NANAIMO BIRD REPORT
" EXPLORE NATURE---GO BIRDING"
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, May 18, 2014:
The Sunday bird walk went to Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo. The morning was
cloudy with rain showers. A Black-headed Grosbeak flew in low for a look at us
at the beginning of the walk and then serenaded us with his rich song for most
of the morning. An Osprey flew over the marsh twisting and turning before flying
away. We saw and heard several Yellow Warblers throughout the morning.
Twenty birders saw and heard the following forty-three species:
Canada Goose Mallard, Wood Duck, Hooded Merganser, Pied-billed Grebe, Bald
Eagle, Turkey Vulture, Red-tailed Hawk, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Osprey, Anna's
Hummingbird, Rufous Hummingbird, Northern Flicker, Northwestern Crow, Common
Raven, Violet-green Swallow, Tree Swallow, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Barn
Swallow, Purple Martin, Bushtit, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Bewick’s Wren, Marsh
Wren, Brown Creeper, Great Blue Heron, American Robin, Hermit Thrush, European
Starling, Orange-crown Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Wilson's
Warbler, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, Red-wing Blackbird, Brewer's Blackbird,
Black-headed Grosbeak, Brown-headed Cowbird, House Finch, American Goldfinch,
Purple Finch and House Sparrow.
Two Common Nighthawks were seen over Morrell Circle in Nanaimo.
Caspian Terns were seen at Entrance Island.
Friday, May 16:
An Evening Grosbeak has been visiting bird feeders along Laguna Way in
Nanaimo.
Tuesday, May 13:
We had a beautiful sunny morning for the bird walk, with only a slight
breeze. The Yellow Warbler could be heard and seen many times throughout the
morning. We also spotted two Semipalmated Plovers in the estuary, as well as a
small flock of Least Sandpiper and Western Sandpiper. There was also a
Long-billed Dowitcher along the water edge in the flats.
16 birders, including one visitor from Oliver, B.C. saw or heard the
following 47 species:
Canada Geese, Brant, American Wigeon, Gadwall, Mallard, Greater Scaup,
Common Merganser, Pacific Loon, Common Loon, Great Blue Heron, Bald Eagle,
Merlin, Killdeer, Long-billed Dowitcher, Least Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper,
Semipalmated Plover, Mew Gull, California Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull,
Violet-green Swallow, Tree Swallow, Rufous Hummingbird, Northern Flicker,
Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Orange-crowned Warbler, Yellow Warbler,
Black-throated Gray Warbler, Bewick's Wren, American Robin, European Starling,
Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Band-tailed Pigeon, Eurasian
Collared Dove, Ring-necked Pheasant, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow, White-crowned
Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Purple Finch, House Finch, American Goldfinch,
Bushtit, Chestnut-backed Chickadee and Pacific-sloped Flycatcher.
Good birding,
Rhonda
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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. on 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 May 20, 2014 will be going to Lot Ten in Qualicum
Beach. Meet at the Parksville Community Park in Parksville at the parking lot
near the Lions Club playground at 9:00 am. or at the Brant viewing platform in
north Qualicum beach at about 9:20 a.m.
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The Sunday bird walk on May 25 will be going Linley Valley in Nanaimo.
Meet at the Bird Store at 9:00 a.m. or the end of Burma Road at about 9:15
a.m.
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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/
On May 11, 2014, 81 birders went to sea on WildResearch’s pelagic seabird
fundraiser. Details from the trip and the official trip list follows below.
Birding was slow as we headed out on the open water, a few Sooty
Shearwaters and single Pink-footed Shearwater darted about. Shearwater numbers
slowly increased, and at 21 km from shore we spotted our first Tufted Puffin.
Two Black-footed Albatross appeared and were circling the ship with one adult
LAYSAN ALBATROSS!
The Laysan Albatross came in close the boat 10-15 times and then drifted
off, only to return about 10min later, giving everyone on board a great view.
This was the bird of the trip! The Laysan Albatross is one of the species that
makes it difficult to fall asleep the night before the pelagic trip, given how
difficult it is to see in British Columbia. But there it was circling close to
the ship for all to see.
At 40km from shore , a Parasitic Jaeger flew in front of the boat. This was
a surprise because normally we see many Jaegers and Skua during our previous
pelagic trips. The next exciting species was the Wandering Tattlers; we saw a
small flock of three individuals. A flock of Wandering Tattlers on BC’s coast
would be unusual. A flock of wandering tattlers offshore was real surprise! The
second most exciting bird was a Manx Shearwater, seen from the stern of the
ship. On the return trip back to Ucluelet, we spotted another five tufted
puffins.
Overall, the trip was great. The weather was fantastic: dry, sunny, and the
seas were relatively calm.
Many people are to thank for organizing the pelagic trip logistics. Big
thanks to Ian Thomas and Jay Brogan for chumming in the albatross, Russell
Cannings for spotting and calling out birds, and the Captain and Crew of the MV
Francis Barkley, for keeping us safe and going the extra mile to help us spot
great seabirds. Thanks also to everyone that participated in WildResearch’s
Spring 2014 Pelagic Trip fundraiser. We look forward to seeing you all on our
next pelagic trip!
And thanks again to all our participants! Looking forward to seeing you out
on our next trip.
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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
Blog: www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com
