Pacific Loons: Ralph Hocken Photo.
The Tuesday Bird Walk went to the Englishman River Estuary, Plummer Road side in Parksville.
Sixteen birders saw and heard forty species of birds during a blustery fall morning.
The highlight of the morning was the Sea Lions, who stole the show from the birds. A pair of Sea Lions came to the surface with Chum Salmon in their mouths, thrashing about and eventually swallowing the salmon. Not far from shore, several immature Gulls, a large flock of Common Mergansers and a few Harlequin Ducks were competing for the scraps of Salmon that were left behind from the huge Sea Lions.
The tide was up and heavy waves pounded the shore. Between the waves we saw eight Black Turnstones and one Dunlin racing towards the estuary. Further out on the Strait,there were several Pacific Loons flying just above the water. A Common Loon, a Horned Grebe and a Western Grebe gave us quick glances between waves.
Along the boadwalk, we saw a large flock of Bushtits and Golden-crowned Kinglets fly quickly in the bushes and then disappear. A pair of Bald Eagles were perched high in a Fir Tree off the trail.
The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store's weekly bird walk in the Parksville/Qualicum Beach area is on Tuesday mornings at 9 a.m. Participants meet at the at the Parksville Beach Community Park, at the parking area in front of the playground at 9 a.m. Rain and/or heavy winds will deter us--but we will plan a walk for every week. Everyone is welcome to bring their binoculars and join us for a morning of birding. For the weekly location of the birdwalk, please call Neil Robins at 250-954-1928 or The Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store at 1-888-249-4145.
Sixteen birders found the following forty species of birds on November 04, 2008:
Canada Goose
American Wigeon
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Harlequin Duck
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Bufflehead
Common Merganser
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Western Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Bald Eagle
Black Turnstone
Dunlin
Mew Gull
California Gull
Thayer's Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Northern Flicker
Steller's Jay
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Bushtit
Golden-crowned Kinglet
European Starling
Spotted Towhee
Fox Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Red-winged Blackbird
Purple Finch
House Finch
Pine Siskin
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