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 November 13, 2011:
The Sunday bird walk went to the Nanaimo River Estuary in south Nanaimo. The morning was cloudy and cool but the winds were calm.
The highlights included seeing at least twelve Western Meadowlarks. We watched as a Common Raven chased after a Short-eared Owl giving us a spectacular display as the owl evaded the Raven. Later in the walk, we saw another Short-eared Owl fly low over the estuary looking for prey. A Northern Shrike perched on the top of a bush giving us great looks.
Twelve birders saw and heard the following thirty-four species:
Trumpeter Swan, Great Blue Heron, American Wigeon, Mallard, Green-winged Teal, Northern Pintail, Barrow's Goldeneye, Common Goldeneye, Bufflehead, Hooded Merganser, Common Merganser, Horned Grebe, Bald Eagle, Short-eared Owl, Northern Shrike, Thayer’s Gull, Mew Gull, California Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Belted Kingfisher, Northern Flicker, Common Raven, American Robin, Western Meadowlark, European Starling, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, Lincolns Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, House Finch, Purple Finch and Red-winged Blackbird.
Thursday November 10:
Over thirty Trumpeter Swans were spotted flying south over Errington.
Wednesday November 07:
A Snowy Owl was seen near Taylor Bay Road and Twin Beaches Peninsula on Gabriola Island.
Tuesday, November 08:
The Tuesday bird walk went to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River Estuary. The morning was cloudy with a light rain falling but the winds were calm. We saw large numbers of Purple Finch, Dark-eyed Junco and one Anna's Hummingbird in the bushes just off the trail. We spotted a Merlin perched high in a conifer and there was a Sharp-shinned Hawk perched high in another conifer further away. Another Sharp-shinned Hawk flew in to attack a perched, much larger, Cooper's Hawk not far from us. The Cooper's Hawk, however, stood his ground and the Sharp-shinned Hawk flew off and perched a little further away. Several Horned Grebes, one Western Grebe, a Double-crested Cormorant and four Common Goldeneye were on the Strait Of Georgia. Six Long-tailed Ducks flew in and joined the other seabirds. Two Bald Eagles flew in to stir things up and thousands of gulls lifted off the water. We saw two Long-billed Dowitchers and a Western Sandpiper in with a flock of sixty Green-winged Teal on the mud flats.
Sixteen birders saw and heard the following forty-nine species:
American Wigeon, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Greater Scaup, Harlequin Duck, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Hooded Merganser, Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Ring-necked Pheasant, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Horned Grebe, Western Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Bald Eagle, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Merlin, Western Sandpiper, Long-billed Dowitcher, Bonaparte's Gull, Mew Gull, California Gull, Thayer's Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Anna's Hummingbird, Northern Flicker, Common Raven, Northwestern Crow, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Golden-crowned Kinglet, American Robin, Varied Thrush, European Starling, Spotted Towhee, Fox Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Red-winged Blackbird, Purple Finch and House Finch.
Monday November 07:
A flock of Greater White-fronted Geese were seen flying over Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo.
Saturday November 06:
Two Trumpeter Swans were seen on Craig Bay off Madonna Road in Parksville.
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Arrowsmith Naturalist Meeting
Monday, November 28 at 7:30 pm.
Springwood Middle School, Parksville.
Nanoose Naturalists Meeting
Thursday, December 08 at 7 pm.
@ The Library Centre along Northwest Bay Road, Nanoose Bay
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Everyone is invited 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 15 will be going to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. We will meet at Parksville Community Park at the parking lot near the Lions Playground at 9:00 A.M. or at the end of Shelly Road (Oceanside side of Highway 19A) in Parksville at about 9:10A.M.
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The Sunday Bird Walk on November 20 will be going to Nanoose Bay. We will meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 A.M. or at the beach side of the Church Camp (off highway 19 and Arlington Road) at about 9:20 A.M.
Good birding
Neil Robins
THE BACKYARD Wildbird & Nature Store
6314 Metral Drive, Nanaimo, BC V9T 2L8
250-390-3669
thebackyard@shaw.ca
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG---> www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com
“NANAIMO CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT”
Will be held on Wednesday December 28th, 2011.
Organizers are looking for as many backyard feeders counter and field observes as possible.
Anyone who is interested in participating please contact the Birdstore for more information.
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