The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store
Nanaimo Bird Report
December 4, 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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Great Horned Owl (H. Laue)
Wednesday December 3, 2025:
Two Great Horned Owls were heard in the area of Departure Bay Road and Neyland Road in Nanaimo.
Tuesday December 2, 2025:
The Tuesday Bird Walk went to the Shelly Road side of Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. Weather was overcast, low cloud with drizzle, 6C, and the tide was out and coming in. A few highlights from the walk were Brant, Short-eared Owl that a few were able to see before it disappeared and good views of a Hairy Woodpecker.
13 birders saw and heard the following 44 species
Brant
Canada Goose
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Mallard
Green-winged Teal
Northern Pintail
Harlequin Duck
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Horned Grebe
Pacific Loon
Pelagic Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Black Oystercatcher
Black Turnstone
Short-billed Gull
Thayer’s Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Short-eared Owl
Anna’s Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Common Raven
American Crow
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Bewick’s Wren
Pacific Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Golden-crowned Kinglet
American Robin
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
House Finch
Purple Finch
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Hairy Woodpecker - female (J. Morrison)
Sunday November 30, 2025:
The Sunday Bird Walk went to the Nanaimo River Estuary along the Nanaimo River. Weather was sunny, 3C and the tide was coming in. A few highlights from the walk were Trumpeter Swans on the river and flying over. Short-eared Owl, again a few were able to see it before it disappeared in the grass, and a Downy Woodpecker that was six feet away from us foraging in a small tree.
17 birders saw and heard the following 32 species:
Trumpeter Swan
American Wigeon
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Barrow’s Goldeneye
Common Merganser
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Dunlin
Short-billed Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Anna’s Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Common Raven
American Crow
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Bewick’s Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Northern Shrike
American Robin
European Starling
Western Meadowlark
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Red-winged Blackbird
Purple Finch
A couple of online sightings, a Snowy Owl and a Blue Jay seen on Gabriola Island.
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, December 7, 2025:
Sunday Bird Walk will be going to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo.
Meet directly at the parking lot, located at the end of Morningside Drive at 9:00am. Weather cooperating.
Tuesday Bird Walk, December 9, 2025:
Tuesday
Bird Walk will be going to Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville.
Meet at the beach entrance. main parking lot, just before the campground, at 9:00 am. Weather cooperating.
Good birding! Colin Bartlett
