Falcon

Killdeer

Greater Yellowlegs

Bonaparte’s Gull

Short-billed Gull

California Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Barred Owl

Anna’s Hummingbird

Belted Kingfisher

Downy Woodpecker

Pileated Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Common Raven

American Crow

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Brown Creeper

Bewick’s Wren

Pacific Wren

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Golden-crowned Kinglet

American Robin

Varied Thrush

Cedar Waxwing

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Western Meadowlark

Spotted Towhee

Savanah Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Fox Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

House Finch

Purple Finch

Greater Scaup (R. Hocken)

Sunday October 5, 2025:

The Sunday Bird Walk went to Maki Road Trail in south Nanaimo. Weather was sunny, and 10C. A few highlights from the walk were a Northern Harrier, Greater Scaup and Yellow-rumped Warblers hawking from the trees on the island in the marsh.

19 birders saw and heard the following 43 species:

Canada Goose

American Wigeon

Mallard

Northern Pintail

Green-winged Teal

Greater Scaup

Common Merganser

Great Blue Heron

Northern Harrier

Bald Eagle

Cooper’s Hawk

Black-bellied Plover

Short-billed Gull

California Gull

Thayer’s Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Anna’s Hummingbird

Belted Kingfisher

Downy Woodpecker

Hairy Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Red-breasted Sapsucker

Common Raven

American Crow

Steller’s Jay

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Bewick’s Wren

Marsh Wren

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

American Robin

European Starling

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Common Yellowthroat

Spotted Towhee

Fox Sparrow

Song Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Red-winged Blackbird

House Finch

Purple Finch

Friday October 3, 2025:

Approximately 20 Sandhill Cranes flew over the area of HWY 19 and Grovehill Road in Qualicum.

A lone Wilson’s Snipe was seen at a backyard pond on Grovehill Road, Qualicum.

Tuesday September 30, 2025:

A flock of Greater White-fronted Geese flew over Maki Road heading south at dusk.

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, October 12, 2025:

No bird walk this Sunday. Happy Thanksgiving.

Tuesday Bird Walk, October 14, 2025:

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

Meet directly at the trail head located at the corner of Plummer Road and Shorewood Drive at 9:00am. Plummer Road is located off HWY 19A just past the entrance to Rathtrevor Provincial Park and the orange bridge into Parksville. Weather cooperating.

Good birding! Colin Bartlett