Red Crossbill: Mike Ashbee 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:
htt
p://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 April 26, 2009:
Five White Fronted Geese were seen on the estuary of the Little Qualicum River
in Qualicum Beach.
The Sunday bird walk went to Bowen Park in Nanaimo. The morning was sunny but windy. Sixteen birders saw and heard thirty-eight species of birds.
Highlights of the morning included the sighting of a Townsend's Warbler high up in a tree. A Hermit Thrush was seen near the waterfall gleaning insects along the large rocks by the water. We watched a Barred Owl perched on a snag and singing it's "Who Cooks for You" song over and over again. There was a reply from another Barred Owl further in the forest.
We saw and heard the following species of birds: Turkey Vulture, Bald Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk, Barred Owl, California Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Mallard, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Rufous Hummingbird, Hairy Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Northern Flicker, Common Raven, Violet-green Swallow, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Bewick’s Wren, Winter Wren, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Ruby-crown Kinglet, Brown Creeper, California Quail, Varied Thrush, Hermit Thrush, American Robin, European Starling, Cassin's Vireo, Orange-crown Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Townsend's Warbler, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, House Finch, Pine Siskin and House Sparrow.
Saturday April 25:
Four Golden-Crowned Sparrows were seen in a backyard along Dogwood Drive in Ladysmith.
American Goldfinch and Golden-crowned Sparrows were seen visiting feeders along El Verno Drive on Garbolia Island.
Friday April 24:
A Lincoln Sparrow is visiting feeders in a backyard in the 5300 block of Hammond Bay Road in north Nanaimo.
Twenty Evening Grosbeaks were seen visiting feeders along Whalebone Road on Gabrolia Island.
Thursday April 23:
Black-headed Grosbeaks, White-crowned Sparrows, Golden-crowned Sparrows, American Goldfinch, Orange-crowned Warblers, Rufous Hummingbirds and eight California Quail are visiting a backyard along Lancewood Avenue in Lantzville.
Wednesday April 22:
A Wilson's Snipe was seen in the marsh near the Jinglepot entrance corner at Buttertubs Marsh.
American Goldfinch, Gold-crowned Sparrows and White-crowned Sparrows were seen in the 200 block of Dawkins Lane in Nanaimo.
Over twelve Gold-crowned Sparrows, White-crowned Sparrows and a large flock of Pine Siskins were seen in the 1600 block of Bowen Road in Nanaimo.
Tuesday April 21:
The Tuesday bird walk went to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. The morning was sunny and warm. Twenty birders saw and heard forty-nine species of birds.
As we started our walk we were greeted by the loud "WHO COOKS FOR YOU" as a Barred Owl sang out. The highlights of the morning included a sighting of Black-throated Gray Warbler high up in the tops of the tall maple trees and a Hermit Thrush perched on a tree at eye level for all of us to get a good look at. Not far from the viewing tower we discovered an American Kestrel perched at the top of a tree. The Kestrel flew from the tree and hovered over the field and then returned to his perch three times as we watched in awe. We saw a Northern Shrike, a Chipping Sparrow and a Savannah Sparrow. As we finished the walk the Barred Owl again sang out "WHO COOKS FOR YOU".
Twenty birders saw and heard the following forty-nine species of birds
Canada Goose, American Wigeon, Mallard, Green-winged Teal, California Quail,
Common Loon, Great Blue Heron, Turkey Vulture, Bald Eagle, Sharp-shinned Hawk, American Kestrel, Killdeer, Wilson's Snipe, Mew Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull,
Band-tailed Pigeon, Barred Owl, Rufous Hummingbird, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Northern Shrike, Hutton's Vireo, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Violet-green Swallow, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Bushtit, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Bewick's Wren, Winter Wren, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Hermit Thrush, American Robin, European Starling, Orange-crowned Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Spotted Towhee, Chipping Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow,
Dark-eyed Junco, Purple Finch, Pine Siskin and American Goldfinch.
White-crowned Sparrows, Golden-crowned Sparrows and a Red Crossbill were seen at feeders in Columbia Beach.
Sunday April 19:
A Hermit Thrush was seen in a backyard in the 5300 block of Hammond Bay Road in Nanaimo.
Saturday April 18:
550 Greater White-fronted Geese were seen heading northwest high over 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 April 27, 2009 @ 7:30 pm.
Speaker will be Dr. McAdie a wildlife veterinarian.
Topic: Vancouver Island Marmot project update.
Springwood School
Parksville
********************************
The Nanoose Naturalists
Thursday May 14, 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 April 28, 2009 will be going to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville.
Meet at the Parksville Beach Community Park near the parking area at the Lion's
Playground at 9:00 A.M. or at the parking area at the corner of Plummer Road
and Shorewood Drive in Parksville at about 9:15 A.M.
*******************************************************
The Sunday Bird Walk on May 03, will be going to Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo.
Meet at the Bird Store at 9:00 A.M. or at the parking area off Bowen Road at about 9:15 A.M.
*******************************************************
__rh.jpg-5)
