Nanaimo bird report, May 13, 2012

Barred 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 May 13, 2012: The Sunday bird walk went to Bowen Park in Nanaimo. The morning was sunny and warm. We heard a Northern Mockingbird not far from the river. We had great looks at a Barred Owl that was being mobbed by American Robins, a Red-breasted Sapsucker and even an Anna’s Hummingbird. Fourteen birders saw and heard the following thirty-one species: Mallard, Turkey Vulture, Barred Owl, Anna’s Hummingbird, Rufous Hummingbird, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Red-breasted Sapsucker, California Quail, Common Raven, Northwestern Crow, Violet-green Swallow, Eurasian-collared Dove, Bushtit, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Bewick’s Wren, Pacific Wren, American Robin, European Starling, Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Warbling Vireo, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Orange-crowned Warbler, Northern Mockingbird, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, House Finch, Dark-eyed Junco, and House Sparrow. *********************************************************************** Friday, May 11: A Black-headed Grosbeak and two Evening Grosbeaks were feeding at bird feeders in the 100 block of Meridian Way in Parksville. ************************************************************************* Thursday, May 10: A Western Tanager was seen at the Pacific Biological Station in Nanaimo. ************************************************************************** “Rare Bird Alert- Northern Mockingbird “ A Northern Mockingbird was seen at the end of Sunderland Avenue (off Townsite Road) near the Millstone River just at the edge of the trees. This is at the edge of Bowen Park in Nanaimo. **************************************************************************** Wednesday, May 09: A bBlack-headed Grosbeak was seen along Mountain Road in Duncan. ************************************************************************* Tuesday, May 08: The Tuesday bird walk went to the Top Bridge Trail in Parksville. The morning was cloudy but warm with calm wind. The bird of the morning was the many Chipping Sparrows we saw and heard. We also saw and heard male Rufous Hummingbirds throughout the morning, with two males doing their courting dive. The Warbling Vireos were singing most of the morning and we had the good fortune to see them high in the Alder trees. Twenty birders saw and heard the following thirty-three species: Canada Goose, Turkey Vulture, Bald Eagle, Killdeer, Rufous Hummingbird, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Warbling Vireo, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Violet-green Swallow, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Bewick's Wren, Pacific Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, American Robin, Varied Thrush, European Starling, Orange-crowned Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Spotted Towhee, Chipping Sparrow, Song Sparrow,White-crowned Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Brown-headed Cowbird, Purple Finch and American Goldfinch. ************************************************************************************ Arrowsmith Naturalists meet Monday, May 28th, 7.30pm at Springwood School. We will hear speakers from the Nile Creek Enhancement Society talk about their work. Everyone welcome. ********************************************************************************** Nanoose Naturalists Meeting.Thursday, June 11th at 7pm at the Nanoose Library Centre on NW Bay Road. *************************************************************************************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 15, 2012 will be going to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville. We will meet at Parksville Bay at the Lion's Playground parking area in Parksville at 9:00 a.m. or at corner of Plummer Road and Shorewood Drive at about 9:10.a.m. *************************************************** The Sunday Bird Walk on Sunday May 20, 2012 will be going to Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo. We will meet at the bird store at 9:00 a.m. or at the parking area off Bowen Road at Buttertubs Marsh at about 9:20 a.m. ********************************************************* 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