The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store

Greater Yellowlegs: Ralph Hocken Photo.

The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store
Nanaimo Bird Alert

To report your sightings
phone the Store at 250-390-3669
e-mail us at thebackyard@shaw.ca
call the Bird Alert at 250-390-3029

Also check the birdstore blog for the latest bird alerts and updates:
www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com

Post your sightings on these site:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bcbirdingvanisland/messages

Birds of British Columbia:
http://www.geog.ubc.ca/biodiversity/efauna/SpeciesChecklists.html

International Birdwatching Guides
http://www.guidedbirdwatching.com

Birdwatching contacts and information.
find a local birder to go birdwatching with.
http://www.birdingpal.org/

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

Sunday, August 10:
The Sunday Bird Walk went to the Englishman River Estuary, Plummer Road side in Parksville, the highlights included a flock of Black Swifts and Vaux's Swifts circling above us hawking insects. Two Sharp-shinned Hawks flew above us, gliding in big circles. Two Merlins put in a brief appearance and disappeared behind some fir trees. A mixed flock of Least Sandpipers, Western Sandpipers and one Sanderling kept us comparing the different species on the mud flats. A mixed flock of migrating Swallows flew over us heading south down the Strait of Georgia.

Twenty-one birders found the following forty-one species of birds:
Canada Goose, Mallard, Scoter-SP, Common Merganser, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Marbled Murrelet, Bald Eagle, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Merlin, Turkey Vulture, Killdeer, Sanderling, Least Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper, Spotted Sandpiper, Lesser Yellowlegs, Black Oystercatcher, California Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Bonaparte's Gull, Pigeon Guillemot, Belted Kingfisher, Black Swift, Vaux's Swift, Violet-green Swallow, Tree Swallow, Rough-winged Swallow, Barn Swallow, Cliff Swallow,Northern Flicker, Northwestern Crow, Red-breasted Nuthatch, American Robin, Swainson's Thrush, European Starling, Spotted Towhee, White-crowned Sparrow, Red Crossbill, House Finch and American Goldfinch.

Saturday August 09:

"Rare bird alert-ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK"

A Rose-breasted Grosbeak was seen sitting on a wire in Port Renfrew. The Rose-Breasted Grosbeak is usually found east of the Rockies.

A Peregrine Falcon was spotted in Port Renfrew

Twelve Sooty Shearwaters, a Tufted Puffin, Cassin's Auklet, several Red-necked Phalaropes and two Caspian Terns were seen offshore at Port Renfrew.

One Wandering Tattler, one Surfbird and several Black Turnstones were seen at Botanical Beach.

An Immature Brown Pelican was seen offshore at Jordon River on the west coast of Vancouver Island.

Three Heermann's Gulls were seen about one half a mile off Blandon Point, offshore from Lantzville.

An Anna's Hummingbird is visiting feeders along Boundary Crescent in Nanaimo.

Thursday August 07:

Several Common Nighthawks were seen over the Englishman River Estuary, Plummer Road side in Parksville.

Tuesday August 05:
Several Nighthawks have been seen flying above Departure Bay in Nanaimo.

A Great Horned Owl was seen at Neck Point Park in Nanaimo. The Owl was seen on the right of the path that leads to Sunset Beach.

Monday August 04:
"Rare Bird Alert--Black and White Warbler"
A Black and White Warbler was seen at the Beaver Pond in Morrell Wildlife Sanctuary in Nanaimo. The Warbler was moving down a tree trunk, like a Red-breasted Nuthatch. The Warbler was striped on its back, the face/head stripes were narrow. The Black and White Warbler is usually found east of the Rockies.

An Olive-sided Flycatcher was seen perched on the top of one of the tall dead trees in the Beaver Pond at Morrell Wildlife Sanctuary in Nanaimo.

A Barred Owl was seen at Colliery Dam in Nanaimo.

A Great Horned Owl was seen near Bonnel Creek in Nanoose Bay.

Sunday August 03:

Two Green Herons were seen roosting near the gazebo at Tomatoes Restaurant in Courtney.

A Humpbacked Whale was photographed near Schooner Cove in Nanoose Bay during the Sunday bird walk.

A Solitary Sandpiper was spotted along the Sooke River in Sooke.

Red-necked Phalaropes were seen offshore at Jordan River.

Along the Jordan River bank were large numbers of Western Sandpipers and Least Sandpipers.

Western Sandpipers and Least Sandpipers and a juvenile Whimbrel were seen on the beach at Jordan River.

Western, Least and Semipalmated Sandpipers were seen at French Beach.

Sanderlings, Black Turnstones, Semipalmated Sandpipers, Western Sandpipers, Least Sandpipers, Semipalmated Plovers and Long-billed Dowitchers were seen at Whiffin Spit.

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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The Nanoose Naturalists
Monthly Meeting
Thursday September 11, 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 Sunday Bird Walk on August 17, 2008 will be going to Columbia Beach.
Meet at the Bird Store at 9:00 A.M. or at the parking area on Admiral Tryon Boulevard off Columbia Drive about

9: 40 A.M. ( turn off highway 19a just north of the French Creek Bridge onto Columbia Beach Drive, go to the "T" intersection turn right onto Admiral Tryon Boulevard, go about 100 yards turn left and park in the empty lot)
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Good birding
Neil Robins
Nanaimo
British Columbia