Nanaimo bird report, April 29, 2012

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 April 29, 2012 The Sunday bird walk went to Morrell Wildlife Sanctuary in Nanaimo. The morning was cloudy but warm. The highlights included hearing a Hammond’s Flycatcher singing throughout the morning. Twenty-seven birders saw and heard the following forty species: Canada Geese, Mallard, Hooded Merganser, Turkey Vulture, Bald Eagle, Merlin, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Hairy Woodpecker, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Rufous Hummingbird, Anna’s Hummingbird, Hammond’s Flycatcher, Common Raven, Steller’s Jay, Band-tailed Pigeon, Tree Swallow, Violet-green Swallow, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Brown Creeper, Re-breasted Nuthatch, Pacific Wren, varied Thrush, American Robin, Cassin’s Vireo, Hutton’s Vireo, Orange-crowned Warbler, Black-throated Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Townsend’s Warbler. Brown-headed Cowbird, Spotted Towhee, Evening Grosbeak, White-crowned Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Red Crossbill, Purple Finch and Pine Siskin. Saturday April 28: A Great Egret has been seen at the Little Qualicum River Estuary at the end of Kinkade Road in Qualicum Beach. It was first sighted at noon on April 26 and then again at 4:30pm today along with a Greater Yellowlegs. American Goldfinch, Band-tailed Pigeons and Bushtits were seen along Lakeside Drive in Cinnabar Valley in south Nanaimo. Thursday, April 26: A Great Egret was seen at about 7:45pm, in the Marshall-Stevenson Wildlife Sanctuary off Surfside Drive, at the Little Qualicum River Estuary, north of Qualicum Beach. The egret was fishing on the far side of the marsh towards the right. Large flocks of twenty to thirty Golden-crowned Sparrows have been reported in several yards in our area. Tuesday, April 24: The Tuesday bird walk went to Springwood Park in Parksville. The morning was cloudy but warm with calm winds. Highlights included seeing five species of Warblers--Orange-crowned Warblers, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Black-throated Gray Warblers, Townsend's Warblers and a Common Yellowthroat. We also saw six species of sparrows--Chipping Sparrows, Savannah Sparrows, Song Sparrows, Lincoln's Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrows and Golden-crowned Sparrows. There were three Hermit Thrush along the trail, giving us great looks. Twenty-six birders saw and heard the following forty-six species: Turkey Vulture, Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Glaucous-winged Gull, Band-tailed Pigeon, Anna's Hummingbird, Rufous Hummingbird, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Northwestern Crow,Common Raven, Violet-green Swallow, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Bushtit, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Bewick's Wren, Pacific Wren, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Hermit Thrush, American Robin, Varied Thrush, European Starling, Orange-crowned Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Townsend's Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Spotted Towhee, Chipping Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Lincoln's Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow,Dark-eyed Junco, Purple Finch, House Finch, Pine Siskin, American Goldfinch and Evening Grosbeak. Saturday, April 21: Purple Martins have returned to Ladysmith and Cowichan. Evening Grosbeaks and American Goldfinch were seen along Cedar Road in Cedar. Chipping Sparrows, Golden-crowned Sparrows, a White-throated Sparrow and American Goldfinch were seen at Cathers Lake in Nanaimo. Friday, April 20: An Osprey and Wood Ducks was seen at Brookwood Marsh in Nanaimo. *********************************************************Nanoose Naturalists Meeting.Thursday, May 10th at 7pm at the Nanoose Library Centre on NW Bay Road. The speaker is Hans Boerger who will give a presentation entitled "Blood, Phantoms and Ghosts" - all about pond critters. Arrowsmith Naturalists Meeting, Monday May 28, 7:30 p.m. Springwood School, Parksville ********************************************************* 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 May 01, 2012 will be going to Moorecroft Park in Nanoose Bay. We will meet at Parksville Bay at the Lion's Playground parking area in Parksville at 9:00 a.m. or at parking lot at Moorecroft Park off Stewart Road at about 9:15.a.m. *************************************************** The Sunday Bird Walk on Sunday May 06, 2012 will be going to Legacy Marsh in upper Lantzville. We will meet at the bird store at 9:00 a.m. or under the Hydro Lines at Normarel Drive (off Superior Road from highway 19 ) ********************************************************* Good birding Neil Robins THE BACKYARD WILDBIRD & NATURE STORE 6314 Metral Drive Nanaimo B.C. V9T-2L8 Phone: 250-390-3669 Fax: 250-390-1633 Email: thebackyard@shaw.ca Blog: www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com