Tuesday bird walk

Downy Woodpecker: Ralph Hocken Photo.

The Tuesday Bird Walk went to the Rathtrevor Provincial Park. Eighteen birders saw and heard thirty-five species of birds on a sunny December morning.

Highlights of the morning that caught our attention included a large flock of Bushtits and Dark-eyed Juncos bobbing from bush to bush just after we started the walk. A large flock of Golden-crowned Sparrows was feeding on the ground. We spotted a Red-throated Loon through our spotting scopes riding the choppy seas off shore. During the morning there were several lines of Surf Scoters, White-winged Scoters, Black Scoters and Pacific Loons flying low over the water. Four Black Oystercatchers, a Herring Gull and five Glaucous-winged Gulls were resting at the point on a gravel bar. Near the end of the walk we watched as two Fox Sparrows and two Spotted Towhees fed in the low bushes near the old farm house and we listened to a Downy Woodpecker call.

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.

Eighteen birders found the following thirty-five species of birds on December 02, 2008:

Trumpeter Swan

Mallard

Harlequin Duck

Surf Scoter

White-winged Scoter

Black Scoter

Bufflehead

Red-breasted Merganser

Red-throated Loon

Pacific Loon

Common Loon

Horned Grebe

Bald Eagle

Cooper's Hawk

Black Oystercatcher

Mew Gull

California Gull

Herring Gull

Thayer's Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Downy Woodpecker

Hairy Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Northwestern Crow

Common Raven

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Bushtit

Winter Wren

Golden-crowned Kinglet

American Robin

Spotted Towhee

Fox Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Pine Siskin