The Backyard's Weekly Bird Walk locations are found in the Backyard Bird Report at the very end of the most recent report. Any cancellations will be posted by 8am the day of the walk.

Sunday 14 February 2010

Nanaimo bird alert, February 14, 2010


Pigeon Guillemot: 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 February 14, 2010:
The Sunday bird walk went to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo.
The morning started with rain but soon became sunny with calm winds and seas.
Spring was in the air. We heard a Hutton's Vireo and Red Crossbills were singing overhead all morning. We watched a male Anna's Hummingbird displaying high up. Black-bellied Plovers, Black Turnstones, Dunlin and Black Oystercatchers were on the rocks near the point. We spotted a Pigeon Guillemot in the bay near the parking lot. Surf Scoters, Pelagic and Doubled-crested Cormorants, Common and Pacific Loons were out further on the Strait of Georgia.
Twelve birders found the following forty species of birds:
Canada Goose, Bufflehead, Harlequin Duck, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Surf Scoter, Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Dunlin, Black Turnstone, Black Oystercatcher, Black-bellied Plover, Pigeon Guillemot, Bald Eagle, Mew Gull, Thayer's Gull, California Gull, Glaucous Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Northern Flicker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Anna's Hummingbird, Northwestern Crow, European Starling, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Winter Wren, Bewick's Wren, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Hutton's Vireo, American Robin, Spotted Towhee, House Finch, Song Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, Red Crossbill and Pine Siskins.

Friday February 12:
A Peregrine Falcon was spotted swooping over Brewer's Blackbirds in the Country Club Mall parking lot. The Falcon made one fast pass and failed to flush any blackbirds who took refuge under cars. The Peregrine Falcon headed towards the forested area near Beban Park.

Tuesday February 09:
The Tuesday Bird Walk went to Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville.
The morning was sunny at times and the winds over the Strait of Georgia were calm.
A female Red Crossbill perched at the top of a Fir Tree just off the parking lot giving us great views and a great start to the morning. We watched a Ruby-crowned Kinglet feeding on a low bush near the trail. The Strait of Georgia was alive with seabirds. A large flock of over five hundred Dunlin, five Black Oystercatcher, Mew Gulls, Thayer's Gulls and Glaucous-winged Gulls were on the sandbars just offshore. Eight Brant Geese flew in and eventually landed offshore. Large flocks of Surf Scoters flew low over the water heading down the Strait of Georgia. Rafts of Mallards, Northern Pintail, Surf Scoter, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Barrow's Goldeneye, Common Mergansers, Red-breasted Mergansers, Pacific Loons, Common Loons, Horned Grebes, Red-necked Grebes and a Western Grebe were offshore all morning. We spotted a Pigeon Guillemot near the horizon.
Sixteen birders was and heard the following forty-five species of birds:
Greater White-fronted Goose, Canada Goose, Brant, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Surf Scoter, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Barrow's Goldeneye, Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Horned Grebe, Red-necked Grebe, Western Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Bald Eagle, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Black Oystercatcher, Dunlin, Mew Gull, Thayer's Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Pigeon Guillemot, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Bewick's Wren, Winter Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, American Robin, Varied Thrush, European Starling,
Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, House Finch, Red Crossbill and Pine Siskin.

February 08:
A Rufous Hummingbird has been coming to feeders all winter between Walker and Neville in Ladysmith.

February 07:
Fourteen Common Ravens were spotted, foraging and playing around the head waters of Craig Creek outside Parksville.


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
Guest Speaker-Guy Monty
Monday February 15, 2010 @ 7:30 pm.
Springwood School
Parksville
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The Nanoose Naturalists
Thursday March 11, 2010 @ 7:00 pm
Nanoose Library,
Nanoose Bay
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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 February 16, 2010 will be going to The Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville.
We meet the Parksville Beach Community Park at the parking area near the Lions playground at 9 A.M. or at the end of Shelly Road at about 9:15 A.M.
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The Sunday Bird Walk on February 21, 2010, will be going to Nanoose Bay.
Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 A.M. or behind the Church Camp off Highway 19 and Arlington Road at about 9: 15 A.M.
*******************************************************

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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