Nanaimo bird report, November 02, 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, November 02, 2014:

The Sunday bird walk went to Columbia Beach. The morning was cloudy with strong winds off the Strait of Georgia.  We spotted a Sharp-shinned Hawk flying near the tops of the conifers trees.  A flock of eleven Killdeer flew quickly over head with the wind behind them.  Hundreds of Bonaparte’s Gulls flew low over the water heading down the Strait.  Black-bellied Plovers, Black Oystercatchers, Dunlin and Black Turnstones were feeding along the gravel bars.

 

Black Oystercatchers: Ralph Hocken Photo.

Six hardy birders saw and heard the following forty-six species:

Mallard

Harlequin Duck

American Widgeon

Green-wing Teal

Greater Scaup

Surf Scoter

White-winged Scoter

Black Scoter

Long-tailed Duck

Bufflehead

Common Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

Pacific Loon

Common Loon

Horned Grebe

Red-necked Grebe

Common Murre

Marbled Murrelet

Double-crested Cormorant

Pelagic Cormorant

Bald Eagle

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Black-bellied Plover

Black Oystercatcher

Dunlin

Black Turnstone

Killdeer

Bonaparte’s Gull

Mew Gull

Herring Gull

Thayer's Gull

California Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Northern Flicker

Northwestern Crow

Common Raven

Anna’s Hummingbird

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Spotted Towhee

Fox Sparrow

Song Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

House Finch

House Sparrow    

 Saturday, November 01:

A male Rufous Hummingbird has been visiting feeders along Devon Place in north Nanaimo. 

Six Trumpeter Swans were spotted flying over the Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store in north Nanaimo. 

Tuesday, October 28:

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.  

Six wet and wind driven birders saw and heard the following thirty species:

Canada Geese
American Widgeon

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  

     Pileated Woodpecker: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

Eight Snow Geese were seen at the Parksville Community Park near the Skateboard Park in Parksville. 

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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 November 04, 2014 will be going to Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville once again. 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. 

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The Sunday bird walk on November 09, 2014 will be going to the Nanaimo River Estuary in south Nanaimo. Meet at the Bird Store at 9:00 a.m. or at the end of Raines Road in south Nanaimo 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---

http://www.wildresearch.ca/

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West coast environment link—http://coastaltarsands.ca/w1/videos/ 

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Visit www.bluedot.ca 

What's more important than the right to breathe fresh air, drink clean water and eat healthy food?"-- David Suzuki 

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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