Parksville-Qualicum Beach (Oceanside) Tuesday bird walk, January 27, 2009

Harlequin Duck: Ralph Hocken Photo.

The Tuesday Bird Walk went to the Little Qualicum River Estuary. Seven birders saw and heard thirty-eight species of birds.

The winds were brisk, the surf was up and rolling into shore and there were some snow flurries through-out the morning.

The highlights of the morning included the sighting of six Trumpeter Swans and four Great Blue Herons resting in the estuary when we arrived. Two Common Murres raced down the Strait of Georgia just above the water . There were large flocks of Greater Scaup, Harlequin Ducks, Surf Scoters, White-winged Scoters, Black Scoters and Bufflehead not far from shore. We saw several species of Gulls including hundreds of Mew Gulls, a Ring-billed Gull, fifty Thayer's Gulls, six Western Gulls, hundreds of Glaucous-winged Gulls and two Glaucous Gulls. Further offshore we spotted a Rd-throated Loon, four Pacific Loons, three Horned Grebes, a Red-necked Grebe and a Brandt's Cormorant riding the strong waves. We spotted a Red-tailed Hawk perched on a tall tree across the estuary.

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.

Seven birders found the following thirty-eight species of birds on January 27, 2009:
Canada Goose
Trumpeter Swan
American Wigeon
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Greater Scaup
Harlequin Duck
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Red-throated Loon
Pacific Loon
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Brandt's Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk
Killdeer
Black Oystercatcher
Black Turnstone
Mew Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Thayer's Gull
Western Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Glaucous Gull
Common Murre
Northern Flicker
Northwestern Crow
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco

NORTHERN HAWK OWL

NORTHERN HAWK OWL along Morden Road: thanks to Gillian Butler for the photo.


Hi birders,

Marilynne and I went looking for the Northern Hawk Owl this afternoon.
After about a half hour of searching along Morden Road we went down
Thatcher Road to check the trees that looked over the meadows there,
but came up empty handed. On our way back to the highway we made our
way back to have a last look along Morden Road.
On the north side of Morden Road, about three hundred feet up from
Gillian Butler's house at 1819 Morden Road there he was, on his
favorite snag checking out the field and giving us the eye.
We were soon joined by Gillian and two of her neighbours for some
close up views of the Northern Hawk Owl through the scope. He sat on
the snag for about 30 minutes and then started to call and pump his
tail. After a couple more calls and tail pumping he flew over us onto
a another tree further up the road. He stayed there for a few minutes
and called again and did more tail pumping and then flew away and
disappeared. What a glorious display and well worth all our searching!
Many thanks to Gillian Butler for the heads up on this rare sighting.

Good birding
Neil Robins
Parksville
British Columbia

**RARE BIRD ALERT**-NORTHERN HAWK OWL

Northern Hawk Owl: Photo by Gillian Butler

Hi birders a Northern Hawk Owl was seen today in the 1800 block of Morden Road in south Nanaimo.

NANAIMO BIRD ALERT, JANUARY 25, 2009

Female Downy Woodpecker: 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.

Thursday January 22, 2009:
One Varied Thrush, four Golden Crowned Sparrows, four Fox Sparrows, a
flock of Pine Siskins, one Downy Woodpecker, one Northern Flicker, two Steller's Jays, two Spotted Towhee's, House Sparrows, one House Finch, one Purple Finch, a Song Sparrow, three European Starlings and a Merlin seen in the 600 block of Alderwood Drive in Ladysmith.

Wednesday January 21:
A Ring-necked Pheasant was seen near the pond off Viking Way in French Creek.

Tuesday January 20:
The Tuesday Bird Walk went to the Columbia Beach. Eight birders saw and heard forty species of birds. The bird of the morning was a first winter Barn Swallow--a very unusual bird to be in this area at this time of the year. This first year winter plumage bird is usually seen in Argentina as a rule, however there have been some sightings of a similar bird in Oregon, Washington and in Vancouver in the past week. We observed the Barn Swallow through our spotting scopes as it rested on a small bush on an empty lot along the waterfront. White-crowned Sparrows, Golden-crowned Sparrows, House Finch and Purple Finch were in the same area.
The sea was calm on a foggy January morning. Through the heavy fog we were able to find American Wigeon, Mallard, Harlequin Ducks, Bufflehead and Common Goldeneye on the Strait of Georgia. On the gravel bar we could make out a Black-bellied Plover, three Killdeer, five Black Oystercatcher, one Greater Yellowlegs probing the water for food and twenty Black Turnstone on the tideline probing the sand for food.
When the fog briefly lifted we saw a female Greater Scaup, four Surf Scoters, two White-winged Scoters, two Black Scoters, several Buffleheads and a Common Loon.

Eight birders found the following forty species of birds on January 20, 2009:
Canada Goose, American Wigeon, Mallard, Greater Scaup, Harlequin Duck,
Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Black Scoter, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye,
Common Merganser, Common Loon, Black-bellied Plover, Killdeer, Black Oystercatcher, Greater Yellowlegs, Black Turnstone, Dunlin, Mew Gull, Thayer's Gull, Western Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Rock Pigeon, Northern Flicker, Northwestern Crow, Barn Swallow, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, American Robin, Varied Thrush, European Starling, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Brewer's Blackbird, Purple Finch, House Finch, Pine Siskin and House Sparrow.

Evening Grosbeaks were seen visiting feeders in Cumberland.

A California Quail was spotted at the corner of Newcastle Avenue and Bryden Road in Nanaimo.

Monday January 19:
Common Redpolls, a Varied Thrush, Spotted Towhees, a Fox Sparrow and Anna's Hummingbirds are visiting feeders along Cross Bow Drive in the Departure Bay area of Nanaimo.

An immature Northern Harrier was spotted above the Jinglepot Pub, at the corner of Harwell Road and Woodthrush Place . It sat in the top of a pine tree for a while and then flew off to the south-east.

A Sharp-shinned Hawk was seen feeding in a yard in the 200 block of Lundgren Road in Nanaimo.

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
***********************************
Arrowsmith Naturalists
Monday January 26, 2009 @ 7:30 pm.
Members night--stories and slides are shared and a raffle is held.
Springwood School
Parksville
********************************
The Nanoose Naturalists
Thursday February 12, 2009 @ 7:00 pm
Guess speaker Gary Kaiser will present a programme on the Marbled Murrelet.
Nanoose Library,
Nanoose Bay
**********************************
Everyone is welcome to join us for a 2-3 hour bird walk on the Sunday and
Tuesday 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. on Tuesdays and go to different areas in and around
the Oceanside area.
**************************************************************
The Tuesday Bird Walk on January 27, 2009 will be going to the Little Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum Beach.
Meet at the Parksville Beach Community Park near the parking area at the Lion's
Playground at 9:00 A.M.
Or meet at the Viewing Tower off Highway 19a and Garrett Road in Qualicum Beach at about 9:20 A.M.
*******************************************************
The Sunday Bird Walk on February 01, 2009, will be going to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo.
Meet at the Bird Store at 9:00 A.M.
Or meet at the Neck Point Parking lot off Hammond Bay Road at about 9:20A.M.
*******************************************************
Good birding
Neil Robins
Nanaimo

Parksville/Qualicum Beach(Oceanside) Tuesday bird walk

Black-bellied Plover: Ralph Hocken Photo




The Tuesday Bird Walk went to the Columbia Beach. Eight birders saw and heard forty species of birds. The bird of the morning was a first winter Barn Swallow--a very unusual bird to be in this area at this time of the year. This first year winter plummage bird is usually seen in Argentina as a rule, however there have been some sightings of a similar bird in Oregon, Washington and in Vancouver in the past week. We observed the Barn Swallow through our spotting scopes as it rested on a small bush on an empty lot along the waterfront. White-crowned Sparrows, Golden-crowned Sparrows, House Finch and Purple Finch were in the same area.

The sea was calm on a foggy January morning. Through the heavy fog we were able to find American Wigeon, Mallard, Harlequin Ducks, Bufflehead and Common Goldeneye on the Strait of Georgia. On the gravel bar we could make out a Black-bellied Plover, three Killdeer, five Black Oystercatcher, one Greater Yellowlegs probing the water for food and twenty Black Turnstone on the tideline probing the sand for food.

When the fog briefly lifted we saw a female Greater Scaup, four Surf Scoters, two White-winged Scoters, two Black Scoters, several Buffleheads and a Common Loon.

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.

Eight birders found the following forty species of birds on January 20, 2009:
Canada Goose
American Wigeon
Mallard
Greater Scaup
Harlequin Duck
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Common Merganser
Common Loon
Black-bellied Plover
Killdeer
Black Oystercatcher
Greater Yellowlegs
Black Turnstone
Dunlin
Mew Gull
Thayer's Gull
Western Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Rock Pigeon
Northern Flicker
Northwestern Crow
Barn Swallow
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
American Robin
Varied Thrush
European Starling
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Brewer's Blackbird
Purple Finch
House Finch
Pine Siskin
House Sparrow

NANAIMO BIRD ALERT, JANUARY 18, 2009

Sharp-shinned Hawk: Ralph Hocken Photo.

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

Bir
ds 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:
ttp://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.

Saturday January 17:
Evening Grosbeaks are visiting feeders along Wall Street near Bowen Park in Nanaimo.

An American Dipper was spotted along the Millstream River in Bowen Park, Nanaimo.

A male Anna's Hummingbird was spotted courting a female at the Biological Station along Hammond Bay Road in Nanaimo.
The male climbed straight up to a height of ~30-40 ft, then dove towards the brush below. While ascending, he made the familiar "zinc-zinc, zinc-zinc" call and at the bottom of his dive he make a single "ping" note, loud and clear (rather than the familiar "yabba-dabba-doo" the Rufous Hummingbird makes on his descent). He repeated this behavior a half dozen times before stopping to rest.

A Merlin, a Varied Thrush and three Spotted Towhees are visiting a yard along Broadway Road in Nanaimo.

Wednesday January 14:
Six Short-eared Owls were seen near the viewing tower at the Nanaimo River Estuary in south Nanaimo.

A Yellow Shafted Northern Flicker was spotted in Copley Park in upper Lantzville.

Tuesday January 13:
The Tuesday Bird Walks began for 2009 on January 13th and went to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River. Eleven birders saw and heard forty-seven species of birds. The sea was calm on an overcast January morning.
We started the morning at Parksville Bay where we saw a large raft of over one hundred Surf Scoters, two Western Gulls and two Thayer's Gulls.
On the trail along the Englishman River the highlights included a Brown Creeper working it's way up a tall fir tree, a Red-breasted Nuthatch calling and landing on a nearby tree, two Bald Eagles calling from the tall snags and a small flock of Golden-crowned Kinglets feeding on bushes low to the ground. There were Common Loons, Pacific Loons, Horned Grebes, Mew Gulls, Harlequin Ducks, Double-crested Cormorants and Pelagic Cormorants on the Strait of Georgia. We spotted a Anna's Hummingbird perched in a tree and a Sharp-shinned Hawk flew over us.
Eleven birders found the following forty-seven species of birds:
Canada Goose, Trumpeter Swan, American Wigeon, Mallard, Northern Pintail,
Green-winged Teal, Harlequin Duck, Surf Scoter, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye,
Barrow's Goldeneye, Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Pacific Loon,
Common Loon, Horned Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant ,
Great Blue Heron, Bald Eagle, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Black-bellied Plover, Black Turnstone, Dunlin, Mew Gull, Thayer's Gull, Western Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull,
Anna's Hummingbird , Belted Kingfisher, Northern Flicker, Steller's Jay,
Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Golden-crowned Kinglet, American Robin, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Red-winged Blackbird, Brewer's Blackbird, House Finch and Pine Siskins.

Two Black-bellied Plovers, 220 Dunlin and several Black Turnstones were seen at Neck Point in Nanaimo.

Monday January 12:
A Barred Owl is visiting a back yard in the 1900 block of Carmel Place in the Departure Bay are of Nanaimo.

Sunday January 11:
A Ring-necked Pheasant was spotted in the Orchard Circle area of Nanaimo.

A Cooper's Hawk was seen in the 300 block of Milton Street in Nanaimo.

A Sharp-shinned Hawk is visiting a backyard in the 6000 block of Sunset Road in Nanaimo.

Varied Thrush, Spotted Towhees, Red-breasted Nuthatches, Dark-eyed Juncos, House Finches, Chestnut-backed Chickadees, Steller's Jays, a Pileated Woodpecker, four Anna's Hummingbird were seen at feeders in upper Lantzville near the Foothills.

Saturday January 10:
Common Redpolls were seen along Aulds Road in north Nanaimo.

Three Northern Harriers were seen at the Nanaimo River Estuary in south Nanaimo.

Monday December 01:
A White-throated Sparrow was sighted along Shell Beach 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
***********************************
Arrowsmith Naturalists
Monday January 26, 2009 @ 7:30 pm.
Springwood School
Parksville
********************************
The Nanoose Naturalists
Thursday February 12, 2009 @ 7:00 pm
Guess speaker Gary Kaiser will present a programme on the Marbled Murrelet.
Nanoose Library,
Nanoose Bay
**********************************
Everyone is welcome to join us for a 2-3 hour bird walk on the Sunday and
Tuesday 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. on Tuesdays and go to different areas in and around
the Oceanside area.
**************************************************************
The Tuesday Bird Walk on January 20, 2009 will be going to the Columbia Beach.
Meet at the Parksville Beach Community Park near the parking area at the Lion's
Playground at 9:00 A.M.
Or meet at Columbia Beach in the parking area off Admiral Tryon Blvd. ( from highway 19a turn onto Columbia Drive opposite Windsor Plywood, turn right at the tee intersection at Admiral Tryon Blvd. Go about 100 feet and turn left into the parking area.) at about 9:15 A.M.
*******************************************************
The Sunday Bird Walks will resume on February 01, 2009.

*******************************************************
Good birding
Neil Robins
Nanaimo

THE BACKYARD WILDBIRD AND NATURE STORE'S

WINTER SEED SALE

STARTS SATURDAY JANUARY 17 UNTIL FEBRUARY 15

IT IS TIME TO STOCK UP ON BIRD SEED

FOR THAT BUSY WINTER BIRD FEEDING!

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!

Parksville, Qualicum Beach--Tuesday bird walk, January 13, 2009

Anna's Hummingbird: Ralph Hocken Photo.

The Tuesday Bird Walk began for 2009 on January 13th and went to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River. Eleven birders saw and heard forty-seven species of birds. The sea was calm on an overcast January morning.

We started the morning at Parksville Bay where we saw a large raft of over one hundred Surf Scoters, two Western Gulls and two Thayer's Gulls.

On the trail along the Englishman River the highlights included a Brown Creeper working it's way up a tall fir tree, a Red-breasted Nuthatch calling and landing on a nearby tree, two Bald Eagles calling from the tall snags and a small flock of Golden-crowned Kinglets feeding on bushes low to the ground. There were Common Loons, Pacific Loons, Horned Grebes, Mew Gulls, Harlequin Ducks, Double-crested Cormorants and Pelagic Cormorants on the Strait of Georgia. We spotted a Anna's Hummingbird perched in a tree and a Sharp-shinned Hawk flew over us.

Anna's Hummingbird: Ralph Hocken Photo.

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.

Eleven birders found the following forty-seven species of birds on January 13, 2009:

Canada Goose

Trumpeter Swan

American Wigeon

Mallard

Northern Pintail

Green-winged Teal

Harlequin Duck

Surf Scoter

Bufflehead

Common Goldeneye

Barrow's Goldeneye

Common Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

Pacific Loon

Common Loon

Horned Grebe

Double-crested Cormorant

Pelagic Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Bald Eagle

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Black-bellied Plover

Black Turnstone

Dunlin

Mew Gull

Thayer's Gull

Western Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Anna's Hummingbird

Belted Kingfisher

Northern Flicker

Steller's Jay

Northwestern Crow

Common Raven

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Brown Creeper

Golden-crowned Kinglet

American Robin

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Red-winged Blackbird

Brewer's Blackbird

House Finch

Pine Siskin

Nanaimo bird alert, January 11, 2009

Mew Gull: 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 this 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, January 11, 2009:
Common Loon, Glaucous-winged Gull, Common Goldeneye, Barrow's Goldeneye, Horned Grebe, Mew Gull, Northern Pintail, Thayer's Gull, White-winged Scoter, Bufflehead, Red-breasted Merganser, Bald Eagle, Merlin, American Wigeon, Green-wing Teal, Mallards and Northwestern Crows were seen at Nanoose Bay.

A Sharp-shinned Hawk is visiting a yard in the 6000 block of Sunset Road in Nanaimo.

A flock of American Goldfinch have been visiting feeders all winter in the 100 block of Meridian Way in Parksville. The males are beginning to show their breeding colors--spring is coming!

Saturday January 10:
Fox Sparrows are visiting feeders in the 3000 block of Gilfillian Road in Nanaimo.

Thursday January 08:
Three Common Redpolls were seen visiting feeders in the 1300 block of Birchwood in Ladysmith.

Pine Siskins, Steller's Jays, Dark-eyed Juncos, Northern Flickers, European Starlings, Spotted Towhees, Chestnut-backed Chickadees, Anna's Hummingbirds, Varied Thrush and American Robins are visiting feeders in the 6000 block of Sunset Road in Nanaimo.

Tuesday January 06:

Four Trumpeter Swans and seven Bald Eagles were seen on the Englishman River down Plummer Road in the San Pareil area of Parksville.

Nine Varied Thrush, five Golden-crowned Kinglets, Dark-eyed Juncos, House Finch, Spotted Towhees, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Chestnut-backed Chickadees, Fox Sparrow, Hairy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Steller's Jays, Pileated Woodpecker and Anna's Hummingbird are visiting feeders in the 1900 block of Harlequin Crescent in Nanaimo.

A Varied Thrush is visiting feeders in the Aerie Estates area of French Creek.

Monday January 05:
Four Varied Thrush were seen at suet feeders in Qualicum Beach.

Six Band-tailed Pigeons are visiting feeders on Gabriola Island.

Sunday January 04:

Band-tailed Pigeons are visiting feeders in the 3300 block of Barrington Road in Nanaimo.

Saturday January 03:

Over 100 Double-crested Cormorants were spotted at the point over looking Parksville Bay at French Creek.

Friday January 02:

A Peregrine Falcon was spotted sitting on a fence in French Creek.

Sunday December 28:
A deceased Barn Owl was found at the bottom of Rosehill Street and Townsite Road in Nanaimo.

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
***********************************
Arrowsmith Naturalists
Monday January 26, 2009@ 7:30 pm.
Springwood School
Parksville
********************************

The Nanoose Naturalists
Thursday February 12, 2009, 7:00 pm
Nanoose Library,
Nanoose Bay
**********************************
Everyone is welcome to join us for a 2-3 hour bird walk on the Sunday and Tuesday 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. on Tuesdays and go to different areas in and around the Oceanside area.
**************************************************************
The Tuesday Bird Walk on January 13, 2009 will meet at the Parksville Beach Community Park near the parking area at the Lion's Playground at 9:00 A.M. We will see what the weather is like and decide where we will go for the morning then.
*******************************************************

The Sunday Bird Walks will resume on February 01, 2009.

******************************************************************

Good birding
Neil Robins

Nanaimo

Great Horned Owl: Steen Petersen 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, January 04, 2009:
A large flock of Trumpeter Swans is flying twice daily over Morello Road in Nanoose Bay.

Saturday, January 03:
A Short-eared Owl and a Northern Harrier were spotted at the Nanaimo River Estuary in south Nanaimo.

Friday January 02:
Two Great Horned Owls were calling at MacGregor Marsh in Nanaimo.

Thursday January 01:
Two Rufous Hummingbirds were spotted in a yard near the corner of Hammond Bay Road and Linley Road in Nanaimo.

A Townsend's Warbler was spotted at a suet feeder in the 5700 block of Turner Road in Nanaimo.

Tuesday December 30:
An Evening Grosbeak, a Northern Flicker, House Finch, a Downy Woodpecker, Anna's Hummingbirds, Dark-eyed Juncos, Bushtits and European Starlings are visiting a backyard along Pine Street in Nanaimo.

Monday December 29:
Four Varied Thrush, a Bewick's Wren and a Brown Creeper were seen in a backyard along Southampton Road in Nanaimo.

Sunday December 28:
A Great Horned Owl was seen and heard on the Queen Alexandra grounds up in the Willow Trees in Victoria.

Anna's Hummingbirds are visiting feeders along Pintail Drive in Qualicum Beach.

A pair of Anna's Hummingbirds, a Red-Breasted Sapsucker, Bushtits, several Red-breasted Nuthatches and Chestnut-backed Chickadees are visiting feeders along Cougar Ridge Place in Nanaimo.

Anna’s Hummingbirds, Northern Flickers, Dark-eyed Juncos and House Finches are regular visitors to backyard feeders in the 600 block of Chestnut Street in the Brechin Area of Nanaimo.

A brief summary of the Nanaimo Christmas Bird Count 2008.

Happy New Year Everyone!

We had a fantastic day for the Nanaimo Christmas Bird Count on Sunday, enjoying sunny skies, relatively warm temperatures, and mostly clear road conditions while we counted every last bird we could find in the Nanaimo count circle. Thank goodness Monday's weather didn't come a day early!
Overall, I think our count for individuals of birds will be down a bit due to the amount of snow on the ground in the uplands, but our species count wasn't greatly affected. Every bit of open water was well populated with waterfowl and the coastal areas also produced good numbers of birds, although everyone seemed to remark on the lack of scoters, and Pigeon Guillemots in particular, although small numbers of each were recorded. In the upland portions of the count circle the noticeably absent species was the Red Crossbill, with only two reported on the entire count so far!
Fortunately, Doug Henderson and Eveline Stokkink very graciously took a team out on the water to survey the small islands off of Nanaimo and the offshore waters of Georgia Strait within the count circle. They were thankful for the nice weather and relatively calm seas.
Highlights for them were a huge pod of ~200 Pacific White-sided Dolphins that rode the bow of their boat and put on quite a show for about 20 minutes, and a good number of rock shorebirds (200+ Surfbirds and 5 Rock Sandpipers) on the Five Fingers Islands. A very big thanks to Doug and Eveline!
Highlights elsewhere in the count circle included a Yellow-billed Loon off of Piper's Lagoon sighted by Karl Ricker and Jim Wisnia; a Snow Goose near Brannen Lake sighted by John Brighton and Janie Agar; a Ruddy Duck (rare in this circle in the last 10 years) in Brannen Lake sighted by Rhys Harrison and Joe Crichton; an American Kestrel in the
Diver's Lake/Long Lake area sighted by Martin Lane and Sandy Shaw; a Greater Yellowlegs in the Cable Bay/Boat Harbour area of Cedar by the Sea sighted by Bruce Whittington and Wanda Dombrowski; a few Spotted Sandpipers near the foot of Entwhistle Road in north Nanaimo and on Newcastle Island; an impressive 9 individual owls of 4 species including: 1 Northern Saw-whet Owl, 1 Great Horned Owl, and 1 Barred
Owl recorded by Ryan and Andrew Cathers, 3 Great Horned Owls recorded by Peter and Anneke Vankoerkerle, 1 Great Horned Owl recorded by Margie Bryant, and 2 Short-eared Owls at the Nanaimo River Estuary recorded by Carlo Pavan, Val George, and Ruth Rutledge; a possible Lewis's Woodpecker was reported from Gabriola Island by Jannie Pedersen, photo confirmation is awaited; and the usual Northern Shrike was seen on the Nanaimo River Estuary by Carlo Pavan, Val George, and Ruth Rutledge; bringing our unofficial total so far to 116 species.
Birds missed this year that are possible to see during the count (or count week) are as follows:
Wood Duck
Any grouse species
Band-tailed Pigeon (hopefully a feeder count will report in with some
of these)
Hutton's Vireo
American Dipper
Western Meadowlark
Please keep your eye out and let me know if you see these species until midnight Dec. 31 (the end of count week) in the Nanaimo count circle (from Woodgrove Mall to just north of the Cassidy Airport).
Thanks to everyone who participated this year, and especially those of you who came to the Kin Hut after the count and contributed to the potluck. It was a bit hairy keeping everything organized this year with the weeks of snow preceding the count but it all worked out and it was a real treat seeing everyone and sharing stories with you all
by the fire and with lots of good food!
Keep well and warm!
Carlo Pavan
Compiler, Nanaimo Christmas Bird Count

P.S. -- *MARK YOUR NEW CALENDARS* Next year's count will be on Sunday
December 27, 2009!


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
The Nanoose Naturalists members will share nature photos and artifacts.
Thursday January 08, 2009, 7:00 pm
Nanoose Library,
Nanoose Bay
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Arrowsmith Naturalists
Monday January 26, 2009@ 7:30 pm.
Springwood School
Parksville
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Everyone is welcome to join us for a 2-3 hour bird walk on the Sunday and Tuesday 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. on Tuesdays and go to different areas in and around the Oceanside area.
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The Tuesday Bird Walk will resume on January 13, 2009.

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The Sunday Bird Walks will resume on February 01, 2009.

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"Birding on the Lower Mainland"
There is a birding trip being planned to Reifel Bird Sanctuary and Boundary Bay on January 10, 2009.
If you are interested in joining the birding trip please contact Roger Taylor at hoopoe@shaw.ca
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Good birding
Neil Robins
Nanaimo