The Backyard Wildbird and Nature Store: September 2008

Monday, 29 September 2008

Nanaimo bird alert

Red-tailed Hawk: 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, September 28, 2008:
The Sunday Bird Walk went to the Englishman River Estuary, Plummer Road side in Parksville.
Among the highlights were the sightings through the foggy mist of a Yellow-rumped Warbler, a Long-billed Dowitcher, Coopers Hawk and a Sharp-shinned Hawk.
Twenty birders found the following thirty-six species of birds:
Canada Goose, American Wigeon, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Common Merganser, Common Loon, Bald Eagle, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Coopers Hawk, Great Blue Heron, Killdeer, Western Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Long-billed Dowitcher, Glaucous-winged Gull, Belted Kingfisher, Northern Flicker, Steller's Jay, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Bewick's Wren, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, American Robin, European Starling, Red-winged Blackbird, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Purple Finch and House Finch.

Fifteen Flesh-footed Shearwaters, two Short-tailed Shearwaters, eight Buller's Shearwaters, thousands of Sooty Shearwaters, thousands upon thousands of Pink-footed Shearwaters, two Northern Fulmars, two South Polar Skuas, ten Pomarine Jaegers, three Red-necked Phalaropes, six Bonaparte's Gulls, thousands of California Gulls, hundreds of Heermann's Gulls, several Herring Gulls and hundreds of Glaucous-winged Gulls were seen on a Pelagic tour that went from Sooke to offshore of Bamfield at the Swiftsure Banks.
The Herring fish had pushed the Krill to the surface and as a result there were at least one hundred thousand seabirds and fourteen Humpback Whales seen in a massive feeding frenzy.

Saturday September 27:

A Snow Goose was seen in with Canada Geese on the east side of Highway One north of the Nanaimo River Bridge.

Friday September 26:
Greater White-fronted Geese, Snow Geese, Northern Pintail, American Wigeon, Green-winged Teal, Surf Scoters, Northern, Shovelers, Greater Scaup, White-winged Scoters, two Marbled Godwits and a Black-bellied Plover were seen heading down the Strait of Jaun De Fuca.

Thursday September 25:
A flock of Sandhill Cranes were seen over Deep Bay.

Sooty Shearwaters, Pink-footed Shearwaters, one Pomarine Jaeger, Red Phalaropes, Red-necked Phalaropes and one immature Brown Pelican were seen out on the Strait of Jaun De Fuca from Jordan River.

Wednesday September 24:
Six Buller's Shearwaters, over 300 Pink-footed Shearwaters, over 200 Sooty Shearwaters, Twelve Short-tailed Shearwaters, two Manx Shearwaters, twelve Northern Fulmars, two Red Phalaropes, thirty Red-necked Phalaropes, one South Polar Skua, twelve Pomarine Jaegers, one Parasitic Jaeger, two Cassin's Auklets, one Glaucous Gull, one juvenile Sabine's Gull and one Black-legged Kittiwake were seen in close to shore at Point No Point and Jordan River on the west coast of Vancouver Island.

Monday September 22:
A Green Heron was sighted along the Nanaimo River Estuary at high tide.

Saturday September 20:
A Stilt Sandpiper was seen at the beach in Campbell River.

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
Guest Speaker-- Ian Gartshore:
"Use wind power to reduce electrical consumption at home".
Thursday October 09, 2008 @ 7:00 pm
Nanoose Library,
Nanoose Bay
**********************************
Arrowsmith Naturalists
Monthly Meeting,
Monday October 27, 2008@ 7:30 pm.
Springwood School
Parksville
********************************
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 Beach Community Park at 9 A.M. Tuesdays and go to different areas in and around the Oceanside area.
*****************************************
***The Wednesday Morning Birdwalks in Parksville are now The Tuesday Bird Walks and will leave the Parksville Community Park (near the Concession Building).***
The Bird Walks will resume on Tuesday October 21. Meet at the Parksville Beach Community Park at 9 A.M.
*********************************
The Sunday Bird Walk on October 05, 2008 will be going to Bowen Park in Nanaimo.
Meet at the Bird Store at 9:00 A.M. or at the Parking Lot next to the Lawn Bowling Greens at Bowen Park (off Bowen Road) at about 9:20 A.M.
***************************************
Good birding
Neil Robins
Nanaimo

Sunday, 21 September 2008

Nanaimo bird alert

Savannah Sparrow: 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

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, September 21, 2008:
The Sunday Bird Walk went to the Nanaimo River Estuary in Nanaimo. Among the highlights were the sightings of a female Northern Harrier flying low over the ground near us, several times. An American Kestrel stopped and perched in a low shrub giving us great looks. We studied a Vesper Sparrow for about ten minutes until the Sparrow turned and gave us a look at his white outer tail feathers. We came upon two Least Sandpipers resting in the mud not far from us. The big Oak tree was teeming with at least sixty Cedar Waxwings and a great variety of Sparrow species.
Fourteen birders found the following thirty-one species of birds:
Canada Goose, Great Blue Heron, Mallard, American Wigeon, Peregrine Falcon, American Kestrel, Northern Harrier, Turkey Vulture, Least Sandpiper, California Quail, California Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Northern Flicker, Hairy Woodpecker, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Steller's Jay, Rock Pigeon, Cedar Waxwings, European Starlings, Belted Kingfisher, American Robin, Spotted Towhee, Chipping Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Purple Finch, American Goldfinch and House Finch.

Saturday September 20:

"RBA-Blue-winged Warbler "

A Blue-winged Warbler was seen with Townsend's, Yellow, Orange-crowned, Wilson's and Yellow-rumped Warblers, Warbling Vireos, Cassin's Vireo and Hutton's Vireos near French Beach on the west coast of Vancouver Island.

Sixty Turkey Vultures were seen flying in a southwest direction over Ladysmith.

Friday September 19:
A Green Heron was seen at Courtenay River Estuary in Courtenay.

Wednesday September 17:
A Lark Sparrow was seen at the Englishman River Estuary, Shelly Road side in Parksville.

Anna's Hummingbirds are coming to feeders in the 1600 block of Fawcett Road in Cedar.

Tuesday September 16:
An American Golden Plover was seen on the flats near the boat ramp in Port McNeill.

Monday September 15:
Forty Black Swifts, twenty Vaux's Swifts, one Tree Swallow and five Violet-green Swallows were seen at Sooke.

One Semipalmated Sandpiper, seventy-five Western Sandpipers, twenty-two Least Sandpipers, five Short-billed Dowitchers, one Black Turnstone, one Lapland Longspur and an American Pipit. were seen at Whiffin Spit.

A Prairie Falcon, one Peregrine Falcon, two Swainson's Hawks, four Broad-winged Hawks, two Northern Harriers, two Osprey, over twenty-five Red-tailed Hawks, over four hundred Turkey Vultures, Cooper's Hawks and Sharp-shinned Hawks were seen near East Sooke Regional Park.

Sunday September 14:
A Barred Owl was seen on Protection Island.

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 October 09, 2008 @ 7:00 pm
Nanoose Library,
Nanoose Bay
**********************************
Arrowsmith Naturalists
Monthly Meeting,
Monday September 22, 2008@ 7:30 pm.
Springwood School
Parksville
********************************
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.
*****************************************
The Wednesday Morning Birdwalks are cancelled for the summer months and will resume in the fall.
*********************************
The Sunday Bird Walk on September 28, 2008 will be going to the Englishman River Estuary, Plummer Road side in Parksville.
Meet at the Bird Store at 9:00 A.M. or at the corner of Plummer Road and Shorewood Drive at about 9:30 A.M.
***************************************
Good birding
Neil Robins
Nanaimo

Tuesday, 16 September 2008

SEED SALE

BE READY FOR WINTER BIRD FEEDING

This is THE LAST WEEK for our FALL SEED SALE

SAVE 15% when you buy a minimum of $100.00 in seed.

Monday, 15 September 2008

COMMON POORWILL

A lady brought a bird into the Bird Store on Sunday. She had picked it up from her driveway in the 6200 block of Farber Way in Nanaimo, where it had been for a few hours previous.
The bird was breathing when it was first brought in, but it died an hour or so later. There were no visible injuries on the bird.

It has been identified as a female Common Poorwill. It is a small thrush sized bird with short rounded tail with buffy corners. It has rounded wings, with no white bars.
The measurements are...
Tip of bill to tip of tail--7.50"
Wing span --17.25"

The Common Poorwill is normally found in the Central to Western United States region and up into the Okaganan. It has only been recorded on Vancouver Island on one previous occasion in 1953.

Sunday, 14 September 2008

NANAIMO BIRD ALERT

American Pipit: 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

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, September 14, 2008:
The Sunday Bird Walk went to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo. Among the highlights were the sightings of Osprey, Anna's Hummingbird, American Pipit, Black Oystercatcher and Black Turnstone.

Nineteen birders found the following thirty-one species of birds:
Common Loon, Pelagic Cormorant, Canada Goose, Osprey, Turkey Vultures, Great Blue Heron, Black Turnstone, Black Oystercatcher, Glaucous-winged Gull, California Gull, Anna's Hummingbird, Belted Kingfisher, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Steller's Jay, American Pipit, Orange-crowned Warbler, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Bewick's Wren, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Band-tailed Pigeon, American Robin, European Starling, Song Sparrow, Spotted Towhee, House Finch and Pine Siskin.

Saturday September 13:

A Prairie Falcon, three Broad-winged Hawks and a Swainson's Hawk were seen near the East Sooke Regional Park.

Friday September 12:
An American Pipit was seen along Colbourne Drive in Nanaimo.

Yellow Warblers and one Palm Warbler were seen at Jordan River.

Thursday September 11:

American Wigeon , Mallard, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Common Merganser, Common Loon, Pacific Loon, Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Great Blue Heron,

Osprey, Merlin, Killdeer, Western Sandpiper, California Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Band-tailed Pigeon,

Belted Kingfisher, Northern Flicker, Steller's Jay, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, American Robin, European Starling, American Pipit, Spotted Towhee,

Song Sparrow, Lincoln's Sparrow, Purple Finch, House Finch and Pine Siskin were seen at the Englishman River Estuary, Plummer Road side in Parksville.

Eight Broad-winged Hawks, a Swainson's Hawk, Red-tailed Hawks, many Turkey Vultures and a Parasitic Jaeger was seen chasing California Gulls over Sooke.

Wednesday September 10:
Five Lapland Longspurs, one Osprey, eight Killdeer, two Semipalmated Plovers and fifteen Western Sandpipers were seen at the mud flats at the Englishman River Estuary, Plummer Road side.

Over one hundred Pink-footed Shearwaters, over two thousand Sooty Shearwaters, twelve Northern Fulmars, twelve Pomarine Jaegers, one South Polar Skua, six Red Phalaropes, hundreds of Red-necked Phalaropes, one Sabine's Gull, many Heermann's Gulls, thousands of Common Murres, hundreds of Rhinoceros Auklets, several Pacific Loons and a Northern Harrier were seen from a Pelagic tour along the Strait of Juan De Fuca from Sooke to the Carmanah Lighthouse.

Sunday September 07:
Fourteen Lapland Longspurs were seen on Ada Island off Lantzville.

A Whimbrel, Marbled Murrelet, Heerman's Gull, Mew Gull and a possible Snowy Plover were seen at the Pebble Beach area of Columbia Beach.

Wednesday September 03:
"Rare Bird Alert--Juvenile Short-tailed Albatross"
A Juvenile Short-tailed Albatross was seen northwest of Langara Island close to the Canada/Alaska border.

The Short-tailed Albatross nest at Tori Shima, a volcanic island 580 km south of Tokyo, Japan. The Short-tailed Albatross follows the tradewinds north to the Bering Sea and off the coast of British Columbia, but is rarely sighted.

Short-tailed Albatross: Kate Rutherford Photo.

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 October 09, 2008 @ 7:00 pm
Nanoose Library,
Nanoose Bay
**********************************
Arrowsmith Naturalists
Monthly Meeting,
Monday September 22, 2008@ 7:30 pm.
Springwood School
Parksville
********************************
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.
*****************************************
The Wednesday Morning Birdwalks are cancelled for the summer months and will resume in the fall.
*********************************
The Sunday Bird Walk on September 21, 2008 will be going to the Nanaimo River Estuary in south Nanaimo.
Meet at the Bird Store at 9:00 A.M. or at the end of Raines Road (From Cedar Road turn left after the Bridge onto Raines Road) at about 9:30 A.M.
***************************************
Good birding
Neil Robins
Nanaimo

Friday, 12 September 2008

SHORT-TAILED ALBATROSS

This Short-tailed Albatross was seen NW of Langara Island, close to the Canada/Alaska border.

Thanks to Kate Rutherford for the Photo:

Sunday, 7 September 2008

Nanaimo bird alert

Ruddy Turnstone at Columbia Beach: 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

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, September 07, 2008:
The Sunday Bird Walk went to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. Among the highlights were the sightings of a Heermann's Gull, a Merlin, Sanderlings, Black-bellied Plovers, Common Yellowthroat and a Yellow Warbler.
Twenty-six birders, including birders from Australia, Denmark, New Brunswick, Calgary and Vancouver Island found the following fifty-one species of birds:
Common Loon, Pelagic Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Canada Goose, American Wigeon, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Surf Scoter, Common Merganser, Turkey Vultures, Merlin, Red-tailed Hawk, Least Sandpipers, Western Sandpipers, Black-bellied Plovers, Sanderlings, Killdeer, Black Turnstone, Mew Gull, Bonaparte's Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, California Gull, Ring-billed Gull, Heermann's Gull, Belted Kingfisher, Northern Flicker, Hairy Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Steller's Jay, Orange-crowned Warbler,Yellow Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Bewick's Wren, Winter Wren, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Swainson's Thrush, American Robin, European Starling, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Spotted Towhee, House Finch, Pine Siskin, Purple Finch and American Goldfinch.

An American Golden-plover and a Pacific Golden-plover, a Semipalmated Plover and Least and Western Plovers were seen on the mud flats on the Englishman River Estuary, Plummer Road side in Parksville.

Friday September 05:
"Rare Bird Alert--Red Knot"
A Red Knot was seen off the gravel bar in front of the Pebble Beach Townhouses off Johnstone Road at Columbia Beach.

Thursday September 04:
A Surf Bird, a Parasitic Jaeger and a Red Knot were seen at Columbia Beach.

A Green Heron was seen at Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo.

Wednesday September 03:
Over 115 Black Turnstones and over fifty Bonaparte's Gulls were seen on the beach off Yambury Road in Qualicum Beach.

Tuesday September 02:
Four Sandhill Cranes, one Vaux's Swift and three Black Swift were seen over the 100 block of Meridian Way in Parksville.

Canada Geese, American Wigeon, Northern Pintail, California Quail, Great Blue Heron, Turkey Vulture, Osprey, Merlin, Semipalmated Plover, Killdeer, Western Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Mew Gulls, Bonaparte's Gull, Northern Flicker, Western Wood-Pewee, Willow Flycatcher, Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Warbling Vireo, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Bushtit, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Cedar Waxwing, Orange-crowned Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Spotted Towhee, Chipping Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Lincoln's Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Brewer's Blackbird, Purple Finch, House Finch and American Goldfinch were seen at the Englishman River Estuary, Plummer Road side.

Monday September 01:

Two Rufous Hummingbirds were seen along Pintail Drive in Qualicum Beach.

A Ruddy Turnstone and a Parasitic Jaeger were seen at Columbia Beach.

Saturday August 30:
An immature Northern Goshawk was spotted above the Denman Island ferry exit off Highway 19.

The Wednesday Morning Birdwalks are cancelled for the summer months and will resume in the fall.
*********************************

The Sunday Bird Walk on September 14, 2008 will be going to the Neck Point Park in Nanaimo. Meet at the Bird Store at 9:00 A.M. or at the parking lot at Neck Point Park off Hammond Bay Road at about 9:20 A.M.
***************************************
Good birding
Neil Robins
Nanaimo

Monday, 1 September 2008

Monday, September 1, 2008

THE BACKYARD

WILDBIRD & NATURE STORE'S

FALL SEED SALE

IS ON NOW

SAVE 15 % ON MINIMUM $100.00 PURCHASE

ON JUGS, 20LB and 40LB BAGS OF BIRD SEED.

Free Seed Storage Program
Fresh Seed at 15 % OFF
We take Phone Orders

Our seed sale only happens twice a year so come in and save on your birdseed!

Purchase the birdseed you will use in the next few months at the sale price.
Don’t worry about storage---just come by and pick up the seed you purchased as you need it, without the hassle of storing it!

Delivery Options

We are offering a delivery service for anyone living between Duncan and the Comox Valley. If you are in need of bird seed, suet, feeders, mason bee supplies, or another product we carry, please contact us to arrange for a delivery.

Delivery Days

North Nanaimo to Comox: The second and fourth Wednesday of every month.
South Nanaimo/Cedar to Duncan: The first and third Wednesday of every month.

Orders of $40 and above are preferable when possible please.

Contact us at 250-390-3669, toll free at 1-888-808-BIRD(2473), or email us at info@thebackyard.ca. Orders can also be made online at thebackyard.ca/store

Hummingbird Solution Recipe

One part sugar to three or four parts water is our recommended ratio for hummingbird sugar water. For example, one cup of water mixed with 1/4 or 1/3 a cup of sugar. The water needs to be hot enough to mix the sugar in, so hot tap water works as well as boiled water. We do not recommend going any sweeter as it can be bad for the hummingbirds.

Please use only white table sugar as this best replicates natural nectar. If your sweetener causes the solution to change colour (anything with honey, agave, stevia, raw/organic sugar, dyes, etc.) it is not recommended for hummingbirds.