The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

 The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

Nanaimo Bird Report

November 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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Snow Goose (J. Morrison)

Tuesday November 4, 2025:  

The Tuesday Bird Walk went to the Little Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum Beach. Weather was sunny, 4C, and the tide was out. We started out at the observation platform at the north end of Qualicum Beach and then made our way over to Surfside Drive to view the estuary and walk the beach to the mouth of the Little Qualicum River Estuary. A few highlights from the walk were a Yellow-billed Loon right out front of the beach access on Surfside Drive. Also seen were Long-tailed Duck, Western Grebe and a flock of Snow Geese.

13 birders saw and heard the following 52 species:

Snow Goose

American Wigeon

Mallard

Green-winged Teal

Harlequin Duck

Surf Scoter

White-winged Scoter

Black Scoter

Long-tailed Duck

Bufflehead

Common Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

Red-necked Grebe

Horned Grebe

Western Grebe

Yellow-billed Loon

Pacific Loon

Common Loon

Double-crested Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Bald Eagle

Merlin

Killdeer

Black Oystercatcher

Dunlin

Black Turnstone

Bonaparte’s Gull

Short-billed Gull

California Gull

Thayer’s Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Short-tailed Shearwater

Eurasian Collared Dove

Anna’s Hummingbird

Belted Kingfisher

Northern Flicker

Common Raven

American Crow

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Golden-crowned Kinglet

American Robin

European Starling

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

Fox Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Red-winged Blackbird

Brewer’s Blackbird

House finch

Bushtit (R. Hocken)

Sunday November 2, 2025:

The Sunday Bird Walk went to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo. Weather was a mix of sun with some clouds, 1C, and the winds were calm. A few highlights from the walk were great views of Pacific Loons, one still with breed plumage. There was also Common Murres, Western Grebe and California Quail.

14 birders saw and heard the following 43 species:

Canada Goose

American Wigeon

Mallard

Harlequin Duck

Surf Scoter

White-winged Scoter

Bufflehead

Common Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

California Quail

Common Loon

Pacific Loon

Red-necked Grebe

Western Grebe

Pelagic Cormorant

Double-crested Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Copper’s Hawk

Bald Eagle

Black Oystercatcher

Black Turnstone

Bonaparte’s Gull

Short-billed Gull

California Gull

Thayer’s Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Common Murre

Rhinoceros Auklet

Anna’s Hummingbird

Belted Kingfisher

Northern Flicker

Common Raven

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Brown Creeper

Bushtit

Bewick’s Wren

Pacific Wren

American Robin

Varied Thrush

Cedar Waxwing

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

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, November 9, 2025:

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

Meet directly at the parking lot located by Jingle Pot Road and Third Street on the south side of the marsh, at 9:00am. Weather Cooperating.

Tuesday Bird Walk, November 11, 2025:

Lest We Forget. There will be no Tuesday Bird Walk on Remembrance Day.

Good birding! Colin Bartlett