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 by 8am the day of the walk.

Sunday 16 November 2014

Nanaimo bird report, November 16, 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 16, 2014:

        The Sunday bird walk went to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. The morning was mostly sunny and the winds were calm. The highlights included great views of a Yellow-billed Loon.  We watched as it came up out of the water with a large fish and struggled to eat it. Four Brandt’s Cormorants were spotted not far from shore. A Eurasian Widgeon was seen in with a flock of American Widgeon.

 

                    

Yellow-billed Loon: Ralph Hocken Photo. 


Eighteen birders saw and heard the following fifty-seven species: 
Trumpeter Swan
Canada Geese
 American Widgeon
Eurasian Widgeon
 Mallard
 Harlequin Duck
 Northern Pintail
Green-wing Teal
 Surf Scoter
 White-winged Scoter
 Long-tailed Duck
 Bufflehead
 Common Goldeneye
 Common Merganser
 Red-breasted Merganser
 Common Loon
 Pacific Loon
Yellow-billed Loon
 Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Western Grebe
 California Quail
 Killdeer
 Pelagic Cormorant
 Double-crested Cormorant
Brandt’s Cormorant
 Belted Kingfisher
 Bald Eagle
 Sharp-shinned Hawk
 Mew Gull
 California Gull
 Thayer's Gull
 Glaucous-winged Gull
 Marbled Murrelet
Rhinoceros Auklet
 Anna's Hummingbird
Northern Flicker
Steller’s Jay
 Northwestern Crow
 Common Raven
American Robin
Varied Thrush
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Bewick’s Wren
 European Starling
 Spotted Towhee
 Song Sparrow
 Golden-crowned Sparrow
 White-crowned Sparrow
 Dark-eyed Junco
 Red-winged Blackbird
 Brewer’s Blackbird
 House Finch
 Purple Finch
Pine Siskin 

Wednesday, November 12:
Three Snow Geese were seen off the Boardwalk at Parksville Beach in Parksville. 

Thursday, November 13:
Three Evening Grosbeaks were seen at the end of Douglas Avenue next to the Cat Stream Creek in Nanaimo. 

Friday, November 14:  
A Hermit Thrush was seen at Rathtrevor Provincial Park in Parksville. 

Three Evening Grosbeaks were seen visiting feeders seen along Dunsmuir Crescent in Ladysmith.

 

Tuesday, November 11:

The Tuesday bird walk went to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. The morning was sunny but cool with calm winds.  Golden-crowned Kinglets and Ruby-crowned Kinglets were feeding on a conifer tree close to the trail.  A Peregrine Falcon flew in low overhead and landed on a tall conifer.  He perched for a few minutes and then unsuccessfully tried to catch a Mallard Duck. We had good views of the chase.  A Northern Shrike was perched in a tall shrub near Parksville Bay.  A Northern Harrier flew in low over the meadow in search of prey.  Five Trumpeter Swans flew overhead heading south.  A Eurasian Widgeon was spotted in with a flock of American Widgeons close to shore.  A late migrating was seen Turkey Vulture just above the tall Conifer Trees.

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Turkey Vulture: Ralph Hocken Photo.

 

Twelve birders saw and heard the following fifty-seven species:
 Canada Geese
Trumpeter Swan
 American Widgeon
Eurasian Widgeon
 Mallard
 Harlequin Duck
 Northern Pintail
 Green-wing Teal
 Surf Scoter
Northern Shoveler
 Bufflehead
 Common Goldeneye
 Hooded Merganser
 Common Merganser
 Common Loon
 Pacific Loon
 Horned Grebe
 Red-necked Grebe
Pelagic Cormorant
  Double-crested Cormorant
 Great Blue Heron
 Bald Eagle
Turkey Vulture
Northern Harrier
Northern Shrike
 Peregrine Falcon
Merlin
 Belted Kingfisher
 Mew Gull
 California Gull
 Thayer's Gull
 Glaucous-winged Gull
 Anna's Hummingbird
 Downy Woodpecker
 Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
  Northwestern Crow
 Common Raven
Steller’s Jay
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Varied Thrush
 American Robin
 Chestnut-backed Chickadee
 Red-breasted Nuthatch
 Bewick's Wren
 Pacific Wren
 Bushtit
 Golden-crowned Kinglet
 Ruby-crowned Kinglet
 European Starling
 Spotted Towhee
 Song Sparrow
 Golden-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Purple Finch
 House Finch
Pine Siskin   
 
Monday, November 10:

A female American Kestrel was seen at the north end of the Nanaimo Airport in south Nanaimo. 

Greater White-fronted Geese were seen north of Quennel Lake in Cedar.
 

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RYAN CATHERS MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP

 

BEER AND BURGER NIGHT

SATURDAY November 22, 2014

5:00-8:00 pm

 

To raise funds for the Ryan Cathers Memorial Scholarship at V.I.U.

 

Tickets available at the Backyard Wildbird & Nature Store

$20.00 each

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Monday, November 24:

The Arrowsmith Naturalists meet at 7.30 pm at Knox Church in Parksville, to hear Sheena Majowski of the Pacific Biological Station report on Stellar Sea Lions and other marine life.

 Everyone welcome. More info 752-7588.

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Sunday, December 14

      The Parksville/Qualicum Beach Christmas Bird Count (CBC)

Please contact Sandra Gray at saninerr@shaw.ca

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Friday, December 19:

The 13th annual Nanoose Bay Christmas Bird Count (CBC)

Please contact Rhys Harrison at 248-5305 or rhysharrison@shaw.ca

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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 18, 2014 will be going to the Little Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum Beach.  Meet at the parking lot near the Lions Club Playground in Parksville Community Park at 9:00 a.m. or at the Brant viewing platform (off highway 19a) in north Qualicum Beach at about 9:20 a.m. 

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The Sunday bird walk on November 23, 2014 will be going to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo.  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.

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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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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


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