Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk,March 27, 2012

Bonaparte's Gulls in flight: Ralph Hocken Photo.

The Tuesday bird walk went to Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville. The morning was cloudy with light rain showers and a strong biting wind off the Strait of Georgia. The highlight of the morning was the sighting of a flock of Bonaparte's Gulls flying low over the water down the Strait of Georgia. Hundreds of Brant Geese were flying in and landing near the shore all morning. Black-bellied Plovers, Black Oystercatchers and Dunlin were feeding along the shoreline. We saw several flocks of Golden-crowned Kinglets and Ruby-crowned Kinglets in the tall trees. To finish off a great morning of birding, a male Yellow-rumped Warbler(Audubon's) hawked insects from a nearby bush as we were doing the tally at the end of the
walk.
Fifteen birders saw and heard the following forty-five species:
Brant
American Wigeon
Mallard
Harlequin Duck
Surf Scoter
Black Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Bufflehead
Red-breasted Merganser
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
Bald Eagle
Merlin
Black-bellied Plover
Black Oystercatcher
Dunlin
Bonaparte's Gull
Mew Gull
California Gull
Thayer's Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Common Murre
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Brown Creeper
Bewick's Wren
Pacific Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
American Robin
Varied Thrush
European Starling
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Purple Finch

Good birding
Neil Robins
Parksville
British Columbia

Nanaimo bird report, March 25, 2012

Anna's Hummingbird: 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 25: 2012:
The Sunday bird walk went to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. The morning was sunny but cool. The highlights included seeing a male Anna’s Hummingbird doing several courting dives. A Eurasian Wigeon and three Gadwalls were seen near the mud flats. Thousands of Surf Scoters, Long-tailed Ducks. Common Murres and a Marbled Murrelet were seen far offshore. Hundreds of Brant Geese landed close to shore giving us close views and the sounds of the chatty geese. A pod of Orcas stole the show, however, as they moved up the Strait of Georgia, breaking to the surface of the water every few minutes with spectacular breeches.
Twenty-eight birders saw and heard the following sixty species of birds:
Canada Geese, Brant, Eurasian Wigeon, American Wigeon, Mallard, Gadwall, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Tea, Greater Scaup, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Bufflehead, Harlequin Duck, Common Goldeneye, Barrow's Goldeneye, Red-necked Grebe, Horned Grebe, Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Brandt’s Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Common Murre, Marbled Murrelet, Great Blue Heron, Bald Eagle, Black Oystercatcher, Ring-necked Pheasant, Mew Gull, California Gull, Thayer's Gull, Glaucous Gull, Western Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Violet-green Swallow, Tree Swallow, Anna’s Hummingbird, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Bushtit, Bewick’s Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Golden-crowned Kinglet, American Robin, European Starling, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Purple Finch, Pine Siskins and House Finch.

Saturday March 24:
A Rufous Hummingbird was seen visiting feeders along Meridian Way in Parksville.

Friday March 23:
Violet-green Swallows, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow and Canada Geese were seen at the Holden Creek side of the Nanaimo River Estuary.
Western Meadowlark, Mallard, Green-winged Teal, Common Raven, seven Bald Eagles, Glaucous-winged Gull, Turkey Vulture, Belted Kingfisher, four Northern Harriers, European Starling, Brewer's Blackbird Northwestern Crow and Common Merganser were seen at the Nanaimo River Estuary in south Nanaimo.

Five Hundred Surfbirds, one hundred Harlequin Ducks and a few Black Turnstones were seen at Neck Point Park in Nanaimo.

Thursday, March 22:
Three Merlin’s were seen in Cinnabar Valley in south Nanaimo.

Wednesday, March 21:
A Rufous Hummingbird was spotted at a feeder along Suzanne Avenue on Gabriola Island.

Tuesday, March 20:
The Tuesday bird walk went to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. The morning was sunny with rain showers and a strong cold wind from the snow on Mount Arrowsmith. Fifteen Trumpeter Swans flew past high overhead. Large numbers of Brant Geese flew up the Strait of Georgia. Hundreds of Greater Scaup were spotted next to a gravel bar not far from shore. We spotted a Hutton's Vireo singing his heart out from a conifer tree. We saw a Northern Shrike near the river and one on the meadows near the R.V. Park. We watched as a female Northern Harrier stood motionless for a long time and then started hunting just above the grass.
Twenty-one birders saw and heard the following fifty-two species.
Canada Geese, Brant, Trumpeter Swan, Eurasian Wigeon, American Wigeon, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Greater Scaup, Surf Scoter, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Barrow's Goldeneye, Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Horned Grebe, Pelagic Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Turkey Vulture, Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Mew Gull, Thayer's Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Rock Pigeon, Belted Kingfisher, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Northern Shrike, Hutton's Vireo,
Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Bewick's Wren, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, American Robin, Varied Thrush, European Starling,
Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Red-winged Blackbird, Pine Siskin, House Sparrow,

Tree Swallows and Yellow-rumped Warblers were seen at Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo.

**************************************************************************************
Nanoose Field Naturalists Meeting.
Meet on the second Thursday of the month. The next meeting will be on April 12 at the Nanoose Library at 7:00 p.m. Visitors and new members are welcome. nanoosenaturalists.org
************************************************************************************
Arrowsmith Naturalists Meeting,
Monday March 26, 7:30 p.m. Springwood School, Parksville.
Presenters will be "The Guardians of the Mid-Island Estuaries (Tim Clermont, Danielle Morrison, and John Cooper)
*************************************************************************************
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.
************************************************************************************TThe Tuesday Birdwalk on March 27, 2012 will go to Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville. We will meet at Parksville Bay at the Lion's Playground parking area in Parksville at 9:00 a.m. or at the main parking lot at Rathtrevor Provincial Park about 9:10.a.m
***************************************************
The Sunday Bird Walk on April 01, will be going to Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo. We will meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 a.m. or at parking lot at Buttertubs Marsh off Bowen 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 Museum Presents: Our Feathered Friends

Why are feathers important to understanding birds? Why do some remain close to home year‐round and others migrate for thousands of kilometers? Answers to these questions are an integral part of Our Feathered Friends, a travelling exhibition from Ottawa’s Canadian Museum of Nature. The exhibition ‘takes flight’ at the Nanaimo Museum, from February 3 to May 21, 2012 and is suitable for all ages.
The exhibition’s display units and graphics provide an introduction to birds and birdwatching. “Visitors’ skill when identifying local birds will be enhanced via the exceptional photography of Ralph Hocken and study specimens loaned from VIU’s Museum of Natural History, “said curator David Hill‐Turner. “Novice birders will find the exhibition and programs very helpful in learning more about the hobby”.
Public Programs offered as part of the exhibition will appeal to various birding interests. They include: a photography contest, Urban Bird tours, birding and nature photography presentations and ecology programs for Elementary School students. (Visit our website for full details, www.nanaimomuseum.ca or contact Aimee Greenaway at 250.753.1821)
Come along to the workshops and demonstrations, try your hand at the oriental art of Origami and even learn to prepare a meal for your favourite backyard bird. Using photos, specimens and video, learn what makes birds special, how they soar and glide and how to identify them. More than 400 species of birds have been identified in BC, more than any other province in Canada.
Whether you are an indoor or outdoor birdwatcher you will find something of interest in this traveling exhibit, Our Feathered Friends at Nanaimo Museum. This exhibition is sponsored by THE BACKYARD Wildbird and Nature Store

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk,March 20, 2012

Hutton's Vireo: Ralph Hocken Photo.

The Tuesday bird walk went to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. The morning was sunny with rain showers and a strong cold wind from the snow on Mount Arrowsmith. Fifteen Trumpeter Swans flew past high overhead. Large numbers of Brant Geese flew up the Strait of Georgia. Hundreds of Greater Scaup were spotted next to a gravel bar not far from shore. We spotted a Hutton's Vireo singing his heart out from a conifer tree. We saw a Northern Shrike near the river and one on the meadows near the R.V. Park. We watched as a female Northern Harrier stood motionless for a long time and then started hunting just above the grass.
Twenty-one birders saw and heard the following fifty-two species.
Canada Goose
Brant
Trumpeter Swan
Eurasian Wigeon
American Wigeon
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Greater Scaup
Surf Scoter
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Barrow's Goldeneye
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Pelagic Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Mew Gull
Thayer's Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Rock Pigeon
Belted Kingfisher
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Northern Shrike
Hutton's Vireo
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Bewick's Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
American Robin
Varied Thrush
European Starling
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Red-winged Blackbird
Pine Siskin
House Sparrow

Good birding
Neil Robins
Parksville
British Columbia

Naimo bird report

Surfbirds: Rlph 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 18: 2012:
The Sunday bird walk went to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo. The morning started out cloudy and cool but ended being sunny and warm. The highlights included seeing a raft of thirty Barrow’s Goldeneye at the start of the walk. Over three hundred Surfbirds and fifty Black Turnstones were feeding on Herring eggs at the Point and moved along the shore until Sunset Beach. The Spotted Sandpiper was seen along the Beach at it’s usual spot.

Surfbirds: Ralph Hocken Photo.
Twenty birders saw and heard the following forty-two species of birds: Canada Geese, Mallard, Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Bufflehead, Greater Scaup, Barrow’s Goldeneye, Harlequin Duck, Red-breasted Merganser, Common Merganser, Horned Grebe, Surfbirds, Black Turnstones, Dunlin, Spotted Sandpiper, Bald Eagle, Mew Gulls, Thayer's Gull, California Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Common Raven, Northwestern Crow, European Starling, American Robin, Varied Thrush, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Belted Kingfisher, Anna’s Hummingbird, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Brown Creeper, Bushtit, Pacific Wren, Bewick's Wren, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Pine Siskin and Red-winged Blackbird.
Saturday March 17:
Over thirty-one Evening Grosbeaks were seen in a backyard along Lakeside Drive in the Cinnabar Valley south Nanaimo.

Eight Western Meadowlarks, two Northern Harriers and a Tree Swallow were seen and heard at the Nanaimo River Estuary in south Nanaimo.

Friday, March 16:
Three Turkey Vultures were seen soaring over Craig Street and Meridian Way in Parksville.
One Turkey Vulture was seen soaring over McVickers Street and Standford Avenue in Parksville.
Thursday March 15:
Black Turnstones and a flock of Surfbirds were seen at Neck Point Park in Nanaimo.
Over twenty Bald Eagles were seen at Neck Point Park and Piper’s Lagoon in Nanaimo.
Tuesday, March 13:
The Tuesday bird walk went to Columbia Beach, French Creek and Morningstar Ponds. The morning was sunny and warm which made for a great morning of birding. A flock of Greater White-fronted Geese flew past high over head. Thousands of Gulls were in a Hugh raft on the Strait of Georgia. Large numbers of Brant Geese flew in with the Gulls throughout the morning. Black-bellied Plovers, Black Oystercatcher, Black Turnstone and Dunlin were roosting on the point at French Creek. We spotted a Yellow-rumped Warbler fly catching on the Alder Trees at the Morningstar Ponds.

Brant Geese: Ralph Hocken Photo.

Fourteen birders saw and heard the following fifty-one species:
Greater White-fronted Geese, Canada Geese, Brant, Eurasian Wigeon,
American Wigeon, Mallard, Ring-necked Duck, Surf Scoter, Bufflehead,
Common Goldeneye, Hooded Merganser, Common Merganser, Common Loon, Horned Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Bald Eagle, Black-bellied Plover, Killdeer, Black Oystercatcher, Black Turnstone,
Dunlin, Mew Gull, California Gull, Herring Gull, Thayer's Gull, Western Gull,
Glaucous-winged Gull, Glaucous Gull, Common Murre, Rock Pigeon, Belted Kingfisher, Northern Flicker, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, American Robin, European Starling, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Red-winged Blackbird, Brewer's Blackbird, House Finch, Pine Siskin and House Sparrow.


Monday March 12:
A Northern Shrike was spotted along Beaconsfield Road, off Howard Avenue in Nanaimo.
Sunday March 11:
A Turkey Vulture was seen high above Nanoose Bay.

A Eurasian-collared Dove was seen along Lynburn Crescent in Nanaimo.

**************************************************************************************
Nanoose Field Naturalists Meeting.
Thursday, March 08, 7 pm in the Library on Northwest Bay Road.
Guest Speaker-- Randy Hall will give a slide presentation and talk on “Nature Photography – how to get the best out of you camera”. Visitors and new members welcome. nanoosenaturalists.org
************************************************************************************
Arrowsmith Naturalists Meeting,
Monday March 26, 7:30 p.m. Springwood School, Parksville.
Presenters will be "The Guardians of the Mid-Island Estuaries (Tim Clermont, Danielle Morrison, and John Cooper)
*************************************************************************************
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.
************************************************************************************TThe Tuesday Birdwalk on March 20, 2012 will go to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. We will meet at Parksville Bay at the Lion's Playground parking area in Parksville at 9:00 a.m. or at the end of Shelly Road at about 9:05a.m.
***************************************************
The Sunday Bird Walk on March 25 will be going to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville. We will meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 a.m. or at corner of Plummer Road and Shorewood Drive in Parksville at about 9:30 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 Museum Presents: Our Feathered Friends

Why are feathers important to understanding birds? Why do some remain close to home year‐round and others migrate for thousands of kilometers? Answers to these questions are an integral part of Our Feathered Friends, a travelling exhibition from Ottawa’s Canadian Museum of Nature. The exhibition ‘takes flight’ at the Nanaimo Museum, from February 3 to May 21, 2012 and is suitable for all ages.
The exhibition’s display units and graphics provide an introduction to birds and birdwatching. “Visitors’ skill when identifying local birds will be enhanced via the exceptional photography of Ralph Hocken and study specimens loaned from VIU’s Museum of Natural History, “said curator David Hill‐Turner. “Novice birders will find the exhibition and programs very helpful in learning more about the hobby”.
Public Programs offered as part of the exhibition will appeal to various birding interests. They include: a photography contest, Urban Bird tours, birding and nature photography presentations and ecology programs for Elementary School students. (Visit our website for full details, www.nanaimomuseum.ca or contact Aimee Greenaway at 250.753.1821)
Come along to the workshops and demonstrations, try your hand at the oriental art of Origami and even learn to prepare a meal for your favourite backyard bird. Using photos, specimens and video, learn what makes birds special, how they soar and glide and how to identify them. More than 400 species of birds have been identified in BC, more than any other province in Canada.
Whether you are an indoor or outdoor birdwatcher you will find something of interest in this traveling exhibit, Our Feathered Friends at Nanaimo Museum. This exhibition is sponsored by THE BACKYARD Wildbird and Nature Store.

NECK POINT PARK MARCH 15

Seen at Neck Point Park today were flocks of BLACK TURNSTONES and SURFBIRDS. 20 BALD EADLES were in the area along with thousands of gulls and sea lions. It was reported that a herring test fishery was going on in Hammond Bay.

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk,March 13, 2012

Brant in flight: Ralph Hocken Photo.


The Tuesday bird walk went to Columbia Beach, French Creek and Morningstar Ponds. The morning was sunny and warm which made for a great morning of birding. A flock of Greater White-fronted Geese flew past high over head. Thousands of Gulls were in a hugh raft on the Strait of Georgia. Large numbers of Brant Geese flew in with the Gulls throughout the morning. Black-bellied Plovers, Black Oystercatcher, Black Turnstone and Dunlin were roosting on the point at French Creek. We spotted a Yellow-rumped Warbler flycatching on the Alder Trees at the Morningstar Ponds.
Fourteen birders saw and heard the following fifty-one species:
Greater White-fronted Goose
Canada Goose
Brant
Eurasian Wigeon
American Wigeon
Mallard
Ring-necked Duck
Surf Scoter
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Bald Eagle
Black-bellied Plover
Killdeer
Black Oystercatcher
Black Turnstone
Dunlin
Mew Gull
California Gull
Herring Gull
Thayer's Gull
Western Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Glaucous Gull
Common Murre
Rock Pigeon
Belted Kingfisher
Northern Flicker
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
American Robin
European Starling
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Red-winged Blackbird
Brewer's Blackbird
House Finch
Pine Siskin
House Sparrow

Good birding
Neil Robins
Parksville
British Columbia

Nanaimo bird report, March 11, 2012

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 or e-mail us at
thebackyard@shaw.ca

Sunday March 11: 2012:
The Sunday bird walk went to the Little Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum
Beach. The morning had showers with a strong wind but there were a few
sunny periods. There had been a Herring Spawn earlier on this week and the
highlight of the morning was seeing thousands upon thousands of Gulls along
the shore and gravel bars. Violet-green Swallows, the first of the year,
flew over the Little Qualicum River Estuary giving us great views.
Fifteen birders saw and heard the following forty species of birds: Canada
Goose, Brant , Trumpeter Swan, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Greater Scaup,
Harlequin Duck, Green-winged Teal, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Black
Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Common Merganser,
Red-breasted Merganser, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Horned Grebe, Great Blue
Heron, Bald Eagle, Merlin, Wilson's Snipe, Black Oystercatcher, Killdeer,
Mew Gull, California Gull, Western Gull, Thayer's Gull, Glaucous-winged
Gull, Common Murre, Belted Kingfisher, Northern Flicker, Northwestern Crow,
Common Raven, Violet-green Swallow, American Robin, European Starling,
Spotted Towhee, Red-winged Blackbird.

Saturday March 10:

A report of The Nanaimo Museum's Urban Bird Tour:
I just wanted to report in on the birds that we saw during the museums'
urban bird tour. We walked from the museum downtown along the water front,
up the Millstone to the German cultural club near the E&N rail line.
highlights included seeing a Yellow-billed Loon making dive after dive and
both local Golden-eyes within minutes of each other giving us the
opportunity to compare the different field marks.

Twelve birders saw and heard the following twenty-two species:

belted kingfisher,
glaucous-winged gull,
california gull
yellow-billed loon
common golden-eye
barrow's golden-eye
double crested cormorant
golden crowned kinglet
chestnut backed chick-a-dee
bush tits
spotted towhee
mallard
american widgeon
rock dove
northwest crow
bald eagle
bewick's wren
common merganser
canada goose
bufflehead
house sparrow
american robin
cheers,
kevin storey

A Mourning Dove was seen at Stephenson Point in Nanaimo.

Friday, March 09:
Two Turkey Vultures were seen over Nanaimo Lakes Road and Highway 19 in
Nanaimo.
Two Barred Owls were heard calling at Colliery Dam Park in Nanaimo.

Thursday, March 08:
"Rare bird alert- Swamp Sparrow"

A Swamp Sparrow and two Yellow-rumped Warblers were seen on the bushes near
Morningstar Ponds at French Creek.

A Violet-green Swallow was seen above Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo.

Twenty-five Snowy Owls were seen at Boundary Bay on the lower Mainland.

Tuesday, March 07:
The Tuesday bird walk went to Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville. The
morning was clear and sunny but cool, with a strong wind. At the start of
the walk, a Merlin flew over us, calling as it disappeared over the tall
trees. Other highlights included seeing large numbers of Dunlin feeding near
the tide line and moving in well choreographed clouds as they moved along
the shoreline. Over two hundred Brant were just offshore. Several large
rafts of Gulls were in a feeding frenzy further offshore.
Nineteen birders saw and heard the following thirty-three species:
Brant, American Wigeon, Mallard, Greater Scaup, Surf Scoter, White-winged
Scoter, Black Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye,
Red-breasted Merganser, Common Loon, Red-necked Grebe, Double-crested
Cormorant, Bald Eagle, Merlin, Black-bellied Plover, Black Turnstone,
Dunlin, Mew Gull, California Gull, Herring Gull, Thayer's Gull,
Glaucous-winged Gull, Northern Flicker, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven,
Bewick's Wren, Pacific Wren, American Robin, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow
and Dark-eyed Junco.

A Turkey Vulture was spotted above Northwest Bay Road and Claudet Road in
Nanoose Bay.
**************************************************************************************
Nanoose Field Naturalists Meeting.
Thursday, March 08, 7 pm in the Library on Northwest Bay Road.
Guest Speaker-- Randy Hall will give a slide presentation and talk on
"Nature Photography - how to get the best out of you camera". Visitors and
new members welcome. nanoosenaturalists.org
************************************************************************************
Arrowsmith Naturalists Meeting,
Monday March 26, 7:30P.P.M. Springwood School, Parksville.
Presenters will be "The Guardians of the Mid-Island Estuaries (Tim Clermont,
Danielle Morrison, and John Cooper)
*************************************************************************************
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 Birdwalk on March 13, 2012 will go to Columbia Beach. We will
meet at Parksville Bay at the Lion's Playground parking area in Parksville
at 9:00 a.m. or at the parking area off Admiral Tryon Blvd.at about 9:15a.m.
***************************************************
The Sunday Bird Walk on March 18 will be going to Neck Point Park in
Nanaimo. We will meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 A.M. or at the parking lot at
Neck Point Park off Hammond bay 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 Museum Presents: Our Feathered Friends
Why are feathers important to understanding birds? Why do some remain close
to home year-round and others migrate for thousands of kilometres? Answers
to these questions are an integral part of Our Feathered Friends, a
travelling exhibition from Ottawa's Canadian Museum of Nature. The
exhibition 'takes flight' at the Nanaimo Museum, from February 3 to May 21,
2012 and is suitable for all ages.
The exhibition's display units and graphics provide an introduction to birds
and birdwatching. "Visitors' skill when identifying local birds will be
enhanced via the exceptional photography of Ralph Hocken and study specimens
loaned from VIU's Museum of Natural History, "said curator David
Hill-Turner. "Novice birders will find the exhibition and programs very
helpful in learning more about the hobby".
Public Programs offered as part of the exhibition will appeal to various
birding interests. They include: a photography contest, Urban Bird tours,
birding and nature photography presentations and ecology programs for
Elementary School students. (Visit our website for full details,
www.nanaimomuseum.ca or contact Aimee Greenaway at 250.753.1821)
Come along to the workshops and demonstrations, try your hand at the
oriental art of Origami and even learn to prepare a meal for your favourite
backyard bird. Using photos, specimens and video, learn what makes birds
special, how they soar and glide and how to identify them. More than 400
species of birds have been identified in BC, more than any other province in
Canada.
Whether you are an indoor or outdoor birdwatcher you will find something of
interest in this traveling exhibit, Our Feathered Friends at Nanaimo Museum.
This exhibition is sponsored by THE BACKYARD Wildbird and Nature Store.

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk,March 06, 2012

Dunlin and Black-bellied Plovers in Flight: Ralph Hocken Photo.


The Tuesday bird walk went to Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville. The morning was clear and sunny but cool, with a strong wind. At the start of the walk, a Merlin flew over us, calling as it disappeared over the tall trees. Other highlights included seeing large numbers of Dunlin feeding near the tide line and moving in well choreographed clouds as they moved along the shoreline. Over two hundred Brant were just offshore. Several large rafts of Gulls were in a feeding frenzy further offshore.
Nineteen birders saw and heard the following thirty-three species:
Brant
American Wigeon
Mallard
Greater Scaup
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Red-breasted Merganser
Common Loon
Red-necked Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Bald Eagle
Merlin
Black-bellied Plover
Black Turnstone
Dunlin
Mew Gull
California Gull
Herring Gull
Thayer's Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Northern Flicker
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Bewick's Wren
Pacific Wren
American Robin
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco

Good birding
Neil Robins
Parksville
British Columbia

Nanaimo bird report, March 04, 2012

Common Goldeneye: 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 04: 2012:
The Sunday bird walk went to Bowen Park in Nanaimo. The morning was cloudy with sunny periods and calm winds. The highlights included seeing a Sharp-shinned Hawk fly overhead. We watched a Downy Woodpecker feeding in a high Alder tree. At the end of the walk, an Anna’s Hummingbird put on a spectacular display of his courting dive.
Twenty-one birders saw and heard the following twenty-four species of birds:
Mallard, Common Merganser, Bald Eagle, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Glaucous-winged Gull, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Anna's Hummingbird, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Bewick's Wren, Pacific Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Brown Creeper, American Robin, Varied Thrush, European Starling, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Pine Siskin and House Sparrow

Saturday, March 03:
Dark-eyed Juncos, House Finches, Pacific Wrens, Song Sparrows, Spotted Towhees were seen off White Eagle Terrace in Nanaimo.

A Common Loon, Bufflehead, Surf Scoters, Horned Grebes, Red-necked Grebes, Mew Gulls, Thayer’s Gulls and Common Goldeneye were seen on the water at Departure Bay near the Ferry Terminal in Nanaimo.

Tuesday, February 28:
The Tuesday bird walk went to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. The morning was cloudy with a very cold strong wind coming from the snow capped mountains on the island. The highlight species of the morning included seeing many Golden-crowned Kinglets feeding just off the trail. Small flocks of Long-tailed Ducks, flying close to the water, headed down the Strait of Georgia. There was a Common Goldeneye and Barrow's Goldeneye bobbing on the water not far from shore and we had great looks at them and an opportunity to compare the two species. Several large flocks of Dunlin flew close to the shore.
Thirteen hardy and dedicated birders saw and heard the following fifty-one species:
Canada Goose, Brant, Gadwall, American Wigeon, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Barrow's Goldeneye, Common Merganser,
Red-breasted Merganser, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Horned Grebe, Red-necked Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Bald Eagle, Black-bellied Plover, Black Oystercatcher, Dunlin, Mew Gull, Thayer's Gull, Western Gull, Gracious-winged Gull, Common Murre, Marbled Murrelet, Anna's Hummingbird, Belted Kingfisher, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Bushtit, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, American Robin, Varied Thrush, European Starling, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Red-winged Blackbird, Brewer's Blackbird, Purple Finch.

Sunday, February 26:
A Bald Eagle, Great Blue Heron, ten Hooded Mergansers, Red- wing Blackbirds, Song Sparrows, Spotted Towhees, Ruby crowned Kinglets, Golden-crowned Sparrows, Common Mergansers, Purple Finches, Mallards, Greater Scaup and Bufflehead were seen at Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo.

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Nanoose Field Naturalists Meeting.
Thursday, March 08, 7 pm in the Library on Northwest Bay Road.
Guest Speaker-- Randy Hall will give a slide presentation and talk on “Nature Photography – how to get the best out of you camera”. Visitors and new members welcome. nanoosenaturalists.org
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Arrowsmith Naturalists Meeting,
Monday March 26, 7:30P.P.M. Springwood School, Parksville.
Presenters will be "The Guardians of the Mid-Island Estuaries (Tim Clermont, Danielle Morrison, and John Cooper)
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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.
The Tuesday Birdwalk on March 06, 2012 will go to Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville. We will meet at Parksville Bay at the Lion's Playground parking area in Parksville at 9:00 a.m. or at the main parking lot at Rathtrevor Park at about 9:10 a.m.
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The Sunday Bird Walk on March 11 will be going to the Little Qualicum River Estuary north of Qualicum Beach. We will meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 A.M. or at the viewing platform near Garrett Road and Highway 19a in Qualicum Beach 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
250-390-3669
thebackyard@shaw.ca
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG---> www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com

Nanaimo Museum Presents: Our Feathered Friends

Why are feathers important to understanding birds? Why do some remain close to home year‐round and others migrate for thousands of kilometers? Answers to these questions are an integral part of Our Feathered Friends, a travelling exhibition from Ottawa’s Canadian Museum of Nature. The exhibition ‘takes flight’ at the Nanaimo Museum, from February 3 to May 21, 2012 and is suitable for all ages.
The exhibition’s display units and graphics provide an introduction to birds and birdwatching. “Visitors’ skill when identifying local birds will be enhanced via the exceptional photography of Ralph Hocken and study specimens loaned from VIU’s Museum of Natural History, “said curator David Hill‐Turner. “Novice birders will find the exhibition and programs very helpful in learning more about the hobby”.
Public Programs offered as part of the exhibition will appeal to various birding interests. They include: a photography contest, Urban Bird tours, birding and nature photography presentations and ecology programs for Elementary School students. (Visit our website for full details, www.nanaimomuseum.ca or contact Aimee Greenaway at 250.753.1821)
Come along to the workshops and demonstrations, try your hand at the oriental art of Origami and even learn to prepare a meal for your favourite backyard bird. Using photos, specimens and video, learn what makes birds special, how they soar and glide and how to identify them. More than 400 species of birds have been identified in BC, more than any other province in Canada.
Whether you are an indoor or outdoor birdwatcher you will find something of interest in this traveling exhibit, Our Feathered Friends at Nanaimo Museum. This exhibition is sponsored by THE BACKYARD Wildbird and Nature Store.