Nanaimo bird report, June 09, 2013

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, June 09, 2013:

The Sunday bird walk went to Beck Creek in south Nanaimo.  It was  sunny but  windy throughout the morning.  We saw a Yellow Warbler perched and we listened to him singing to us.  We heard and then saw Purple Martins perched on the nest boxes on the estuary and flying out catching insects. A Barn Swallow put in a quick appearance.   We spotted a Northern Harrier low over the estuary hunting prey.  A large number of Cedar Waxwings were feeding on berries close to the trail.

Cedar Waxwings: Ralph Hocken Photo.

 

Eighteen birders saw and heard the following forty-seven species: 

Canada Goose, Mallard, Wood Duck,  Common Merganser, Hooded Merganser, Great Blue Heron, Turkey Vulture,  Bald Eagle,  Northern Harrier,  Glaucous-winged Gull,  Band-tailed Pigeon,  Eurasian Collared Dove,  Belted Kingfisher,  Anna’s Hummingbird, Rufous Hummingbird,  Wilson’s Warbler, Orange-crowned Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Warbling Vireo, Northern Flicker,  Pileated Woodpecker, Northwestern Crow,  Common Raven,  Purple Martin, Tree Swallow, Violet-green Swallow,  Barn Swallow,  Chestnut-backed Chickadee,   Red-breasted Nuthatch,  Brown Creeper,  Bewick's Wren, Marsh Wren,  Bushtit,  Golden-crowned Kinglet,  European Starling,  Swainson's Thrush, Western Tanager,  American Robin,  Cedar Waxwing,  Black Headed Grosbeak, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow,  White-crowned Sparrow, ,  Red-winged Blackbird, Dark-eyed Junco and Pine Siskin. 

Seven Brant Geese were seen at the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. 

Tuesday, June 04:

The Tuesday bird walk went to Springwood Park in Parksville. The morning was sunny and warm, although it was a little cooler in the forest.

Two Cedar Waxwings greeted us at the start of the walk. We spotted a flock of Black Swifts dancing in the sky chasing insects. We heard Orange-crowned Warblers, Yellow Warblers, Black-throated Gray Warblers, MacGillivray's Warbler and Wilson's Warblers singing during the walk.  We heard and then saw a Willow Flycatcher perched on top some low bushes close to the road hawking insects from the perch. There was a Northwestern Crow and a Sharp-shinned Hawk mobbing an Red-tailed Hawk high above us. We heard and saw a Common Yellowthroat singing from a perch on Scotch Broom close to the road.  Near the end of the walk a noisy flock of American Robins were mobbing a Great Horned Owl.

Twenty-three birders saw and heard the following forty-four species:

Turkey Vulture, Bald Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk, Sharp-shinned Hawk, American Kestrel, Great Horned Owl, Eurasian-collared Dove, Anna's Hummingbird, Rufous Hummingbird, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Willow Flycatcher, Hammond's Flycatcher, Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Violet-green Swallow, Tree Swallow, Black Swift, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Bewick's Wren, Pacific Wren, Swainson's Thrush, American Robin, Cedar Waxwing, European Starling, Orange-crowned Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Black-throated Gray Warbler, MacGillivray's Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Wilson's Warbler, Western Tanager, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Black-headed Grosbeak, Purple Finch, American Goldfinch and Red Crossbill. 

“RARE BIRD ALERT--Rose-breasted Grosbeak”

A pair of Rose-Breasted Grosbeaks was seen at a feeding station, near Hess Road, in the middle of Gabriola Island. 

Sunday, June 02:

Over twenty Caspian Terns were seen on White Spit at the north end of Denman Island, near Comox. 

A very large flock of Bonaparte’s Gulls was seen in the harbour at Comox.  

A Green Heron was seen in Von Donop Inlet at Cortes Island. 

Pine Grosbeaks were seen in the 2700 block of Neyland Road in Nanaimo.

 

Saturday, June 01:

“RARE BIRD ALERT---Rose-breasted Grosbeak”

A male Rose-breasted Grosbeak was seen at a feeder in the Beachcomber area of Nanoose Bay.  Their usual habitat is east of the Rockies. 

Monday, Thursday, June 13:

7 pm, Nanoose Naturalists will hold their June Meeting at the Nanoose Library Hall in Nanoose Bay.  The speaker will be Geologist Tony Ransom and the topic ---"Earthquakes - Why We Should Be Concerned About the Next BIG ONE!"

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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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 The Tuesday bird walk on June 11, 2013 will be going to the Moorcroft Regional Park in Nanoose Bay. We will meet at Parksville Bay next to the Lions Playground at 9:00 a.m. or at the parking area at Moorecroft Park off Stewart Road from Northwest Bay Road in Nanoose Bay at about 9:20 a.m.

 

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The Sunday Bird Walk on June 16, 2013, will be going to Springwood Park in Parksville. We will meet at the bird store at 9:00 a.m. or at the west end of Despard Avenue in Parksville at about 9:30 a.m.

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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