Chestnut-backed Chickadee: Ralph Hocken Photo.
NANAIMO BIRD REPORT
To report your sightings
phone the Store at 250-390-3669
e-mail us at thebackyard@shaw.ca
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
Birding in Central and South America:
www.wildbirdtours.ca
Identify backyard birds:
National Geographic Bird Identifier Site
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birding/backyard-bird-identifier/
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, the species and location of your sighting.
Sunday January 02, 2011:
The Rough-legged Hawk is still in the same area as reported on January 01. The Hawk was seen this morning just off Corfield Avenue & south of Despard perched in a tall tree.
The Northern Mockingbird is still along Dumond Road near Eyelash Road in Nanaimo.
Saturday January 01:
A Rough-legged Hawk landed on the top of a snag-topped tree along Corfield Avenue, just off Despard in Parksville.
Evening Grosbeaks are visiting backyard feeders at Butler and Corfield in Parksville.
A Varied Thrush, an American Goldfinch, a large number of Dark-eyed Juncos, Northern Flickers, European Starlings, Spotted Towhees, a large flock of Bushtits, a Song Sparrow and a Fox Sparrow are daily visitors at feeders in the 100 block of Meridian Way in Parksville.
Friday December 31:
Downy Woodpeckers, Hairy Woodpeckers, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpeckers, Chestnut-backed Chickadees, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Bushtits and a Townsend’s Warbler are visiting feeders along Garry Oaks in Nanoose Bay for the past week.
Over thirty Evening Grosbeaks are visiting feeders in a back yard along Loat Street in Nanaimo.
Wednesday December 29:
Fourteen Evening Grosbeaks, three Varied Thrush, one Golden-crowned Kinglet, Anna's Hummingbird and a Cooper's Hawk are visiting a backyard along Doehle Avenue in Parksville.
Eight California Quail, six Varied Thrush, many Dark-eyed Junco, Spotted Towhees, six Northern Flickers, ten Stellar Jays and two Chestnut-backed Chickadees are visiting feeders in the 1300 block of Lanyon Drive in Parksville.
One Greater White-fronted Goose was spotted in with about 500 Canada Geese, browsing at the Nanaimo Cemetery near Howard Avenue and Bowen Road in Nanaimo.
An Anna's hummingbird has been visiting feeders along Newdale Place in Nanaimo.
Nanaimo Christmas Bird Count
The Nanaimo Christmas Bird Count took place on Wednesday, Dec. 29, 2010 under sunny skies with very low temperatures and high winds.
Overall, the count was very successful, although, many individual teams felt as
though there was a large drop in numbers in their area due to the severe winds
and bitter cold. Graeme Ellis et al. from Protection Island did head out in
their small boat to survey the harbour but the Pacific Traveler skippered by
Doug Henderson, unfortunately yet understandably, never left the dock. Doug and
his wife Eveline Stokkink take birders out every year to survey the waters of
Georgia Strait, for which we are always hugely grateful, but this year it simply
wasn't safe. Hopefully next year we will get out again and pick up some of those
alcids we missed this year.
The most noticeable change this year, I would have to say, was the absolute
dearth of finches. Very low numbers of even the usually abundant House Finch
and Pine Siskin were recorded, and Red Crossbill and American Goldfinch were
absent altogether. The wind can be blamed for the low numbers of House Finches
perhaps, but the total lack of crossbills must have to do with some larger
trend. They must be following the cone crops to some other locale this winter.
Making comment about other trends with birds this year is difficult due to the
very high winds on count day. Most passerine species were keeping an extremely low profile so as not to be swept away. The only Great Blue Heron observed in my count area of Nanaimo Harbour/Chase River Estuary, where there are usually at least half a dozen, was holding on to a log for dear life near the west arm of the Nanaimo River and visibly leaning into the wind, beak first. It was rather comical. And viewing seabirds was made tremendously difficult by the very choppy waters and whipping wind that threatened to smash scopes on the ground if you didn't hold on!
TOWNSEND'S WARBLERS were observed on Gabriola Island and at Bruce Cousens and Charlene Lee's feeder on Hammond Bay Road. Bruce had an exceptional feeder count submission, adding two new species to the count: LINCOLN'S SPARROW and WHITE-THROATED SPARROW. Well done, Bruce!
Margie Bryant et al. who surveyed the area around Brannen Lake had staked out a NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD along Dumont Road near Eyelash Road. Apparently, the bird has been frequenting that area for about a month. Northern Mockingbirds are known to set up shop for the winter and stay a while, but I think this is firstone, or at least the first in a long time, to be recorded on the Nanaimo Christmas Bird Count. Thanks for keeping your eye on this character and bagging another species for the count, Margie and team!
Karl Ricker and Jim Wisnia turned up a couple interesting species around Piper's
Lagoon, as they often do, again this year. Karl managed to spot a dark phase
PARASITIC JAEGER flying by the beach, and when Jim noticed a flock of shorebirds the lagoon later in the day and went in for closer inspection they found what they believe to be a PACIFIC GOLDEN PLOVER among a flock of Dunlin. If anyone is in the area please have a look for these birds. Further confirmation would be greatly appreciated!
Other interesting sightings include: a RUDDY DUCK spotted by Steve Baillie, Kim
Goldberg, and Karen Mullen at Quennell Lake; Neil Bourne, Ann Thompson, and Eric Grundman spotted the only SURFBIRDS seen this year on Brandon Island (or was it Jesse?) and the only YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER recorded at the Nanaimo Golf Course.
EVENING GROSBEAKS continue to be spotted at feeders throughout the count circle, which is a special treat for many backyard birders this year.
TOTAL SPECIES RECORDED ON COUNT DAY: 113
Thanks again to everyone who participated with a special thanks to Brian Simmons and Ann Thompson for stepping up to take over organizing duties next year. It's been a rewarding 5 years for me as compiler and now I'm off to start some new adventures as a teacher!
Cheers!
Carlo Pavan
Tuesday December 28:
An American Coot was seen at Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo.
A Snow Bunting was seen at the point at Deep Bay.
Seven Trumpeter Swans were spotted flying over Meridian Way in Parksville.
A Varied Thrush is visiting suet feeders on an apartment balcony along Boundary Crescent in Nanaimo.
Monday December 27:
A Belted Kingfisher was seen at Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo.
A female Yellow-rumped Warbler was seen in a backyard in the 2500 block of Glenayr Drive in Nanaimo and four Trumpeter Swans and a Bald Eagle were seen flying over the yard.
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
**********************************
Nanoose Field Naturalists Meeting.
Thursday, January 13th, 7 pm in the Library on Northwest Bay Road,
AGM & Members Night.
Keynote presentation by Don Lawseth and Kari Nelson: "Wildlife in Various Biogeoclimatic Zones of Australia"
**********************************
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 04, 2011 will be going to Rathtrevor Provincial Park. We will meet at the Parksville Beach Community Park, at the parking area in front of the Lions Playground at 9 A.M. or at the main parking area at Rathtrevor Provincial Park at about 9: 15 A.M.--"Please note there is a parking fee at Rathtrevor Park"!
*******************************************************
The Sunday Bird Walks will be going to Nanoose Bay on January 09, 2011,
We will meet at the Backyard Store at 9:00A.M. or the parking area behind the Church Camp (off Nanoose Beach Road and Highway 19) at about 9:20 A.M.
*******************************************************
Good birding
Neil Robins
THE BACKYARD
Wildbird & Nature Store
6314 Metral Drive, Nanaimo, BC V9T 2L8
250.390.36621
250.390.1633 fax
thebackyard@shaw.ca
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG---> www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com
No comments:
Post a Comment