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Sunday, 28 September 2014

NANAIMO BIRD REPORT: SEPTEMBER 26, 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, September 28, 2014:

The Sunday bird walk went to Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville. The morning was sunny and warm with fog over the water. Not a lot was happening on the water with the fog but we were able to see a few gull species, a pair of cormorants and Red-breasted Mergansers. A highlight of the walk was an Orange-crowned Warbler moving about in the shrubs near the beach and the Merlin put on a show for us while it was in hot pursuit of a Golden-crown Sparrow, which was able to elude the Merlin.

Sixteen birders including a two from the United Kingdom and one from Saskatchewan saw and heard the following 34 species:

Double-crested Cormorant
Canada Goose
Great Blue Heron
Red-breasted Merganser
Cooper’s Hawk
Bald Eagle
Merlin
California Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Mew Gull
Anna’s Hummingbird
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Steller’s Jay
Common Raven
Northwestern Crow
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Bushtit
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Bewick’s Wren
American Robin
Orange-crowned Warbler
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Lincoln’s Sparrow
Savannah’s Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Spotted Towhee
Purple Finch

Sunday, September 26:

Northern Pygmy Owl was seen at the top of Little Mountain in Parksville.

Mourning Dove was seen after today’s bird walk at Rathtrevor Provincial Park. It was seen in the fenced off area near the entrance to the beach from parking lot #1.

Friday, September 26:

A Eurasian Wigeon and Green-winged Teal were seen in the Englishman River Estuary on the Plummer road side.

Black-throated Gray Warbler was also seen a the Englishman River Estuary but on the Shelley road side.

A large flock of Greater White-fronted Geese were seen over and making a quick stop at Buttertubs Marsh but not staying around.

Thursday, September 25:

A Short-billed Dowitcher was seen at the Englishman River Estuary.

Wednesday, September 24:

74 Heermann’s Gulls were seen at the mouth of Nile Creek at Qualicum Bay. On Friday September 26 about 140 Heermann’s Gulls were seen.

Swamp Sparrow was seen at Buttertubs Marsh near the viewing tower on the west side.

Also Veery was also seen at Buttertubs Marsh, seen in the North West corner of the marsh feeding on Arbutus berries with the American Robins.

Great Horned Owl was seen and heard near the tall viewing tower at Buttertubs Marsh on Wednesday evening.

A Brant was seen off of Deep Bay.

Tuesday, September 23:

The Tuesday bird walk went to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville.  There was light rain at the start, becoming heavier, with winds by the ocean, and then ending again with lighter rain.  We were lucky enough to sight 6 Greater Yellowlegs feeding in the flats, as well as 8 Long-billed Dowitchers.  There were also several sighting of Savannah Sparrows feeding along the grassy shoreline.  A great highlight of the morning was spotting 4 Heermann's Gulls at the shoreline a short distance from the other gulls.  We also caught good views of some Western Sandpiper near the end of the walk.  

10 wet but happy birders saw or heard the following 35 species.
Canada Goose
American Wigeon
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Surf Scoter
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Killdeer
Greater Yellowlegs
Long-billed Dowitcher
Western Sandpiper
Heermann's Gull
California Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Common Murre
Belted Kingfisher
Northern Flicker
Northwestern Crow
Steller’s Jay
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
American Robin
Spotted Towhee
European Starling
Anna's Hummingbird
Song Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Purple finch
House Finch
American Goldfinch
Dark-eyed Junco

Tuesday, September 23:

Great Horned Owl was seen near the top of the spillway at Colliery Dam Park in Nanaimo.

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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 September 30, 2014 will be going to Columbia Beach in Parksville. Meet at Parksville Community Park at the parking lot near the Lions Club Playground at 9:00 a.m. or at the beach access of Columbia Beach off of Admiral Tyron Blvd, at about 9:10 a.m.

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The Sunday bird walk on October 5, 2014 will be going to Buttertubs Marsh in Nanaimo. Meet at the Bird Store at 9:00 a.m. or at the parking lot at the end of Buttertubs Drive of Bowen road at about 9:10 a.m.

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Nanoose Naturalists Meeting, October 9, 2014 - 7:00 P.M.

Nanoose Library Hall in Nanoose Bay.

The speaker will be local naturalist, Bill Merilees who will talk about Middlenach Island. Bill spent a summer on the island 50 years ago as a young naturalist when it was first designated a protected park. Bill was back this past summer and has written about all of the changes he observed there.

Everyone welcome for this talk.
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British Columbia rare bird alert link--- http://www.bcbirdalert.blogspot.ca/

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WildResearch link---


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West coast environment link—http://coastaltarsands.ca/w1/videos/
 
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What's more important than the right to breathe fresh air, drink clean water and eat healthy food?"-- David Suzuki

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