Black Scoter: Ralph Hocken Photo.
NANAIMO BIRD REPORT
"GO BIRDING—EXPLORE NATURE"
Please remember, when reporting a sighting, to leave your name and phone number,
along with the date, the species and location of your sighting.
To report your sightings
phone the Store at 250-390-3669
e-mail us at thebackyard@shaw.ca
Sunday February 27, 2011:
The Sunday bird walk went to the Little Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum Beach. The morning was cloudy and cool. Light rain finished off the morning walk.
The highlights included seeing at least four hundred Black Scoters not far from shore. We watched in awe as forty Black Turnstones fed along the incoming tide not five feet from us. Pacific Loons, Common Loons and Long-tailed Ducks were seen further offshore.
Seven birders saw and heard the following forty-five species of birds:
Canada Goose, Trumpeter Swan, Eurasian Wigeon, American Wigeon, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Greater Scaup, Harlequin Duck, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Black Scoter , Long-tailed Duck, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Barrow's Goldeneye, Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser , Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Horned Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Bald Eagle, Killdeer, Black Oystercatcher, Black Turnstone, Dunlin, Mew Gull, California Gull, Thayer's Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Belted Kingfisher, Northern Flicker, Steller’s Jay, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, American Robin, European Starling, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, House Finch and Red-winged Blackbird.
An American Kestrel was spotted perched on a hydro line overlooking the Ugly Dwarf Meadows near the ESSO gas station at Nanoose Bay.
A Peregrine Falcon was seen just off Highway 4 between Highway 19 and Qualicum Beach.
Saturday February 26:
A Rock Sandpiper was spotted on the rocks off Dallas Road in Victoria.
Sixteen Evening Grosbeaks and a flock of Bushtits are visiting backyard feeders along Lantzwood Drive in lower Lantzville.
Thursday February 24:
Two short-eared Owls and a pair of Northern Harriers were spotted at the Nanaimo River Estuary in south Nanaimo.
Black Scoter, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Red-breasted Merganser, Double-crested Cormorant,
Pelagic Cormorant, Common Loon, Horned Grebe, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Dunlin, Black-bellied Plover, White-crowned Sparrow, House Finch and Purple Finch were seen at Deep Bay.
Wednesday, February 23:
An Eurasian Collared Dove, a Song Sparrow, two Spotted Towhees, a Fox Sparrow, a pair of House Finch, a Varied Thrush, twelve to twenty Dark-eyed Juncos, thirty to forty Brewer's Blackbirds, Red-winged Blackbirds and European Starlings are all visiting feeders along Meridian Way in Parksville.
Tuesday February 22:
The Tuesday bird walk went to French Creek. The morning was mostly clear with a very strong wind. The surf was up and pounding at Columbia Beach making it too windy for birding so we ventured into the woods along French Creek. Among the highlights was the sighting of our first Orange-crowned Warbler of the year. A mixed flock of Golden-crowned Kinglets, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Chestnut-backed Chickadee and Red-breasted Nuthatches were feeding high up on the Alder Trees in the forest along French Creek. Purple Finch, House Finch, Song Sparrows and Fox Sparrows were feeding on low bushes. We had great close views of a Downy Woodpecker feeding on an alder tree close to the trail. A Greater Yellowlegs flew past us to finish off the walk.
Eleven birders saw and heard the following forty-six species of birds:
Canada Goose, Eurasian Wigeon, American Wigeon, Mallard, Green-winged Teal, Surf Scoter, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Hooded Merganser, Common Merganser, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Bald Eagle, Black Oystercatcher, Greater Yellowlegs, Mew Gull, Thayer's Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Rock Pigeon, Belted Kingfisher, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Steller's Jay, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Bewick's Wren, Pacific Wren, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Ruby-crowned Kinglet,
American Robin, Orange-crowned Warbler, Spotted Towhee,
Fox Sparrow, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow,
Golden-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Red-winged Blackbird, Brewer's Blackbird, Purple Finch, House Finch,
Pine Siskin and House Sparrow.
Two pairs of Evening Grosbeaks are visiting feeders at the Living Forest Campground in south Nanaimo.
Monday February 21:
An adult Sharp-Shinned Hawk was spotted sitting in a tree on the edge of a field in Cedar By The Sea.
Sunday February 20:
A Golden Eagle was seen in a front yard along Ocean Trail in Bowser.
Four Barn Swallows were seen at Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo.
Thursday February 17:
A Golden Eagle was seen at the edge of a previously logged and not heavily-wooded area along Cochrane Road, about three km from the Old Island Highway, near Qualicum Bay. The eagle was at the side of the road and flew into a tree close by. The bird was viewed from a car at close range.
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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Arrowsmith Naturalists meeting
Monday February 28, 7.30 pm at Springwood School in Parksville.
Guest Speaker will be Lisa Spaven, coordinator of B.C. Marine Mammal Response Network. She will share her knowledge of the behavioural and environmental aspects of marine mammals such as seals, sea lions and whales.
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Nanoose Field Naturalists Meeting.
Thursday, March 10th, 7 pm in the Library on Northwest Bay Road.
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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 29, 2011 will be going to the Englishman River Estuary, Shelly Road side. 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 end of Shelly Road on the ocean side of highway 19A at about 9:10A.M.
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The Sunday Bird Walk, March 06, 2011 will be going to Buttertubs Marsh. We will meet at the Backyard Store at 9:00A.M. or at the parking area off Bowen Road 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
250.390.36621
250.390.1633 fax
thebackyard@...
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG---> www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com
Big Day For The Brant – 2011 Birding Competition
For the 18th year a Big Day competition will be held to crown the teams that can see the most species of birds in one day.
WHERE: Parksville/Qualicum Beach, Vancouver Island, BC.
WHEN: Saturday April 9, 2011 from 4:30am to 3:00pm.
WHO: Teams of 3 to 5 in both Green and Motorized Categories. Novice, Intermediate, Experienced & young birders all welcomed.
PRIZES: Awards Presentations immediately following at Deez Bar & Grill, Qualicum Beach.
COST: $10 cash per person at the door.
HOW: TO REGISTER, contact RHYS HARRISON rhysharrison@shaw.ca or (250) 248-5305 with team names, category & experience level.
PROCEEDS: To the BRANT WILDLIFE FESTIVAL.
DETAILS: Instructions, Map, Checklist & Suggested Hotspots will be emailed to Team Members on registration.
EXTRAS:
Space may be limited so register early.
Singles & Couples are encouraged to enter and will be helped to form a team.
Several special prize categories have been added this year.
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