The Backyard's Weekly Bird Walk locations are found in the Backyard Bird Report at the very end of the most recent report. Any cancellations will be posted here by 8am the day of the walk. Our first bird walks of the year are going out on Sunday February 4th and Tuesday February 6th. Locations will be posted to our next Bird Report.

Sunday 27 May 2007

Nanaimo bird alert

The Nanaimo Bird Alert
provided by
The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

To report your sightings phone
The Bird Alert at: 390-3029 or
The Store at: 390-3669
e-mail: thebackyard@shaw.ca
www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com

Please remember, when reporting a sighting, to leave your name and phone
number, along with the date and location of your sighting.

Sunday May 27, 2007:
The Sunday Bird Walk went to Morden Colliery Provincial Park in south Nanaimo. The highlight of the morning was the sighting of a RED-EYED VIREO. The VIREO sang his song for a long time as we searched up high in the trees for him. One of the birders finally spotted him high in the Alder Trees and many of us got to observe him. Twenty birders birders found the following thirty-five species:
COMMON MERGANGER, TURKEY VULTURE, COOPER'S HAWK, BALD EAGLE, RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER, DOWNY WOODPECKER, NORTHERN FLICKER, PILEATED WOODPECKER, CEDAR WAXWING, BELTED KINGFISHER, PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER, RED-EYED VIREO, CASSIN'S VIREO, WARBLING VIREO, COMMON RAVEN, BAND-TAILED PIGEON, VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW, BARN SWALLOW,NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS, CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, BROWN CREEPER, WINTER WREN, SWAINSON'S THRUSH, AMERICAN ROBIN, ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, YELLOW WARBLER, BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER, COMMON YELLOW-THROAT, SPOTTED TOWHEE, SONG SPARROW, CHIPPING SPARROW, FOX SPARROW, BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK and PURPLE FINCH.
Saturday May 26:
A pair of NORTHERN ORIOLES was seen at the marsh in Port Alberni.
Ninteen BAND-TAILED PIGEONS were seen visiting feeders along Southwind Drive in upper Lantzville.

Friday May 25:
A female LAZULI BUNTING was seen at the Carmanah Point lighthouse on the west coast of Vancouver Island.
A COMMON GRACKLE was spotted in Tofino.


Thursday May 24:
WILSON'S WARBLER, CHIPPING SPARROW, BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK and a large flock of PINE SISKINS were seen in the 100 block of Cathmount Place in Nanaimo.
A BULLOCK'S ORIOLE was spotted at Ucluelet on the west coast.
A RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER was seen poking holes in an Eucalyptus Tree in a yard at Deep Bay.

Wednesday May 23:
The Wednesday Bird Walk went to the Top Bridge Trail in Parksville. The big highlight of the morning was the sighting of a different seabird that we were able to identify as a MASKED BOOBY. An amazing sighting for this area! Following is a brief description of the bird:
We saw a large, very long winged mainly white bird fly right overhead in the direction of the Georgia Strait. The wings were very long, slender and pointed at the tips. The head was all white with a yellow bill and some black at the base of the bill. The head and neck stuck well out in front and the tail projected well out the back so that the wings appeared to be positioned about halfway along the body. It was clearly not a gull or tern and seemed at least as big as a Glaucous-winged Gull, likely bigger. The under sides of the wings were mainly white with some duskiness along the trailing edge and out towards the tips. The flight was strong and direct. It was also not very high, perhaps twice treetop height. Eight or ten flaps and it was out of sight. .
Fourteen birders found the following forty-three species:
MALLARD, CALIFORNIA QUAIL, MASKED BOOBY, TURKEY VULTURE, BALD EAGLE, COOPER'S HAWK, KILLDEER, SEMI-PALMATED SANDPIPER, GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL, RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD, HAIRY WOODPECKER, NORTHERN FLICKER, PILEATED WOODPECKER, PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER, CASSIN'S VIREO, WARBLING VIREO, NORTHWESTERN CROW, COMMON RAVEN, VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW, NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW, CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE, BEWICK'S WREN, WINTER WREN, AMERICAN DIPPER, HERMIT THRUSH, SWAINSON'S THRUSH, AMERICAN ROBIN, EUROPEAN STARLING, ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, YELLOW WARBLER, TOWNSEND'S WARBLER, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, WILSON'S WARBLER, SPOTTED TOWHEE, CHIPPING SPARROW, SONG SPARROW, WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, DARK-EYED JUNCO, BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK, BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD, PURPLE FINCH, PINE SISKIN, AMERICAN GOLDFINCH.
VESPER SPARROWS were seen singing from the southern most perimeter fence which can be viewed from the dirt road south of the Nanaimo Airport in Cassidy.
A NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD was seen near the Nanaimo Airport in Cassidy at the southern perimeter fenceline.
A pair of AMERICAN GOLDFINCH are visiting feeders along Kilpatrick Road in the Junglepot area of Nanaimo.

Monday May 21:
Sixteen RED-THROATED LOONS were seen landing at Parksville Bay in Parksville.
WILSON'S and YELLOW WARBLERS were seen in a back yard along Heather Place in Parksville.

Sunday May 20:
A SOLITARY SANDPIPER was seen on the north shore of Long Lake in Nanaimo.
A WESTERN TANAGER was seen along West Crescent in Qualicum Beach.

Saturday May 19:
Twelve BAND-TAILED PIGEONS were visiting ground feeder and a NORTHERN FLICKER is visiting the suet feeder in the 100 block of Meridian Way in Parksville.

For further information on these sightings or for help in identifying a
bird please call:The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store
@ (250) 390-3669
Toll Free @ 1-888-249-4145
e-mail: thebackyard@shaw.ca
**********************************
Arrowsmith Naturalists
Monthly Meeting,
Monday, May 28, 2007@ 7:30 pm.
Springwood School
Parksville
**********************************
The Nanoose Naturalists
Monthly Meeting
Thursday June 14, 2007 @ 7:00 pm
Nanoose Library,
Nanoose Bay
***********************************
The Wednesday Bird Walk on May 30, 2007 will be going to Legacy Marsh in Upper Lantzville. We will meet at the east parking lot of The Parksville Civic and Technology Centre at Jensen Avenue and McCarter Street at
9:00 a.m. in Parksville or under the Hydro lines on Normarel Drive at about 9:30am. To get to Legacy Marsh from Parksville follow Highway 19 and turn right onto Superior Road follow Superior Road to Normarel Drive turn left and go down to the Hydro Lines and park.
*************************************
The Sunday Bird Walk on June 03, 2007 will be going to Springwood Park (the woods at the end of Despard Avenue, across from Chestnut Street). We will meet at the Bird Store at 9:00 a.m.or at the parking area near Despard Avenue (turn left off Highway 4A going into Parksville) and Chestnut Street at about 9:30 a.m.
Coming from Nanaimo take the # 51 exit off the Inland Island Highway and head into Parksville along highway 4A. Turn left at the first set of lights(Despard Avenue) and go to the end of Despard Avenue, just past Chestnut Street.
*****************************************
Good Birding!
Neil Robins
Nanaimo

Sunday 20 May 2007

Nanaimo Bird Alert May 20, 2007



Sunday May 20, 2007:
A possible LEWIS WOODPECKER was seen along Northwest Bay Road near the Logging Road in Nanoose Bay.
The Sunday Bird Walk went to the Beaver Ponds at Nanoose Bay. Six birders birders found the following thirty-seven species:
MUTE SWAN , WOOD DUCK, MALLARD, BALD EAGLE, RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD,
HAIRY WOODPECKER , NORTHERN FLICKER, PILEATED WOODPECKER, PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER, WILLOW FLYCATCHER, OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER, HUTTON'S VIREO, WARBLING VIREO, CASSIN'S VIREO, COMMON RAVEN, VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW, CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, HERMIT THRUSH, AMERICAN ROBIN, EUROPEAN STARLING, ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER(" POSSIBLE"), BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER, TOWNSEND'S WARBLER, COMMON YELLOW-THROAT, WILSON'S WARBLER, WESTERN TANAGER, BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK, SPOTTED TOWHEE, MARSH WREN, BEWICK'S WREN,
SONG SPARROW, DARK-EYED JUNCO, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD, PURPLE FINCH and PINE SISKIN.


Marsh Wren at Buttertubs Marsh: Photo by Ralph Hocken

Saturday May 19:
PINE GROSBEAKS were seen along Heath Avenue in Parksville.

Friday May 18:
A pair of CALIFORNIA QUAIL are visiting a yard in the Lynburn area of Nanaimo.


Thursday May 17:
A ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was seen along Northwest Bay Road near Wall Beach Road in Nanoose Bay.
A MOURNING DOVE was spotted in the 100 block of Meridian Way in Parksville.
A LARK SPARROW was seen in the 2600 block of Lungren Road in the Divers Lake area of Nanaimo.

Wednesday May 16:
A YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER was seen along Andover Road in Nanoose Bay.
The Wednesday Bird Walk went to the Englishman River Estuary, Plummer Road side. The highlights included watching NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS going into their nest along the River Bank. We saw a PACIFIC LOON and a PIGEON GUILLEMOT in breeding plumage off shore. In the mud flats we saw three DUNLIN and six WESTERN SANDPIPERS, in breeding plumage, feed in the mud flats. Three SPOTTED SANDPIPERS in breeding plumage moved along the River giving us great sightings.
Eleven birders found the following fifty species. CANADA GOOSE, BRANT, MALLARD, HARLEQUIN DUCK, SURF SCOTER, COMMON MERGANSER, CALIFORNIA QUAIL, PACIFIC LOON, GREAT BLUE HERON, TURKEY VULTURE, OSPREY, BALD EAGLE, SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, KILLDEER, SPOTTED SANDPIPER, WESTERN SANDPIPER, DUNLIN, MEW GULL, GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL, PIGEON GUILLEMOT, RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD, NORTHERN FLICKER, NORTHWESTERN CROW, COMMON RAVEN, VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW, NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW, BARN SWALLOW, CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, BEWICK'S WREN, SWAINSON'S THRUSH, AMERICAN ROBIN, EUROPEAN STARLING, CEDAR WAXWINGS, ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, YELLOW WARBLER, BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER, MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLER, WILSON'S WARBLER, SPOTTED TOWHEE, SAVANNAH SPARROW, SONG SPARROW, WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD, BREWER'S BLACKBIRD, BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD, PURPLE FINCH, HOUSE FINCH, AMERICAN GOLDFINCH and HOUSE SPARROW.


Whimbrel at the High School grounds in Cedar : Photo by Robin Bodnaruk

Monday May 14:
A BROWN PELICAN was spotted at the French Creek marina area in French Creek.
Two MOURNING DOVES were seen along Maxey Road in south Nanaimo.
A BLACK-HEADED GROSEBEAK was seen along Birchwood Road in Ladysmith.
A BULLOCK'S ORIOLE, YELLOW WARBLERS and MARSH WRENS were seen at Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo.

Sunday May 13:
WESTERN TANAGERS, RUFOUS and ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRDS were seen in the 4100 block of Gulfview Drive in Nanaimo.


For further information on these sightings or for help in identifying a
bird please call:The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store
@ (250) 390-3669
Toll Free @ 1-888-249-4145
e-mail:
thebackyard@shaw.ca
**********************************
Arrowsmith Naturalists
Monthly Meeting,
Monday, May 28, 2007@ 7:30 pm.
Springwood School
Parksville
**********************************
The Nanoose Naturalists
Monthly Meeting
Thursday June 14, 2007 @ 7:00 pm
Nanoose Library,
Nanoose Bay
***********************************
The Wednesday Bird Walk on May 16, 2007 will be going to Top Bridge Trail in Parksville. We will meet at the east parking lot of The Parksville Civic and Technology Centre at Jensen Avenue and McCarter Street at

9:00 a.m. in Parksville or at the parking lot next to Industrial Way near Tuan Road in Parksville at about 9:10 am
*************************************
The Sunday Bird Walk on May 27, 2007 will be going to the Morden Collery Provincial Park off Highway One and Morden Road in south Nanaimo, weather permitting--winds, torrential rains will deter us!
Meet at the Bird Store at 9:00 a.m. or at the parking area at Morden Collery Provincial Park at about 9:30 a.m.

*****************************************
Good Birding!
Neil Robins
Nanaimo

Thursday 17 May 2007

A Rare Bird Sighting

This morning we received a report of a LARK SPARROW visiting a backyard feeder in the Divers Lake area of Nanaimo. There have been very few records of a Lark Sparrow in Nanaimo. For more information about its location please call the store, 390-3669.

Thursday 10 May 2007

Bug Lady Seminar a Success!




The Bug Lady seminar was a wonderful success. For about 17 guests, Jessica Dawe, from The Bug Lady gave an enthusiastic talk about pest management in the garden. She talked about creating a garden that is balanced so that "the right bugs" are already there. From time time to time, she pointed out, things get out of balance and that's when we visit retailers like The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store to pick up a bag of ladybugs (native species) to treat an aphid problem or a package of Weevilution for the weevils affecting your Rhododendron's. She was full of wonderful insights and recommendations. On the Bug Lady website there are some fantastic resources as well. Companion planting, integrated pest management and bug identification.
Thanks Jessica!

Wednesday 9 May 2007

Swarms of Swifts

Today we have received three reports of hundreds to thousands of Swifts in Ladysmith, Port Alberni and Royston. In two of these reports the Swifts were seen flying down chimneys by and some getting right in to the houses. There are two species of Swifts that are commonly seen on the island, Black and Vaux's Swift. One of the reports mentioned it as watching something out of the Alfred Hitchcock movie "The Birds".
If you have a bird sighting email The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store at thebackyard@shaw.ca. CB

Sunday 6 May 2007

The Nanaimo Bird Alert
provided by
The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

To report your sightings phone
The Bird Alert at: 390-3029 or
The Store at: 390-3669
e-mail: thebackyard@shaw.ca
www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com

Please remember, when reporting a sighting, to leave your name and phone
number, along with the date and location of your sighting.

Sunday May 06, 2007:
The Sunday Bird Walk went to Beck Creek and Chase River Estuary in Nanaimo. The highlight of the walk was over twenty noisey WHIMBREL flying over us. Six GREATER YELLOWLEGS were feeding on the mud flats.
Ten birders found the following forty-four species:
GREAT BLUE HERON, CANADA GOOSE, MALLARD, BUFFLEHEAD, COMMON MERGANSER, RING-NECKED PHEASANT, CALIFORNIA QUAIL, WHIMBREL, GREATER YELLOWLEGS, GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL, BAND-TAILED PIGEON, ROCK PIGEON, RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD, BELTED KINGFISHER, NORTHERN FLICKER, PILEATED WOODPECKER, NORTHWESTERN CROW, COMMON RAVEN, PURPLE MARTIN, TREE SWALLOW, VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW, CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE, BROWN CREEPER, BEWICK'S WREN, GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET, HERMIT THRUSH, VARIED THRUSH, AMERICAN ROBIN, EUROPEAN STARLING, ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, YELLOW WARBLER, COMMON YELLOW-THROAT, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, SPOTTED TOWHEE, SONG SPARROW, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD, BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD, PURPLE FINCH, HOUSE FINCH, AMERICAN GOLDFINCH, PINE SISKINS, DARK-EYED JUNCOS, HOUSE SPARROW and WINTER WREN.
A YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD was seen at the end of Tweedshope Road in Lower Lantzville.

Friday May 04:
Four AMERICAN GOLDFINCH were seen at feeders at Lantzville Road and Superior Roads in Lantzville.
A SILVER PHEASANT was at feeders in the 5100 block of Lauguna Way in Nanaimo.

Thursday May 03:
A YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD in with a flock of BREWERS BLACKBIRDS were seen perched on a fence on the south side of Northwest Bay Road just to the east of Wallbeach Road in Nanoose Bay.
A LESSER CANADA GOOSE was seen in with five CANADA GEESE at Cowichan Bay.
Two ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS, four CHIPPING SPARROWS, three YELLOW WARBLERS and a PURPLE MARTIN were seen at Somenos Marsh in Duncan.

Wednesday May 02:
The Wednesday bird walk went to the Beaver Ponds at Nanoose Bay.
Among the highlights was the song of a "CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER" singing near the first pond and several sightings of BLACK-THROATED GRAY and TOWNSEND'S WARBLERS. The bird of the day, a WESTERN TANAGER was seen near the big pond. He was perched high in an Arbutus Tree giving all of us a great sighting.
Seventeen birders found the following thirty-nine species:
CANADA GOOSE, MUTE SWAN, WOOD DUCK, MALLARD, BUFFLEHEAD, CALIFORNIA QUAIL, TURKEY VULTURE, OSPREY, COOPER'S HAWK, GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL, BARRED OWL, RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD, DOWNY WOODPECKER, NORTHERN FLICKER, PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER, CASSIN'S VIREO, COMMON RAVEN, VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW, CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE, BUSHTIT, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET
HERMIT THRUSH, AMERICAN ROBIN, VARIED THRUSH, EUROPEAN STARLING, ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, YELLOW WARBLER, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER, CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER
TOWNSEND'S WARBLER, WESTERN TANAGER, SPOTTED TOWHEE, SONG SPARROW, DARK-EYED JUNCO, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD, PURPLE FINCH and
PINE SISKINS
A BULLOCK'S ORIOLE was seen at his usual summer location, near the old foundation at Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo.

Tuesday May 01:
A BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK was seen visiting feeders at Qualicum Village north and west of Qualicum Beach.
A WESTERN TANAGER was seen on Gabrolia Island.
A NORTHERN FLICKER was seen along Seablush Road in Nanoose Bay.
An AMERICAN DIPPER was seen at Colliery Dam Park in Nanaimo.

Monday April 30:
GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS and AMERICAN GOLDFINCH were seen in the 4300 block of Shell Beach Road in Ladysmith.
EVENING GROSBEAKS and AMERICAN GOLDFINCH were spotted in the 500 block of Spirting Road in Nanaimo.
Six EVENING GROSBEAKS were seen in the 800 block of Middlescot Road in Errington.

Sunday April 29:
Three LESSER YELLOWLEGS, CASSIN'S VIREO, CHIPPING SPARROWS, YELLOW-RUMPED, ORANGE-CROWNED, TOWNSEND'S and WILSON'S WARBLERS were seen on the Top Bridge Trail in Parksville.
AMERICAN GOLDFINCH were spotted in the 400 block of Millstone Avenue in Nanaimo.

For further information on these sightings or for help in identifying a
bird please call:The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store
@ (250) 390-3669
Toll Free @ 1-888-249-4145
e-mail: thebackyard@shaw.ca
***********************************
The Nanoose Naturalists
Monthly Meeting
Thursday, May 10, 2007 @ 7:00 pm
Nanoose Library,
Nanoose Bay
Speakers: Brian Kingzett, "Coastal Shellfish"
Marianne Wade, "Update: Fairwinds Critical Areas"
**********************************
Arrowsmith Naturalists
Monthly Meeting,
Monday, May 28, 2007@ 7:30 pm.
Springwood School
Parksville
**********************************
The Wednesday Bird Walk on May 9, 2007 will be going to Springwood Park (the woods at the end of Despard Avenue, across from Chestnut Street). We will meet at the east parking lot of The Parksville Civic and Technology Centre at Jensen Avenue and McCarter Street at 9:00 a.m. in Parksville or at the parking area near Despard Avenue (turn left off Highway 4A going into Parksville) and Chestnut Street.

*************************************
The Sunday Bird Walk on May 13, 2007 will be going to Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo, weather permitting--winds, torrential rains will deter us!
Meet at the Bird Store at 9:00 a.m. or at the parking area on Bowen Road side of Buttertubs Marsh at about 9: 20 am.

*****************************************
Good Birding!
Neil Robins
Nanaimo

Tuesday 1 May 2007

The Bug Lady Workshop

DON’T FORGET TO SIGN UP
FOR THIS VERY INTERESTING FREE WORKSHOP!
DEAL WITH GARDEN PESTS NATURALLY!


The Birdman is pleased to host a morning with The Bug Lady!

Thursday May 3rd
11am -Noon FREE


The Bug Lady will be in the store to answer your questions about beneficial bugs.
· Learn how to identify bugs in your garden (Good Bug? Bad Bug?)
· Integrated Pest Management (ladybugs, nematodes, red wiggler worms etc)
· Common garden problems.
· When and how to apply beneficial bugs?
· How to deal with cranefly, aphids, mealybugs, fungus gnat, spidermite, slugs, composting and more!
********************************************************************************************************************** For more information or to pre-register. 250.390.3669 or TOLL FREE 1-888-249-4145
The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store 6314 Metral Drive Nanaimo, BC