Nanaimo bird report, June 16, 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 16, 2013:

The Sunday bird walk went to Springwood Park in Parksville.  It was partly sunny and quite warm.  Common Yellowthroats were singing just off the road. A female American Kestrel was perched on a hydro line over the meadows. We head a Red-eyed Vireo singing for the longest time but we couldn’t get sight of him.  We spotted a Sharp-shinned Hawk perched high in a snag to finish the walk.

 American Kestrel: Ralph Hocken Photo.

 

Twelve birders including two visiting birders from Seattle saw and heard the following forty-six species:

Turkey Vulture, Bald Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk, Sharp-shinned Hawk, American Kestrel, Band-tailed Pigeon, Anna's Hummingbird, Rufous Hummingbird, Hairy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Willow Flycatcher, Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Northwestern Crow, California Quail, Ring-necked Pheasant, Common Raven, Violet-green Swallow, Common Nighthawk, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Bewick's Wren, Pacific Wren, Bushtits, Swainson's Thrush, American Robin, Cedar Waxwing, European Starling, Orange-crowned Warbler, Yellow Warbler, McGillivray's Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Wilson's Warbler, Western Tanager, Spotted Towhee, Brown-headed Cowbird, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Black-headed Grosbeak, Purple Finch, American Goldfinch, Pine Siskin and Red Crossbill. 

 

Saturday, June 15:

 Common Nighthawks were seen over Morell Circle in Nanaimo.

 

A large number of Cedar Waxwings were seen in the 7200 block of Aulds Road in Nanaimo.

 

Thursday, June 13:

 A Three-toed Woodpecker, A Gray Jay and Band-tailed Pigeon were seen at Paradise Meadows at Mount Washington.

 

A Common Nighthawk, a Dark-eyed Junco and Red Crossbills were seen at Miracle Beach

 

Wednesday, June 12:

A Black Swift and a Red-breasted Sapsucker were seen at Sproat Lake.

 

Tuesday, June 11:

The Tuesday bird walk went to the Moorecroft Regional Park in Nanoose Bay. The morning was mostly cloudy with a few sunny periods. We were entertained by watching all of the many Anna’s and Rufous Hummingbirds at the feeders near the caretaker’s house.  A pair of Downy Woodpeckers was feeding at the suet feeders there.  A Pileated Woodpecker led us through the first part of the walk, first by chopping on a stump and then leading us for a long distance along the trail, feeding on the ground.  Our scopes gave us great views of a Townsend's Warbler singing at the top of a very tall conifer tree. We saw a lone Marbled Murrelet on the Strait of Georgia riding the waves. We spotted a Varied Thrush feeding in the grass at the meadow.  A Pacific-sloped Flycatcher, Black-throated Gray Warbler, a Cedar Waxwing, a Red-winged Blackbird and a Yellow-rumped Warbler appeared at the marsh to put on a display for us.

 

             Black-throated Grey Warbler: Ralph Hocken Photo.  

        

Twenty birders, including two visiting birders from Ohio saw and heard the following thirty-five species:

Canada Geese, Turkey Vulture, Bald Eagle, Belted Kingfisher, Marbled Murrelet, Anna's Hummingbird, Rufous Hummingbird,

Red-breasted Sapsucker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Orange-crowned Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Townsend's Warbler, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Brown Creeper, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Pacific Wren,

Swainson’s Thrush, Varied Thrush, American Robin, Cedar Waxwing, European Starling, Western Tanager, Red-winged Blackbird, Spotted Towhee, Chipping Sparrow, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco and American Goldfinch. 

 

 A Black and White Warbler was reported at Spider Lake but there are no confirming photos.

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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 18, 2013 will be going to the Lot Ten in Qualicum Beach. We will meet at Parksville Bay next to the Lions Playground at 9:00 a.m. or at Lot Ten on the forest side of Highway 19a at Kinkade Road in north Qualicum Beach at about 9:30 a.m.

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The Sunday Bird Walk on June 24, 2013, 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 at Buttertubs Marsh off Bowen Road at about 9:15 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