NANAIMO BIRD REPORT
" EXPLORE NATURE-GO BIRDING"
To report your sightings phone the Store at 250-390-3669 or e-mail us
at
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 January 05, 2014:
The Sunday bird walk went to the Nanaimo River Estuary in south Nanaimo.
The morning was clear and sunny with calm winds--a great morning to bird at the
estuary. We watched as four Common Ravens mobbed a Short-eared Owl. The Owl
evaded the Ravens and landed on a short bush giving us great looks. Two Northern
Harriers were flying low in search of prey. We saw a Northern Shrike perched
close to the trail.
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Short-eared Owl being mobbed: Ralph Hocken Photo.
Twenty-one birders saw and heard the following thirty-one species:
Trumpeter Swan, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Bufflehead, Wood Duck,
Ring-necked Duck, Barrow's Goldeneye, Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser,
Great Blue Heron, Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Red-tailed Hawk, Merlin,
Short-eared Owl, Northern Shrike, Glaucous-winged Gull, Belted Kingfisher,
Northern Flicker, Downy Woodpecker, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, European
Starling, Western Meadowlark, American Robin, Bushtits, Spotted Towhee, Song
Sparrow, Purple Finch, House Finch and Dark-eyed Junco.
Saturday, January 04:
A Glaucous Gull was seen along Departure Bay in Nanaimo.
“Rare Bird Alert”
The Hooded Oriole and the Dickcissel are still being seen in Port
McNeill.
Hooded Orioles are usually found in Mexico and Southern California and
Dickcissels are residents of the eastern United States.
Friday, January 03:
One hundred and seventy Surfbirds were seen at Neck Point in Nanaimo.
Three Short-billed Dowitchers were seen at the Courtney Air Park in
Courtney.
Wednesday, January 01:
Two Hundred Brant were seen offshore at Sand Pariel near the Englishman
River Estuary in Parksville.
Tuesday, December 31:
The Tuesday bird walk went to the Little Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum
Beach. The morning was cloudy with calm winds and fairly warm for this time of
the year. We spotted a Western Gull feeding on the rocky shore. Black-bellied
Plovers, Dunlin, Black Oystercatchers and Black Turnstones were seen along the
gravel bar. Thirty Ancient Murrelets were seen offshore at the viewing
platform. Over one hundred Black Scoters were singing just offshore at the “A”
frame house near the estuary. Hundreds of Pacific Loons and several Common
Loons were seen far offshore. A Eurasian Widgeon and a Ring-billed Gull was
seen feeding with the American Widgeon in the estuary. Thirty-six Trumpeter
Swans were swimming in the fresh water as it entered the salt water at the
estuary. At the end of the walk we spotted one Long-tailed Duck flying down the
Strait of Georgia
Black Scoter: Ralph Hocken Photo.
Nineteen birders saw and heard the following forty-seven species:
Canada Goose, Trumpeter Swan, American Widgeon, Eurasian Widgeon, Mallard,
Green-winged Teal, Greater Scaup, Harlequin Duck, Surf Scoter, White-winged
Scoter, Black Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Common
Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Horned Grebe,
Red-necked Grebe, Pelagic Cormorant, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron,
Common Murre, Marbled Murrelet, Ancient Murrelet, Bald Eagle, Black-bellied
Plover, Dunlin, Black Oystercatcher, Black Turnstone, Mew Gull, California Gull,
Ring-billed Gull, Thayer's Gull, Western Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull,
Eurasian-collared Dove, Belted Kingfisher, Northern Flicker, Northwestern Crow,
Common Raven, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Song Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Red-winged
Blackbird and Brewer’s Blackbird.
Monday, December 30: A Mourning Dove and a Peregrine Falcon were spotted at
Holden Creek in south Nanaimo.
Sunday, December 29:
Preliminary Results of the Nanaimo Christmas Bird Count
Areas reporting – 8
Checklist species – 101
Additional write-in species – 5 (Lincoln’s Sparrow, Cackling Goose,
Townsend’s Warbler, Rufous Hummingbird, Golden Eagle)
Preliminary total (pending confirmation) – 106
Additional count week species – 4 (Surfbird, Dunlin, Black-bellied Plover,
Black-crowned Night-heron)
Checklist gaps hopefully to be filled in the remaining three days of count
week:
Western Grebe
Greater White-fronted Goose
Greater Scaup
Long-tailed Duck
Ring-necked Pheasant
Ruffed or Sooty Grouse
American Coot
Greater or Lesser Yellowlegs
Spotted or Rock Sandpiper
Wilson’s Snipe
Ring-billed or Western Gull
Any owl other than Great-horned, Short-eared or Barred
Hutton’s Vireo
Saturday, December 28:
A Rusty Blackbird was seen at Holmes Park in Comox.
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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 January 07, will be going to
Columbia Beach. Meet at the Parksville Community Park at the parking lot
near the Lions Club playground at 9:00 am or at the parking area off Admiral
Tryon Blvd. at about 9:10 am.
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The Sunday Bird Walk on January 12 will be going to Bowen Park in
Nanaimo. Meet at the birdstore at 9:00 am or at the parking lot near the
bowling green in Bowen Park Nanaimo at about 9:20 am.
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British Columbia rare bird alert link---
http://www.bcbirdalert.blogspot.ca/
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WildResearch link---
http://www.wildresearch.ca/
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West coast environment link--
http://coastaltarsands.ca/w1/videos/
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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
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