Sharp-shinned Hawk at Lantzville: 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 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 November 08, 2009:
The Sunday Bird Walk went to the Little Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum Beach. The morning started with light showers but the rain stopped and it was a pleasant morning for birding. The highlights included seeing a constant stream of thousands upon thousands of Bonaparte's Gulls flying into the mouth of the Little Qualicum River Estuary. We could see huge feeding frenzies of seabirds and gulls stretching along the horizon through the scopes. A flock of thirty Black Turnstones flew past low over the water. There were a large number of Bald Eagles were perched on the high Fir Trees along the river. At least ten Great Blue Herons were roosting on the estuary.
Nine birders heard and saw the following forty-three species of birds:
Canada Goose, Trumpeter Swan, American Wigeon, Mallard, Green-winged Teal, Harlequin Duck, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Black Scoter, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Horned Grebe, Red-necked Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Bald Eagle, Merlin, Black Oystercatcher, Black Turnstone, Bonaparte's Gull, Mew Gull, Thayer's Gull, California Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Belted Kingfisher, Northern Flicker, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, European Starling, White-crowned Sparrows, Golden-crowned Sparrows, Song Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Red-winged Blackbird, Brewer's Blackbird, Purple Finch and House Finch.
Saturday November 07:
"Rare bird alert-Black-headed Gull"
A winter plumaged Black-headed Gull was seen roosting with Glaucous-winged and Mew Gulls south of Qualicum Bay. The Black-headed gull is normally found in Europe, but is fairly common in Newfoundland and is found along the west coast of North America where it joins Bonaparte's Gull flocks.
Four Cackling Canada Geese and three White-fronted Geese were seen again today at Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo.
Friday November 06:
A pair of Great Horned Owls were seen in Millstone Valley in East Wellington.
Four Cackling Canada Geese and three White-fronted Geese were seen in with about two hundred Canada Geese at Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo.
Wednesday November 04:
A Spotted Sandpiper, a Sharp-shinned Hawk and Common Mergangers were seen from Sebastion Road in Lantzville.
A Clark's Nutcracker was seen feeding among the drift logs high on the beach at Carmanah Point on the west side of Vancouver Island.
Tuesday November 03:
The Tuesday bird walk went to the Little Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum Beach. The morning was cloudy and very windy at times with an occasional glimpse of the sun. The highlights of the morning included seeing thirteen Great Blue Herons resting among the tall grass on the estuary across from the houses at the start of the walk. We spotted twenty Bald Eagles perching on the tall fir trees along the river. There was a very large flock of Bonaparte's Gulls near the estuary. We watched as the gulls lifted from the water to put on their tern like show--moving in a cloud, dipping and diving as they flew. Dunlin and Black Turnstones moved along the gravel bars throughout the morning. There were several Sea Lions and Seals off shore along with Harlequin Ducks, Surf Scoters, White-winged Scoters, Black Scoters, Bufflehead and Common Goldeneye.
Twenty-one birders saw and heard the following forty-three species of birds:
Canada Goose, Trumpeter Swan, American Wigeon, Mallard, Green-winged Teal, Harlequin Duck, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Black Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Common Merganser, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Horned Grebe, Red-necked Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Bald Eagle, Black Oystercatcher, Black Turnstone,
Dunlin, Bonaparte's Gull, Mew Gull, Ring-billed Gull, California Gull, Western Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Pigeon Guillemot, Belted Kingfisher, Northern Flicker, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, American Robin, European Starling, Song Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Red-winged Blackbird, Brewer's Blackbird and House Finch.
Sunday November 01:
A Northern Pygmy Owl was seen in a backyard along Garry Oak Drive in Nanoose Bay.
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
Guest Speaker Entemologist Evelyn Stokkink will talk about the life of the
Ambrosia Beetle.
Thursday November 12, 2009 @ 7:00 pm
Nanoose Library,
Nanoose Bay
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Arrowsmith Naturalists
Monday November 23, 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 on November 10, 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 corner of Plummer Road and Shorewood Drive in Parksville at about 9:10 A.M.
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The Sunday Bird Walk on November 15 will be going to Buttertubs Marsh.
Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 A.M. or at the parking area at Buttertubs Marsh off
Bowen at about 9:20 A.M.
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Good birding
Neil Robins
THE BACKYARD
Wildbird & Nature Store
6314 Metral Drive, Nanaimo, BC V9T 2L8
250.390.3669
250.390.1633 fax
thebackyard@shaw.ca
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG---> www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com
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