Short-eared Owl: 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 or
e-mail us at thebackyard@shaw.ca
Sunday March 20, 2011:
The Sunday bird walk went to the Nanaimo River Estuary. The morning was cloudy with sunny periods and strong winds. The highlight of the morning was the sighting of a Golden Eagle in with Bald Eagles on the ground not far from us. We saw a Short-eared Owl and a Northern Harrier hunting low over the Estuary.
Thirteen birders saw and heard the following twenty four species of birds:
Canada Goose, Great Blue Heron, Mallard, Common Mergansers, American Wigeon, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Glaucous-winged Gulls, Golden Eagle, Bald Eagle, Short-eared Owl, Northern Harrier, Red-tailed Hawk, Northern Flicker, Common Raven, Tree Swallows, Belted Kingfisher, American Robin, European Starling, Spotted Towhee, Fox Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Juncos and American Goldfinch.
A Yellow-rumped Warbler was seen in a backyard along Andover Road in Nanoose Bay.
Four Evening Grosbeaks were seen feeding on a Big-leaf Maple Tree on Protection Island.
Saturday March 19:
A Downy Woodpecker is visiting a suet feeder in a backyard in the 5900 block of Tweedsmuir Crescent in Nanaimo.
A Cooper’s Hawk was seen perched in a tree above a bird feeder in a backyard along Glenayr Drive in Nanaimo.
A Great Horned Owl was seen along Linley Road in Nanaimo.
Thursday March 17:
The first Rufous Hummingbird of the season is visiting a feeder along Fawcett Road in Cedar.
Tree and Violet-green Swallows, a Barn Swallow, Gadwall and a Northern Harrier were seen at the Nanaimo River Estuary in south Nanaimo.
A Rufous Hummingbird is visiting feeders along Sandpiper Place in Nanaimo.
Wednesday March 16:
Eight Trumpeter Swans and thirty Canada Geese were spotted flying north over the 2500 block of Glenayr Drive in Nanaimo.
Tuesday March 15:
The Tuesday bird walk went to Columbia Beach and Parksville Bay. A West Coast Winter Storm greeted us for the morning. The surf was up and strong winds and heavy rain were with us all morning. The big surprise of the morning was the sighting of one Bonaparte's Gull at the start of the walk. Hundreds of gulls, Harlequin Ducks, Surf Scoters, White-winged Scoters were seen further off shore heading down the Strait of Georgia. We spotted three Eurasian Collared Doves perched in a tree along Admiral Tryon Blvd. Thousands upon thousands of Greater Scaup, Lesser Scaup, Surf Scoters, White-winged Scoter,
Black Scoters, Long-tailed Ducks, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Barrow's Goldeneye and Brant formed a massive moving raft offshore from the hovercraft landing pad at Parksville Beach.
"A NATURAL PHENOMENON!!"
Five very wet birders saw and heard the following forty-one species of birds.
Canada Geese, Brant, American Wigeon, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Greater Scaup, Lesser Scaup, Harlequin Duck, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Black Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Barrow's Goldeneye,
Red-breasted Merganser, Horned Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Bald Eagle, Black-bellied Plover, Black Oystercatcher, Black Turnstone, Dunlin,
Bonaparte's Gull, Mew Gull, California Gull, Herring Gull,
Thayer's Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Rock Pigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Northern Flicker, Northwestern Crow, American Robin, European Starling, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco and House Finch.
Sunday March 13:
Rufous Hummingbirds are visiting feeders near Wembley Road and Yellow brick Road in Parksville.
Two Great Horned Owls were seen at Yellow Point Park in Cedar.
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Arrowsmith Naturalists Meeting
Monday March 28, 7.30 pm at Springwood School in Parksville.
Guest Speaker-Bill Merilees will speak on Mega Herbs of Sub-Antarctic.
Nanoose Field Naturalists Meeting.
Thursday, April 14, 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 March 22, 2011 will be going to Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville. 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 lot at Rathtrevor Provincial Park. at about 9:15A.M.
Please note there is a parking fee.
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The Sunday Bird Walk, March 27, 2011 will be going to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. We will meet at the Backyard Store at 9:00A.M. or at the corner of Plummer Road and Shorewood Drive at about 9: 30 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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