Nanaimo bird report, December 23, 2012

                    Ruby-crowned Kinglet: Ralph Hocken Photo.

 

"Merry Christmas and Happy New Year"

From the birdstore gang--- Colin, Dennise, Tyler, Lexi, Ralph, Natlie, Ryan, Neil and Marilynne.

 

NANAIMO BIRD REPORT -----” GO BIRDING--EXPLORE NATURE”

To report your sightings phone the Store at 250-390-3669 or e-mail us at thebackyard@shaw.ca
Please remember, when reporting a sighting, to leave your name and phone number along with the date, the species and location of your sighting.

Sunday, December 23, 2012:

 The Sunday bird walk went to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo. The morning was cloudy with rain showers and windy on the Strait of Georgia. The highlights included seeing flocks of Ruby-crowned Kinglets and Golden-crowned Kinglets. One Western Grebe was on the strait just off shore.
Ten birders saw and heard the following twenty-eight species:

Bufflehead,  Pacific Loon, Common Loon,  Double-crested Cormorant,  Pelagic Cormorant,  Common Goldeneye, Harlequin Duck, Western Grebe, Horned Grebe, Common Merganser,  Red-breasted Merganser,  Common Murre, Spotted  Black Oystercatcher,  Bald Eagle,  Thayer’s Gull,  Glaucous-winged Gull,  Northern Flicker,  Northwest Crow,  Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Golden-crowned Kinglet,  Ruby-crowned Kinglet,  Bewick's Wren,  Pacific Wren,  Anna's Hummingbird,  Spotted Towhee,  Dark-eyed Junco,  Purple Finch, Song Sparrow, Pine Siskin. 

Saturday, December 22:
“Rare bird alert-Little Gull” A Little Gull was seen at Ambleside Park in West Vancouver.

Thursday, December 20,
“Rare Bird Alert- Citrine Wagtail”
The Citrine Wagtail is still being seen in Courtenay.
Directions to specific location: From Courtenay, cross the 17th St. Bridge (Courtenay River). Turn right onto Comox Road (Dyke Rd) until the Pumping Station on the right hand side of the road. There is a dirt road across the road with a For Sale sign on the left. Walk up the dirt road towards the steel chain blocking vehicle access. The Wagtail has been observed next to the dirt road, at the furthest brush pile

 Wednesday, December 19:
A Northern Shrike was seen in a backyard at Dover Road and Uplands Drive in north Nanaimo.

Tuesday, December 18:

The Tuesday bird walk went to Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville. The morning was mostly sunny and warm in the bright sunshine but a little cool in the forest. There was a huge monster tide of 17.3 feet. Near the parking area we saw at least ten Golden-crowned Sparrows feeding under the fence in the snow. A flock of twenty to thirty Black Turnstones flew in looking for the shoreline, but it was limited because of the high tides. They finally settled on the point to feed. Eight Black-bellied Plovers, two Killdeer and two Black Oystercatchers shared the point with the Turnstones. Four Brant, Surf Scoters and Black Scoters flew over the water heading down the Strait. We spotted four Long-tailed Ducks, two Western Grebe, a raft of Common Mergansers as well as a raft of Red-breasted Mergansers further out from shore.

Three birders enjoyed the morning and saw and heard the following thirty-seven species:
Brant, Harlequin Duck, Surf Scoter, Black Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Barrow’s Goldeneye, Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Red-necked Grebe, Horned Grebe, Western Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Bald Eagle, Black-bellied Plover, Black Turnstone, Killdeer, Black Oystercatcher, Glaucous-winged Gull, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Varied Thrush, Spotted Towhee, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Purple Finch, Pine Siskin.
 

Tuesday, December 17:

Three Greater White-fronted Geese were seen on Departure Bay near the Kin Hut and Departure Bay Road in Nanaimo. 

Thursday January 10, 2013
Nanoose Naturalists begin the New Yew year by sharing nature artifacts, photos and stories from 2012.  Everyone is invited on January 10^th at 7:00 P.M.  We meet at Nanoose Library Hall on NW Bay Road.  nanoosenaturalists.org .
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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.
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There will be no Tuesday bird walks on December 25 and January 01, 2013, The Tuesday bird walks will resume on January 08,

We will meet at Parksville Community Park at the parking lot near the Lions Playground at 9:00 A.M.

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There will be no Sunday Bird Walk on December 30, 2012, The Sunday bird walks will resume on January 06, 2013. We will meet at the bird store at 9:00 a.m.

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Christmas Bird Count----Nanaimo, December 30, 2012
Contact: Ryan Cathers at ryancathers@yahoo.com
or phone 250-714-3947.
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Christmas Bird Count—Duncan, January 1, 2013.
Contact: Derrick Marven at marven@shaw.ca or phone 250-758-8504
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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