Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, September 02, 2014

It was the first Tuesday that we have seen rain all summer and the Tuesday bird walk resumed for the year!  We went to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. The morning saw light rain then heavy rain then no rain and finished off with heavy rain. The big highlight of the morning was the rare sighting of an American Redstart with a flock of Chestnut-backed Chickadees in the bushes next to the viewing platform. American Robins, Western Tanagers, Orange-crowned Warblers, a Yellow Warbler, a Warbling Vireo and a Willow Flycatcher were spotted feeding in a berry bush further from the viewing platform. An Pelagic Cormorant, a Pacific Loon, Common Loons, Bonaparte's Gulls and California Gulls were seen on the Strait of Georgia.                                                                         

American Redstart:

 

Twelve birders including a visiting birder from England saw and heard the following thirty-two species.

Canada Geese

Mallard
American Widgeon

Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser

Hooded Merganser
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Pelagic Cormorant
Great Blue Heron 
Bald Eagle
Killdeer
Bonaparte's Gull
California Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Anna’s Hummingbird

Belted Kingfisher
Northern Flicker
Northwestern Crow

Common Raven

Orange-crowned Warbler

Yellow Warbler

American Redstart

Warbling Vireo

Willow Flycatcher
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
American Robin
European Starling

Western Tanager
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow

American Goldfinch

 

Warbling Vireo: Ralph Hocken Photo.

 

The Tuesday bird walk on September 09, 2014 will be going to the Little Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum Beach. Meet at Parksville Bay at the parking lot near the Lions Club Playground at 9:00 a.m. or at the Brant viewing platform in north Qualicum Beach at about 9:20 a.m.

 

Good birding

Neil Robins

Parksville

www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com