Scissor-tailed Flycatcher at Botanical Beach near Port Renfrew:
Rick Toochin Photo.
The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store
Nanaimo Bird Alert
Sunday, May 25, 2008
The Sunday bird walk went to Legacy Marsh in Upper Lantzville. Among the highlights was the sighting of Black and Vaux Swifts. Seven predators--Turkey Vulture, Bald Eagle, Cooper's Hawk, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Merlin, Osprey, Red-tailed Hawk were all observed, as well as a pair of Red-breasted Sapsuckers going into a nest.
Eighteen birders saw and heard the following sixty-three species of birds:
Canada Goose, Wood Duck, Mallard, Ringed-neck Pheasant, California Quail, Pied-billed Grebe, Great Blue Heron, Turkey Vulture, Bald Eagle, Cooper's Hawk, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Merlin, Osprey, Red-tailed Hawk, Band-tailed Pigeon, Rufous Hummingbird, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Steller's Jay, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Purple Martin, Violet-green Swallow, Barn Swallow, Black Swift, Vaux's Swift, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Bewick's Wren, Winter Wren, Marsh Wren, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Bushtit, Black-headed Grosbeak, Hermit Thrush, Swainson's Thrush, American Robin, European Starling, Cedar Waxwing, Warbling Vireo, Cassin's Vireo, Orange-crowned Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Townsend's Warbler, MacGillivray's Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Pacific-sloped Flycatcher, Hammonds Flycatcher, Willow Flycatcher, Western Tanager, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Red-winged Blackbird, Purple Finch, Brown-headed Cowbird, Pine Siskin, House Finch, American Goldfinch and Red Crossbills.
Mourning Dove, House Wren, Killdeer and American Kestrel were seen at Kaye Road behind the Government Weigh Scales in Parksville.
Saturday, May 24:
A male SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER was seen flycatching and jumping on logs at Botanical Beach near Port Renfrew on the west side of Vancouver Island. The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher normally spends the summer in Northern Mexico, Texas, and Southern Colorado. They winter from southern Florida to southern Mexico and central Costa Rica. The Scissor-Tailed Flycatcher is a rare to casual visitor to the Pacific Coast in the spring.
A Brewer's Sparrow, one Eurasian Collared-Dove, two Mourning Doves, a Rock Pigeon, several Band-tailed Pigeons were observed in the town of Port Renfrew. One male Black Scoter, Surf and White-winged Scoters, Ring-necked Ducks and a Greater Scaup were seen along the tide line near Port Renfrew.
An Elegant Tern was spotted flying east close to shore at Jordan River.
A Snow Goose was seen in the Marsh at Gordon's Beach on west Vancouver Island.
Pacific Loons in breeding plumage, Surf and White-winged Scoters and Harlequin Ducks, one second year Glaucous Gull and Barn Swallows were seen at the Little Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum Beach.
Three male Sooty Grouse were head calling along the foothills of Mount Benson at about 2000 feet.
Male and female Black-headed Grosbeaks were seen along Morrell Circle in Nanaimo.
A Bullock's Oriole, four Blue-winged Teal, an Olive-sided Flycatcher and an Osprey were seen at Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo.
A pair of Black-headed Grosbeaks were seen at feeders along Clark Crescent in upper Lantzville.
House Wrens and Evening Grosbeaks were seen at the Rivers Edge area behind the Government Weigh Scale in Parksville.
Four Wilson's Phalarope, Canada Goose, Red-tailed Hawk, Killdeer, Spotted Sandpiper, Long-billed Dowitcher, Glacous-winged Gull, Rock Pigeon, Rufous Hummingbird, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Tree Swallow, Violet-Green Swallow, Barn Swallow, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Berwick's Wren, American Robin, European Starling, Yellow Warbler, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Brewers Blackbird, Purple Finch, House Finch, Yellow Variant House Finch, Pine Siskin, American Goldfinch and House Sparrow were seen at the Holden Creek area of the Nanaimo River Estuary in south Nanaimo.
Thursday, May 22:
A Black-headed Grosbeak was seen at feeders in Cedar.
Wednesday, May 21:
The Wednesday Bird Walk went to the Springwood Park in Parksville. Twelve birders saw and heard thirty-eight species of birds during the morning. We had a "birding by ear" birdwalk--there were a large number of birds high up trees, obscured by the new leaves. The highlights included seeing both a Warbling Vireo and a Red-eyed Vireo. At the end of the walk while were tallying the species, we were entertained by two Black-headed Grosbeaks. We heard, but did not see, seven out of the eight species of Warblers that nest on the Island -- Orange-crowned Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Townsend's Warbler, Common Yellowthroat and Wilson's Warbler. The only species of Warbler not heard on the walk was the MacGillivray's. It will be the "target bird" next week!
Twelve birders found the following thirty-eight species of birds:
Ring-necked Pheasant, California Quail, Turkey Vulture, Bald Eagle, Rufous Hummingbird, Northern Flicker, Willow Flycatcher, Hammond's Flycatcher, Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Warbling Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Bushtit, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Winter Wren, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Hermit Thrush, American Robin, European Starling, Orange-crowned Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Townsend's Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Wilson's Warbler, Western Tanager, Spotted Towhee, Chipping Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Black-headed Grosbeak, Purple Finch, Red Crossbill, Pine Siskin and American Goldfinch.
A Western Tanager was seen in a large Western Red Cedar at the back of a house along Summit Drive in the Long Lake Heights area of Nanaimo.
A Killdeer was spotted at Pipers Lagoon in Nanaimo.
Sunday May 18:
A flock of about 40 cedar waxwings seen in a garden just north of the Little Qualicum River in Qualicum Beach.
American Goldfinch and a Black-headed Grosbeak are visiting feeders along Birchwood Road in Ladysmith.
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
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Arrowsmith Naturalists
Monthly Meeting,
Monday May 26, 2008@ 7:30 pm.
Springwood School
Parksville
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The Nanoose Naturalists
Monthly Meeting
Thursday June 12, 2008 @ 7:00 pm
Nanoose Library,
Nanoose Bay
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Everyone is welcome to join us for a 2-3 hour bird walk on the Sunday and Wednesday mornings. We leave from the Store at 9 A.M. Sunday Mornings and go to a different location in and around Nanaimo and from the Parksville Visitor Centre in Parksville at 9 A.M. Wednesdays and go to different areas in and around the Oceanside area.
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The Wednesday Bird Walk for May 28, 2008 will be going to the Top Bridge Trail in Parksville. Meet at the Parksville Visitor Centre at Highway 19A and Northwest Bay Road, near Craig Bay in Parksville, at 9:00 A.M. or at the parking area along Industrial Way near Tuan Road at about 9:10 A.M. This will be the last Wednesday Bird Walk for the summer. The Wednesday Bird Walk will resume in the fall.
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The Sunday Bird Walk on May 25, 2008, will be going to Morden Colliery Provincial Park in south Nanaimo. Meet at the Bird Store at 9:00 A.M. or at the Parking area at Morden Colliery Provincial Park off Highway One and Morden Road at about 9:30 A.M.
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Good birding
Neil Robins
Nanaimo
British Columbia
