The Tuesday Bird Walk for April 8, 2025 is CANCELED.
See you next week.
The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store
Nanaimo Bird Report
April 3, 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.
*********************************************************
TUESDAY April 1, 2025:
The Tuesday Bird Walk went to Deep Bay. Weather was sunny, 10C, no wind, and the tide was going out. A few highlights from the walk were a Whimbrel on the beach in front of us hanging out with a few Black Oystercatchers. A Pigeon Guillemot flew by providing us with a great view of its pink legs and a Red-breasted Sapsucker was busy excavating a cavity.
12 birders saw and heard the following 61 species:
Brant
Canada Goose
Trumper Swan – hybrid resident
Mallard
Harlequin Duck
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Long-tailed Duck
Greater Scaup
Lesser Scaup
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Western Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Brant’s Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
California Quail
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Killdeer
Black Oystercatcher
Whimbrel
Short-billed Gull
California Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Marbled Murrelet
Pigeon Guillemot
Eurasian Collared Dove
Anna’s Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Violet-green Swallow
Common Raven
American Crow
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Bushtit
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
American Robin
European Starling
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Red-winged Blackbird
Brewer’s Blackbird
Red Crossbill
House Finch
Purple Finch
Pine Siskin
House Sparrow
Sunday March 23, 2025:
The Sunday Bird Walk went to Maki Road Trail in south Nanaimo. Weather was cloudy with the odd sunny break, 6C. a few highlights from the walk was a Peregrine Falcon soaring on a thermal, quickly saw and heard a male Rufous Hummingbird displaying along with a few male Anna’s Hummingbirds. A pair of Chestnut-backed Chickadees were investigating a cavity on the back of a power pole.
17 birders saw and heard the following 39 species:
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
American Wigeon
Mallard
Ring-necked Duck
Bufflehead
Common Merganser
Hooded Merganser
Pied-billed Grebe
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
Bald Eagle
Peregrine Falcon
Glaucous-winged Gull
Anna’s Hummingbird
Rufous Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Violet-green Swallow
Common Raven
Chestnut -backed Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Bushtit
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Bewick’s Wren
Pacific Wren
American Robin
European Startling
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Red-winged Blackbird
Purple Finch
Pine Siskin
Two Turkey Vultures were seen overhead near Hammond Bay Road and Uplands Drive.
Birding Notes:
The 2025 Brant Wildlife Festival, hosted by the Mount
Arrowsmith Biosphere Region, will take place from Friday April 4th through
Monday April 7th. Make sure to check out our calendar of events at https://brantfestival.bc.ca/event-calendar/
If you have any birds 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, April 6, 2025.
The Sunday Bird Walk will be going to Legacy Marsh in Lantzville.
Meet at The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store at 9:00am or at the corner of Normarel Drive and Sywash Ridge Road at 9:10am. Normarel Drive is located near the top of Superior Road, Lantzville. Weather cooperating.
Tuesday Bird Walk, April 8, 2025.
The
Tuesday Bird Walk will be going to the Little Qualicum Fish Hatchery. The Tuesday Bird Walk will be Going
to Little Qualicum Fish Hatchery in Qualicum Beach.
Meet at the Parksville Tourist Information Center parking lot, located by Hwy 19A, Northwest Bay Road and Franklin’s Gull Road in Parksville, at 9:00 am or meet at the Little Qualicum Fish Hatchery on Claymore Road, located off Laburnum Road, Qualicum Beach about 9:15am. Weather Cooperating.
Good birding! Colin Bartlett
The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store
Nanaimo Bird Report
March 27, 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.
*********************************************************
Wednesday March 26, 2025:
Yellow-rumped Warbler was heard singing at 10:30 this morning near the Little Qualicum River Falls RP trail head parking lot off Meadowood.
TUESDAY March 25, 2025:
The Tuesday Bird Walk went to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. Weather was cloudy, 10c, and tide was going out. A few highlights from the walk were three Greater Yellowlegs right in front of us, along with a pair of Red Crossbills feeding in a stump right beside the trail for us to watch. Northern Shrike was seen in the field and a Barred Owl was seen and heard as one of the birders was near the parking lot.
14 birders saw and heard the following 61 species:
Brant
Canada Goose
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Eurasian Wigeon
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Common Loon
Pacific Loon
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Pelagic Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Killdeer
Black Oystercatcher
Greater Yellowlegs
Dunlin
Short-billed Gull
Thayer’s Gull
California Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Barred Owl
Eurasian Collared Dove
Anna’s Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Common Raven
American Crow
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Bushtit
Brown Creeper
Bewick’s Wren
Pacific Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Northern Shrike
American Robin
Varied Thrush
European Starling
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
Lincoln’s Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Red-winged Blackbird
Red Crossbill
House Finch
Purple Finch
Pine Siskin
Sunday March 23, 2025:
The Sunday Bird Walk was canceled due to the weather.
Birding Notes:
The 2025 Brant Wildlife Festival, hosted by the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region, will take place from Friday April 4th through Monday April 7th. Make sure to check out our calendar of events at https://brantfestival.bc.ca/event-calendar/
If you have any birds 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, March 30, 2025.
The Sunday Bird Walk will be going to Maki Road Trail in Nanaimo.
Meet at The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store at 9:00 am or at the end of Maki Road, parking by Living Forest Campground (by Rona in south Nanaimo) at 9:15 am. Weather cooperating.
Tuesday Bird Walk, April 1, 2025.
The
Tuesday Bird Walk will be making the trip a little farther north, going to Deep
Bay.
We will meet directly at the parking lot by the Deep Bay Marina at 9:00 am. Weather Cooperating.
Good birding! Colin Bartlett
The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store
Nanaimo Bird Report
March 20, 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.
*********************************************************
TUESDAY March 18, 2025:
The Tuesday Bird Walk went to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. Weather was sunny, 1c, light breeze on the water and tide was going out. A few highlights from the walk were a large flock of Greater Scaup at the mouth of the river. A pair of Gadwall were seen in the estuary and at the start of the walk by the parking area a Hutton’s Vireo was singing.
14 birders saw and heard the following 53 species:
Brant
Canada Goose
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Great Scaup
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Common Loon
Pacific Loon
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Killdeer
Short-billed Gull
California Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Pigeon Guillemot
Marbled Murrelet
Eurasian Collared Dove
Anna’s Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Northern Flicker
Hutton’s Vireo
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
European Starling
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Red-winged Blackbird
Red Crossbill
Purple Finch
Pine Siskin
Sunday March 16, 2025:
The Sunday Bird Walk went to Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo. Weather was cloudy with sunny breaks, 4C. A few highlights from the walk were Voilet-green and Tree Swallows flying over the marsh, a small flock of Cedar Waxwings along the trail behind the houses and hearing the Virginia Rail.
15 birders saw and heard the following 43 species.
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Mallard
Ring-necked Duck
Bufflehead
Hooded Merganser
Pied-billed Grebe
California Quail
Great Blue Heron
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Bald Eagle
Turkey Vulture
Virginia Rail
Glaucous-winged Gull
Eurasian Collared Dove
Anna’s Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Tree Swallow
Violet-Green Swallow
Common Raven
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Bushtit
Bewick’s Wren
Marsh Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Golden-crowned Kinglet
American Robin
Varied Thrush
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Spotted Towhee
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Red-winged Blackbird
House Finch
Purple Finch
House Sparrow
If you have any birds 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, March 23, 2025.
The Sunday Bird Walk will be going to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo.
Meet at The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store at 9:00 am or at the parking lot at 9:10 am. Weather cooperating.
Tuesday Bird Walk, March 25, 2025.
The
Tuesday Bird Walk will be going to Englishman River Estuary, Shelly Road
in Parksville.
Meet at the Parksville Tourist Information Center parking lot, located by Hwy 19A, Northwest Bay Road and Franklin’s Gull Road in Parksville, at 9:00 am or meet at the end of Shelly Road at 9:10am. Weather Cooperating.
Good birding! Colin Bartlett