Nanaimo bird report, May 27, 2012

Cedar Waxwing: Ralph Hocken *************************************************************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 27, 2012: The Sunday bird walk went to Morden Historic Park in south Nanaimo. The morning was cloudy and warm. We had several sightings of Brown Creepers feeding on the trunks of trees. A flock of American Robins were mobbing a Barred Owl and the Owl flew towards us giving us great views. Twenty-three birders saw and heard the following thirty-seven species: Spotted Sandpiper, Bald Eagle, Turkey Vulture, Red-tailed Hawk, Barred Owl, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Belted Kingfisher, Rufous Hummingbird, Anna’s Hummingbird, Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Warbling Vireo, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Violet-green Swallow, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Brown Creeper, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Bewick's Wren, Pacific Wren, European Starling, Swainson's Thrush, American Robin, cedar Waxwing, Orange-crowned Warbler, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Wilson's Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Western Tanager, Black-headed Grosbeak, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Purple Finch. *********************************************************************** Saturday May 26: “ Rare bird alert-Lazuli Bunting” A Lazuli Bunting was seen in a backyard in Qualicum Beach. ******************************************************************* A Swainson’s Thrush and a Townsend’s Warbler were seen at Morden Park in south Nanaimo. ***************************************************************** A Greater Yellowlegs and a Spotted Sandpiper were seen at the Nanaimo River Estuary in south Nanaimo. ******************************************************************** A Cliff Swallow was spotted near Quennel Lake in Cedar. ***************************************************************************** Wednesday May 23: Eight Black Swifts were seen over Highway 19a at Wembly Road in Parksville. ************************************************************** A Great Horned Owl was seen in the forest at French Creek. ************************************************************************* Twelve Northern Shovellers and four Marbled Murrlets seen at the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville. ********************************************************************* Tuesday May 22: A Swainson’s Thrush was seen and heard at the Cottonwood Golf Course in south Nanaimo.********************************************************************** Two Caspian Terns were spotted in with a flock of 20 or so gulls on a gravel bar off the Qualicum Beach viewing platform in north Qualicum Beach. ********************************************************************* The Tuesday bird walk went to Lot Ten off Kinkade Road in north Qualicum Beach. The morning was cloudy and cool with rain showers. We saw and heard Black-headed Grosbeaks as they added rich tones to the birdwalk. We had great looks at a Western Wood-Pewee as he perched in an Alder Tree and then flew about catching insects. A Hammond's Flycatcher also perched and gave us good views so we were able to identify it without it's song. We hear a Pacific-slope Flycatcher singing throughout the morning. We had several good looks at Wilson's Warblers as they were sang and were feeding on the lower bushes. The Red-breasted Sapsuckers put on a dazzling show as they moved across the Little Qualicum River---one being chased by a Wilson's Warbler. Nineteen birders saw and heard the following forty-three species: Canada Goose, Turkey Vulture, Bald Eagle, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Spotted Sandpiper, Glaucous-winged Gull, Band-tailed Pigeon, Eurasian-collared Dove, Rufous Hummingbird, Belted Kingfisher, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Western Wood-Pewee, Hammond's Flycatcher, Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Warbling Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Violet-green Swallow, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Pacific Wren, Swainson's Thrush, American Robin, European Starling, Cedar Waxwing Orange-crowned Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Wilson's Warbler, Western Tanager, Spotted Towhee, Chipping Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Black-headed Grosbeak, Brewer's Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Pine Siskin and House Sparrow. . ************************************************************************************ 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 14th at 5:30 pm Summer picnic BBQ for members at the home of Tony and Jenny Ransom. ************************************************************************************* 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 29, 2012 will be going to Springwood Park ion Parksville. We will meet at Parksville Bay at the Lion's Playground parking area in Parksville at 9:00 a.m. or at west end of Despard Avenue at about 9:10.a.m. *************************************************************** The Sunday Bird Walk on Sunday June 03, 2012 will be going to Linley Valley in Nanaimo. We will meet at the bird store at 9:00 a.m. or at end of Burma Road (off Lost Lake Road) in Nanaimo 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 *