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Tuesday, 8 July 2014

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, July 08, 2014

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 meadowsSeveral 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
American Goldfinch
 
  
                                        American Goldfinch: Ralph Hocken Photo.
 
Check out this site re the Nanoose checklist by Hans Laue--
 
The Tuesday bird walk on July 15, 2014 will be going to the Little Qualicum River Hatchery. Meet at the Parksville Community Park at 9:00 a.m. or at the Brant viewing platform along highway 19a in north Qualicum Beach at about 9:20 a.m.
 
Good birding
Neil Robins
Parksville

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