Nanaimo bird report, July 13, 2014

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

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.

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Sunday, July 13, 2014:

The Sunday bird walk went to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo. The morning was sunny and hot. We saw a Marbled Murrelet bobbing in the whitecaps off shore.  Several Double-crested Cormorants and Pelagic Cormorants flew low over the water. We heard Pacific-slope Flycatchers, Swainson’s Thrushes and Red-breasted Nuthatches singing throughout the morning.

Pelagic Cormorant: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

Twenty-one birders saw and heard the following twenty-nine species:

Turkey Vulture, Double-crested Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Bald Eagle, Marbled Murrelet, California Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull,  Belted Kingfisher,  Pileated Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Warbling Vireo, Northwestern Crow, Common Raven, Brown-headed Cowbird,  Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper,  Bewick’s Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Anna’s Hummingbird, Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Swainson’s Thrush, American Robin,  European Starling, Spotted Towhee, Song Sparrow and  American Goldfinch. 

Thursday, July 10:

Long-billed Dowitchers, Semipalmated Plovers, Semipalmated Sandpipers, Least Sandpipers and Western Sandpipers were seen on the mud flats on the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville.  

Wednesday, July 09:

Two Caspian Terns were seen at Pipers Lagoon in Nanaimo. 

Tuesday, July 08:

The Tuesday bird walk went to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville.  The morning was sunny and hot but very comfortable in the forested areas. Several families of Chestnut-backed Chickadees were spotted high up in the trees.  Large flocks of Canada Geese and Common Mergansers rested along the gravel bars on the estuary.  Savannah Sparrows were singing and flycatching among the snags along the meadows.  Several bright American Goldfinch caught our eye as they flew near the top of the bushes.  We heard and then saw a Western Tanager perched at the top of a tall conifer tree near the end of the walk.

        Savannah Sparrow: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

Sixteen birders saw and heard the following forty-six species:

Canada Goose, Common Merganser, Great Blue Heron, Turkey Vulture, Bald Eagle, Merlin, Least Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper, Killdeer, Black Oystercatcher, Belted Kingfisher, California Gull, Glaucous-winged Gull, Band-tailed Pigeon, Eurasian-collared Dove, Rufous Hummingbird, Anna’s Hummingbird, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Willow Flycatcher, Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Northwestern Crow ,Common Raven, Tree Swallow, Violet-green Swallow, Barn Swallow, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Bewick’s Wren, Pacific Wren, Swainson’s Thrush, American Robin, European Starling, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Orange-crowned Warbler, Western Tanager, Spotted Towhee, Savannah Sparrow, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Purple Finch, House Finch and American Goldfinch. 

         American Goldfinch: Ralph Hocken Photo.  

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You are invited to the 10th Annual Purple Martin Open House

at the Ladysmith Maritime Society community marina (follow the yellow signs)

on July 20 from 2 - 4 pm. Wear something PURPLE!!

 

Come help us celebrate the phenomenal return of Purple Martins this year

at the largest colony on Vancouver Island!

- see adult birds feeding nestlings

- learn more about the Purple Martins and the recovery program at our displays

- see baby birds being banded at 3 pm

Light refreshments will be available, including our famous purple (blueberry) milkshakes (while quantities last).

Please park in the upper parking lot. Walk down the stairs and come onto the wharf to the Welcome Centre where the tents are, beyond the big blue boat shed and museum.         ********************************************************************************** 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 July 15, 2014 will be going to the Little Qualicum River Hatchery in Qualicum Beach.  Meet at Parksville Bay Community Park at the parking lot near the Lion’s Playground at 9:00 a.m. or at the Brant viewing platform(off highway 19A) in north Qualicum Beach at about 9:15 a.m.

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The Sunday bird walk on July 20, 2014 will be going to the Ladysmith Harbour in Ladysmith. Meet at the Bird Store at 9:00 a.m. or at the left gravel parking lot at Transfer Beach in Ladysmith at about 9:40 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/

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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