White Hummingbird in Qualicum Beach

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, January 13, 2015

The Tuesday bird walk went to Columbia Beach. The morning was cloudy with calm winds and a smooth Strait of Georgia.  The highlight sighting of the morning was the exciting showing of a pod of four Killer Whales heading up the Strait near the far horizon.   Killer Whales or Orcas are the largest of the dolphins and one of the world's most powerful predators. They feast on marine mammals such as seals, sea lions and also on fish, squid, and seabirds.

Watching the whales blow as they travelled along the horizon and then dive below the surface, only to rise again in a few moments was awesome!!!

Harlequin Ducks, Common Goldeneye, Barrows Goldeneye, Common Mergansers,Red-breasted Mergansers, Pacific Loons, Common Loon and Horned Grebes were see just off shore throughout the morning. A Pigeon Guillemot, several Marbled Murrelets and Ancient Murrelets along with hundreds of Common Murre were seen further off shore. A Greater Yellowlegs was roosting on the gravel bar with two Black-bellied Plovers. A Black Oystercatcher was resting on a big rock giving us good views and a flock of six Black Turnstones flew low over the water. Along the road we spotted a large number of singing House Finch, White-crowned Sparrows, Golden-crowned Sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos  and Pine Siskins. 

 

                Common Goldeneye: Ralph Hocken Photo.  

                                   

                                                              Belted Kingfisher: Ralph Hocken Photo.

Seventeen birders saw and heard the following forty- seven bird species:

Mallard

Harlequin Duck

Surf Scoter

White-winged Scoter

Black Scoter

Long-tailed Duck

Bufflehead

Common Goldeneye

Barrows Goldeneye

Common Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

Pigeon Guillemot

Marbled Murrelet

Ancient Murrelet

Common Murre

Pacific Loon

Common Loon

Horned Grebe

Red-necked Grebe

Pelagic Cormorant

Double-crested Cormorant

Belted Kingfisher

Greater Yellowlegs

Black-bellied Plover

Black Oystercatcher

Black Turnstone

Mew Gull

California Gull

Thayer's Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Eurasian-collared Dove

Rock Pigeon

Northern Flicker

Pileated Woodpecker

Northwestern Crow

Common Raven

Anna’s Hummingbird

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

Fox Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

House Finch

Dark-eyed Junco

Pine Siskin

House Sparrow 

Three mammal species:

Killer Whale

Harbour Seals

Sea Lions                    

                                                                                         

                                                       Greater Yellowlegs: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

The Tuesday bird walk on January 20, 2015 will be going to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville. 

Good birding

Neil Robins

Parksville.

Nanaimo bird report, January 11, 2015

NANAIMO BIRD REPORT “EXPLORE NATURE---GO BIRDING”

To report your sightings phone the Store at 250-390-3669 or e-mail us at
thebackyard@shaw.ca
Please remember, when reporting a sighting, to leave your name and phone
number along with the date, the species and location of your sighting.
*****************************************************************************
Sunday, January 11, 2015: 

The Sunday bird walk went to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo. The morning was foggy with calm winds making the Strait of Georgia very peaceful.  Several Harlequin Ducks were seen just off shore.  A mixed flock of Surfbirds, Black Turnstones, Black-bellied Plovers and Dunlin were roosting on the large rocks  just off shore.  We spotted a Rhinoceros Auklet and six Marbled Murrelet  swimming  further offshore. Two Common Ravens were nosily mobbing an Bald Eagle high up in a conifer tree next to the trail. Bald Eagle: Ralph Hocken Photo.                  Seventeen birders saw and heard the  following forty-eight  species:                                               Canada Geese                                                      Mallard                                               American Wigeon

                                                      Bufflehead

Long-tailed Duck

Surf Scoter

Common Goldeneye

Harlequin Duck

Horned Grebe

Common Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

Pacific Loon

Common Loon

Double-crested Cormorant

Pelagic Cormorant

Common Murre

Rhinoceros Auklet

Marbled Murrelet

Pigeon Guillemot

Spotted Sandpiper

Surfbird

Black Turnstone

Black-bellied Plover

Black Oystercatcher

Dunlin

Bald Eagle

California Gull

Mew Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Northern Flicker

Downy Woodpecker

Common Raven

Northwest Crow

American Robin

Varied Thrush

Anna's Hummingbird

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Brown Creeper

Bewick's Wren

Pacific Wren

Spotted Towhee

European Starling

Dark-eyed Junco

Purple Finch

Song Sparrow

Tuesday, January 06:

 The Tuesday bird walk went to the Little Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum Beach. The morning was warm and the Strait of Georgia was calm but foggy. Several Horned Grebes, Long-tailed Ducks along with Pacific Loons and Common Loons were seen off shore.  Black-bellied Plovers, Black Turnstones and several Black Oystercatchers were chatting loudly as they were feeding along the shoreline near the viewing platform. Four Brant Geese flew over heading down the Strait. Hundreds of White-winged Scoters and Black Scoters were singing just off shore.  One lone Trumpeter Swan along with several Great Blue Herons were seen on the estuary.  A mixed flock of hundreds of Mew Gulls, California Gulls, Thayer's Gulls and Glaucous-winged Gulls were resting on the large gravel bar near the mouth of the Little Qualicum River. The Gulls lifted in a huge cloud when the Bald Eagle flew close by.

Mew Gull: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

Pacific Loons: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

Fifteen birders saw and heard the following forty-six species:

Canada Geese

Brant
Trumpeter Swan
Mallard

Greater Scaup
Harlequin Duck
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Bufflehead

Common Goldeneye
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Pelagic Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle

Red-tailed Hawk

Sharp-shinned Hawk
Black-bellied Plover
Black Turnstone

Black Oystercatcher

Killdeer
Mew Gull
California Gull
Western Gull
Thayer's Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Common Murre
Belted Kingfisher
Northern Flicker
Northwestern Crow

Common Raven
Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Anna’s Hummingbird

European Starling
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Red-winged Blackbird

Brewer’s Blackbird

Black Oystercatchers: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

A Northern Pygmy Owl was seen in a backyard in Deep Bay.

A white hummingbird has been seen in Qualicum Beach in the area of First and Hemlock across from the play field.

Monday, January 05:

Two Greater White-fronted Geese and a Snow Goose were seen at the Parksville Community Park in Parksville. 

Sunday January 04:

 Thirty California Gulls were seen feeding in a backyard in the 3000 block of Barrington Road in Nanaimo.

 

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Monday, January 26:

 Arrowsmith Naturalists meet at Knox United Church in Parksville at 7.30 pm.  Members Night when members share their photos.  All welcome.

Information at 752-7588. 

*************************************************************************************
18th Annual Tofino Shorebird Festival
May 1-3, 2015
For  information please contact----
http://raincoasteducation.org/events/tofino-shorebird-festival
*********************************************************************************
Everyone is welcome to join us for a 2-3 hour bird walk on the Sunday and
Tuesday mornings.  We leave from the Store at 9 a.m. on Sunday Mornings and
go to a different location in and around Nanaimo and from the Parksville
Beach Community Park at 9 a.m. on Tuesdays and go to different areas in and
around the Oceanside area
****************************************************************************
The Tuesday bird walk on January 13, 2015 will be going to Columbia Beach.
Meet at the parking lot near the Lions Club Playground in Parksville
Community Park at 9:00 a.m. or at the off Admiral Tyron Bld. at about
9:20 a.m.
*********************************************************************
The Sunday bird walk on January 18, 2015 will be going to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville. Meet at the Bird Store at 9:00 a.m. or at the corner of Plummer Road and Shorewood Drive in Parksville at about 9:25 a.m.
*********************************************************************
British Columbia Rare Bird Alert link--- http://www.bcbirdalert.blogspot.ca/

****************************************************************************
A must read for those of us who live along the Strait of Georgia.
THE SEA AMONG US
THE AMAZING STRAIT OF GEORGIA
RICHARD BEAMISH AND GORDON McFARLANE
*****************************************************************************
Good birding
Neil Robins

THE BACKYARD WILDBIRD & NATURE STORE
6314 Metral Drive
Nanaimo  B.C.
V9T-2L8
Phone: 250-390-3669
Fax: 250-390-1633
Email:  thebackyard@shaw.ca
Blog:  www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com

TO UN-SUBSCRIBE FROM THESE EMAILS, PLEASE REPLY TO THIS E-MAIL WITH “REMOVE”
IN THE SUBJECT LINE.  Thanks…

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, January 06, 2015

The Tuesday bird walk went to the Little Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum Beach. The morning was warm and the Strait of Georgia was calm but foggy. Several Horned Grebes, Long-tailed Ducks along with Pacific Loons and Common Loons were seen off shore.  Black-bellied Plovers, Black Turnstones and several Black Oystercatchers were chatting loudly as they were feeding along the shoreline near the viewing platform. Four Brant Geese flew over heading down the Strait. Hundreds of White-winged Scoters and Black Scoters were singing just off shore.  One lone Trumpeter Swan along with several Great Blue Herons were seen on the estuary.  A mixed flock of hundreds of Mew Gulls, California Gulls, Thayer's Gulls and Glaucous-winged Gulls were resting on the large gravel bar near the mouth of the Little Qualicum River. The Gulls lifted in a huge cloud when the Bald Eagle flew close by.

                              

                 Mew Gull: Ralph Hocken Photo.   

 

 

 

                                 

Pacific Loons: Ralph Hocken Photo.

 

Fifteen birders saw and heard the following forty-six species:

Canada Goose

Brant
Trumpeter Swan
Mallard

Greater Scaup
Harlequin Duck
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Bufflehead

Common Goldeneye
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Pelagic Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle

Red-tailed Hawk

Sharp-shinned Hawk
Black-bellied Plover
Black Turnstone

Black Oystercatcher

Killdeer
Mew Gull
California Gull
Western Gull
Thayer's Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Common Murre
Belted Kingfisher
Northern Flicker
Northwestern Crow

Common Raven
Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Anna’s Hummingbird

European Starling
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Red-winged Blackbird

Brewer’s Blackbird

 

The Tuesday bird walk on January 13, 2015 will be going to Columbia Beach.

                                                                                                   

Black Oystercatchers: Ralph Hocken Photo.

 

Good birding

Neil Robins

Parksville

Nanaimo bird report, January 04, 2014

NANAIMO BIRD REPORT “EXPLORE NATURE---GO BIRDING”

To report your sightings phone the Store at 250-390-3669 or e-mail us at
thebackyard@shaw.ca
Please remember, when reporting a sighting, to leave your name and phone
number along with the date, the species and location of your sighting.
*****************************************************************************
Sunday, January 04, 2015:

                    The Sunday bird walk was cancelled due to the weather conditions! 

Friday, January 02:

Ruby Crowned Kinglets and a Townsend’s Warbler are visiting suet feeders in the 2100 block of Lintlow Road in Nanaimo. 

A Cassin’s Auklet was spotted off shore from Pipers Lagoon in Nanaimo. 

Thursday, January 01:

An American Kestrel was perched on a small tree just south of the flooded fields by Quennell Lake on Quennell Road in Cedar. 

A Cassin’s Auklet was spotted off shore from Pipers Lagoon in Nanaimo. 

Wednesday, December 31:

Eight Evening grosbeaks were seen along Lowry's Road in French Creek. 

A Yellow-billed Loon was seen on the Strait of Georgia off the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville

Tuesday, December 30:

The Tuesday bird walk went to Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville. The morning was sunny with calm winds, although it was cool in the forest out of the sunshine. We had a great morning of birding.  We watched a flock of thirty Black-bellied Plovers and about two hundred Dunlin dance in the sky for several minutes and then land on the rocks at the point. When we looked closely at the flock we discovered that there were nineteen Surfbirds in among the flock. Two Brant were just off shore. The group had great views through the scope at a Yellow-billed Loon diving and returning to the surface further off shore. A Pigeon Guillemot, two Marbled Murrelet and several flocks of Common Murre were also seen further offshore.  

Yellow-billed Loon: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

Surfbirds: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

Twelve birders including a visiting birder from New Brunswick saw and heard the following thirty-eight species:

Brant

American Widgeon

Mallard

Harlequin Duck

Greater Scaup

Surf Scoter

White-winged Scoter

Black Scoter

Bufflehead

Common Goldeneye

                                                  Common Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

Pacific Loon

Common Loon

Yellow-billed Loon

Long-tailed Duck

Red-necked Grebe

Horned Grebe

Double-crested Cormorant

Bald Eagle

Black-bellied Plover

Black Turnstone

Dunlin

Surfbird

Black Oystercatchers

Glaucous-winged Gull

Pigeon Guillemot

Marbled Murrelet

Common Murre

Northwestern Crow

Common Raven

American Robin

Varied Thrush

                                             Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Pacific Wren

Spotted Towhee

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Song Sparrow 

A Sharp shinned Hawk was spotted flushing out California Quail from blackberry bushes along Lewis Road in Nanaimo.    

Monday, December 29:

Two Great-horned Owls were heard along Morrell Circle in Nanaimo. 

 

Brant in flight: Ralph Hocken Photo.

*************************************************************************************
18th Annual Tofino Shorebird Festival
May 1-3, 2015
For  information please contact---- 
http://raincoasteducation.org/events/tofino-shorebird-festival
*********************************************************************************
Everyone is welcome to join us for a 2-3 hour bird walk on the Sunday and
Tuesday mornings.  We leave from the Store at 9 a.m. on Sunday Mornings and go to a different location in and around Nanaimo and from the Parksville
Beach Community Park at 9 a.m. on Tuesdays and go to different areas in and around the Oceanside area
****************************************************************************
The Tuesday bird walk on January 06, 2015 will be going to the Little Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum beach. Meet at the parking lot near the Lions Club Playground in Parksville Community Park at 9:00 a.m. or at the Brant viewing platform in north Qualicum Beach at about 9:20 a.m.
*********************************************************************
The Sunday bird walk on January 11, 2015 will be going to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo. Meet at the Bird Store at 9:00 a.m. or at the parking lot at Neck Point off Hammond Bay Road at about 9:15 a.m.
*********************************************************************
British Columbia Rare Bird Alert link--- http://www.bcbirdalert.blogspot.ca/

****************************************************************************

A must read for those of us who live along the Strait of Georgia.

THE SEA AMONG US
THE AMAZING STRAIT OF GEORGIA
RICHARD BEAMISH AND GORDON McFARLANE

*****************************************************************************
Good birding
Neil Robins

THE BACKYARD WILDBIRD & NATURE STORE
6314 Metral Drive
Nanaimo  B.C.
V9T-2L8
Phone: 250-390-3669
Fax: 250-390-1633
Email:  thebackyard@shaw.ca
Blog:  www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com