The Backyard's Weekly Bird Walk locations are found in the Backyard Bird Report at the very end of the most recent report. Any cancellations will be posted here by 8am the day of the walk. Our first bird walks of the year are going out on Sunday February 4th and Tuesday February 6th. Locations will be posted to our next Bird Report.

Tuesday 28 October 2014

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, october 28, 2014

The Tuesday bird walk went to Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville.  The morning was cloudy with rain and wild winds off the Strait of Georgia as we felt the remnants of Hurricane Ana’s heavy rains and wind.  Pacific and Bewick’s Wrens caught our attention as  we saw them low in the bushes. We spotted a Varied Thrush high up in a conifer tree.  We watched as a Red-tailed Hawk hovered in the wind for several minutes high above trees . A Pileated Woodpecker was busy pecking for bugs on a dead snag just off the road.  A Harlequin Duck, three Bufflehead and several Surf Scoters flew past fast over the Strait.
                        
                                          Pacific Wren: Ralph Hocken Photo.                                                               
 
 
 
     
                                                    Bufflehead: Ralph Hocken Photo.
 
Six wet and wind driven birders saw and heard the following thirty species:
Canada Goose
American Wigeon
Harlequin Duck
Bufflehead
Surf Scoter
Common Merganser
Common Loon
Pelagic Cormorant
Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk
Bonaparte's Gull
Mew Gull
California Gull
Thayer's Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Pileated Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Brown Creeper
Pacific Wren
Bewick's Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
American Robin
Varied Thrush
European Starling
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
 
The Tuesday bird walk on November 04, 2014 will once again be going to Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville.
                                                                                                            

  Pileated Woodpecker: Ralph Hocken Photo.
 
Good birding
Neil Robins
Parksville

Sunday 26 October 2014

Nanaimo bird report, October 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, October 26, 2014:
The Sunday bird walk went to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo.. The morning was cloudy with sunny periods and calm winds. A Western Grebe was spotted close to shore near the rocks. Three Black Oystercatchers were nosily singing on the rocks. We spotted a Osprey and a Marbled Murrelet flying further offshore.  Mixed flocks of Chestnut-backed Chickadees, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Golden-crowned Kinglets, Ruby-crowned Kinglets and Bushtits were feeding just off the trail. We spotted a Barred Owl after following a flock of mobbing American Robins to its location. Large numbers of American Robins and a Varied Thrush were feeding on Arbutus Berries. 

Varied Thrush: Ralph Hocken Photo. 
Ten birders saw and heard the following forty-five species: 
 Mallard
  Harlequin Duck
  Surf Scoter
 White-winged Scoter
 Common Mergansers
 Red-necked Grebe
 Western Grebe
  Common Loon
  Pacific Loon
Brant Cormorant
 Double-crested Cormorant
  Pelagic Cormorant
  Great Blue Heron
  Spotted Sandpiper
  Black Oystercatcher
  Bald Eagle
Osprey
Barred Owl
Marbled Murrelet
  Mew Gull
  California Gull
  Thayer’s Gull
Ring-billed Gull
 Glaucous-winged Gull
  Downy Woodpecker
 Northern Flicker
Northwestern Crow
  Common Raven
 European Starling
 Anna’s Hummingbird
  Belted Kingfisher
 Pacific Wren
 Bewick's Wren
  Brown Creeper
  Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
  Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Bushtit
  American Robin
 Varied Thrush
Spotted Towhee
Lincoln’s Sparrow
  Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco 
Saturday, October 25:
        A Northern Pygmy-Owl was seen catching a Dark-eyed Junco along Morrell Circle in Nanaimo.
 
A female American Kestrel was spotted at a backyard bird bath in central Ladysmith. 
Friday, October 24:    
  A Western Screech Owl was seen in a backyard at the end of Douglas Avenue beside the Chase River in south Nanaimo.
A Barred Owl was visiting a patio along Dawkins Lane in Nanaimo.   
Thursday, October 23:
A Spotted Sandpiper was seen at the Nanaimo River Estuary near the end of Raines Road in south Nanaimo.   
Wednesday, October 22:
A Wilson’s Snipe was seen in Port Hardy. 
Monday, October 20: 
   An Arctic Loon was seen offshore from the viewing platform in north Qualicum Beach.
 

Arctic Loon: John Purves Photo. 

Tuesday, October 21:
The Tuesday bird walk went to the Englishman River Estuary, Plummer Road side in Parksville. The morning was cloudy with a few light showers.  There was a stiff sea breeze off the Strait of Georgia.  A Barred Owl was spotted perched on a hydro wire just off Highway 19a along Plummer Road at the start of the walk. Two Bald Eagles, a Sharp-shinned Hawk, a Northern Harrier and a Cooper’s Hawk were seen as we walked along the trail next to the river. Large flocks of Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, American Widgeon and two Eurasian Widgeons were seen on the estuary near the mud flats. Large numbers of Harlequin Ducks were on the Strait throughout the morning. Five Western Grebe’s, a Marbled Murrelet and a Common Murre were seen further offshore.  Red-necked Grebes, Horned Grebes, Pacific Loons and Common Loons were seen closer to shore.  
Harlequin Duck: Ralph Hocken photo. 
Twenty-three birders including visiting birders from Whitecourt and Carstairs Alberta saw and heard the following fifty-two species:
Canada Geese
 American Widgeon
Eurasian Widgeon
 Mallard
 Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
 Harlequin Duck
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
 Red-breasted Merganser
Common Merganser
Western Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Horned Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
 Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Marbled Murrelet
Common Murre
Great Blue Heron
 Belted Kingfisher
 Bald Eagle
Cooper’s Hawk
 Sharp-shinned Hawk
Northern Harrier
Barred Owl
 Dunlin
Thayer’s Gull
  Mew Gull
 California Gull
 Glaucous-winged Gull
 Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Steller’s Jay
 Common Raven
 Northwestern Crow
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
 European Starling
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
 Song Sparrow
 Spotted Towhee
Dark-eyed Junco
Brewer’s Blackbird
                                                                   Red-wing-Blackbird
Brown-headed Blackbird
Purple Finch
House Finch 
************************************************************************************ 
Monday, October 27:
The Arrowsmith Naturalists meet at 7.30 pm at Knox Church on Pym Street in Parksville.   Alan Kinglet, manager of the VIU Deep Bay Marine Station, will talk on how climate change is affecting the chemistry of the oceans –“The Other CO2 Problem”.  More info at 250-752-7588
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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****************************************************************************
The Tuesday bird walk on October 28, 2014 will be going to the Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville. Meet at the parking lot near the Lions Club Playground in Parksville Community Park at 9:00 a.m. or at main parking lot at Rathtrevor Provincial Park at about 9:10 a.m. 
*********************************************************************
The Sunday bird walk on November 02, 2014 will be going to Columbia Beach. Meet at the Bird Store at 9:00 a.m. or at the parking lot off Admiral Tryon Boulevard ( turn right off highway 19a at Columbia Drive and right on Admiral Tryon Boulevard) at about 9:30 a.m.
 
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British Columbia rare bird alert link--- http://www.bcbirdalert.blogspot.ca/
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WildResearch link---
******************************************************************************
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 
*****************************************************************************
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
 

Tuesday 21 October 2014

Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, October 21, 2014

The Tuesday bird walk went to the Englishman River Estuary, Plummer Road side in Parksville. The morning was cloudy with a few light showers.  There was a stiff sea breeze off the Strait of Georgia.  A Barred Owl was spotted perched on a hydro wire just off Highway 19a along Plummer Road at the start of the walk. Two  Bald Eagles, a Sharp-shinned Hawk, a Northern Harrier and a Cooper’s Hawk were seen as we walked along the trail next to the river. Large flocks of  Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, American Widgeon and two Eurasian Widgeons were seen on the estuary near the mud flats. Large numbers of  Harlequin Ducks were on the Strait throughout the morning. Five Western Grebe’s, a Marbled Murrelet and a Common Murre were seen further offshore.  Red-necked Grebes, Horned Grebes, Pacific Loons and Common Loons were seen closer to shore.
 
                                         Sharp-shinned Hawk: Ralph Hocken Photo.
 
Twenty-three birders including visiting birders from Whitecourt and Carstairs Alberta, saw and heard the following fifty-two species:
Canada Geese
 American Widgeon
Eurasian Widgeon
 Mallard
 Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
 Harlequin Duck
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
 Red-breasted Merganser
Common Merganser
Western Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Horned Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
 Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Marbled Murrelet
Common Murre
Great Blue Heron
 Belted Kingfisher
 Bald Eagle
Cooper’s Hawk
 Sharp-shinned Hawk
Northern Harrier
Barred Owl
 Dunlin
Thayer’s Gull
  Mew Gull
 California Gull
 Glaucous-winged Gull
 Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Steller’s Jay
 Common Raven
 Northwestern Crow
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 
 European Starling
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
 Song Sparrow
 Spotted Towhee
Dark-eyed Junco
Brewer’s Blackbird
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Blackbird
Purple Finch
House Finch 
                                                           
 Harlequin Duck: Ralph Hocken Photo.
 
The Tuesday bird walk on October 28, 2014 will be going to Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville. 
Good birding
Neil Robins
Parksville

Monday 20 October 2014

Arctic Loon

An Arctic Loon was seen and studied for about 30 minutes offshore from the viewing platform in north Qualicum Beach on October 20, 2014.
 
                                              Arctic Loon: John Purves Photo.

Good birding
Neil Robins
Parksville

Sunday 19 October 2014

Nanaimo bird report, October 19, 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.
*****************************************************************************
Sunday, October 19, 2014:
The Sunday bird walk went to Nanoose Bay. The morning was cloudy with strong winds. We saw many Surf Scoters Pacific Loons and Common Loons among the oyster barrels.  A red-tailed Hawk flew overhead giving us great views. A Northern Shrike was perched on the top of a Cedar Tree giving us long looks as it looked for prey. We saw three Savannah Sparrows low in the bushes near the trail.
Northern Shrike: Ralph Hocken Photo. 
Ten birders saw and heard the following thirty species:
Canada Geese
 Mallard
American Widgeon
 Northern Pintail
 Green-winged Teal
 Surf Scoter
 White-winged Scoter
 Red-breasted Merganser
Red-tailed Hawk
  Common Loon
 Pacific Loon
 Horned Grebe
 Red-necked Grebe
 Double-crested Cormorant
 Pelagic Cormorant
 Great Blue Heron
 Bald Eagle
 Northern Shrike
California Quail
 Mew Gull
 California Gull,
Thayer’s Gull
 Glaucous-winged Gull
Belted Kingfisher
Northwestern Crow
Northern Flicker
 Song Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
 Golden-crowned Sparrow
 Spotted Towhee 
Saturday, October 18:
A Coopers Hawk was seen in the flying over the Backyard Wildbird & Nature store on Metral Drive in Nanaimo. 
A Rufous Hummingbird was seen visiting a feeder in the Thunderbird area near the Nanaimo Hospital in Nanaimo. 
Over one hundred Snow Geese were seen heading south over Dolphin Drive in Nanoose Bay. 
Thursday, October 16: 
A Lapland Longspur was seen at Pipers Lagoon in Nanaimo.  
Wednesday, October 15:
A Northern Pygmy Owl was seen in a backyard on Kilpatrick Road in Nanaimo. 
Tuesday, October 14:
 The Tuesday bird walk went to Deep Bay with a quick stop at Nile Creek. The morning was cloudy and very windy with a light shower to finish off the morning.  A Cooper’s Hawk flew over head just above us, giving us great views. Two Bald Eagles were spotted on their nest high in a tall conifer. Two Yellow-rumped Warbler’s and a flock of Golden-crowned Kinglet’s were seen in the bushes just off the trail. Large numbers of Harlequin Duck’s, Surf Scoter’s, White - Winged Scoters, a few Black Scoter’s, Long-tailed Duck’s and Greater Scaup were seen just offshore. Three Western Grebe’s, several Red-necked Grebe’s and Horned Grebe’s were seen throughout the morning on the Strait of Georgia.  A large flock of Greater White-fronted Geese flew high overhead heading west.
Two Heermann's Gull’s along with Mew Gull’s, California Gull’s, Thayer's Gull’s and Glaucous-winged Gull’s were seen at the Nile Creek Estuary 
Nineteen birders saw and heard the following fifty species:
Trumpeter Swan
Greater White-fronted Geese
Canada Geese
American Widgeon
Mallard
Harlequin Duck
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Greater Scaup
Common Merganser
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Red-necked Grebe
Horned Grebe
Western Grebe
Pelagic Cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant
Belted Kingfisher
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Cooper’s Hawk
Killdeer
Heermann's Gull
Mew Gull
California Gull
Thayer's Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Eurasian-collared Dove
Rock Pigeon
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Northern Flicker
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Golden-crowned Kinglet
American Robin
European Starling
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Brewer’s Blackbird
House Finch
Purple Finch
Pine Siskin
American Goldfinch
  
          Golden-crowned Kinglet: Ralph Hocken Photo.
 
 A Western Screech Owl was spotted in a backyard along Morell Circle in Nanaimo.
 
Two great Horned Owls were seen at the Morrell Wildlife Sanctuary in Nanaimo.
 
                                                      
**********************************************************************************
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****************************************************************************
The Tuesday bird walk on October 21, 2014 will be going to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. Meet at the parking lot near the Lions Club Playground in Parksville Community Park at 9:00 a.m. or at the corner of Plummer Road and Shorewood Drive in Parksville at about 9:10 a.m. 
*********************************************************************
The Sunday bird walk on October 26, 2014 will be going to the Neck Point Park. Meet at the Bird Store at 9:00 a.m. or at the parking lot at Neck Point off Hammond Bay Road at about 9:15 a.m. 
 
*********************************************************************
British Columbia rare bird alert link--- http://www.bcbirdalert.blogspot.ca/
****************************************************************************
WildResearch link---
******************************************************************************
West coast environment link—http://coastaltarsands.ca/w1/videos/
 
*******************************************************************************
What's more important than the right to breathe fresh air, drink clean water and eat healthy food?"-- David Suzuki
 
*****************************************************************************
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