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.

Thursday 29 January 2015

Yellow-billed Loon

Hi birders, a Yellow-billed Loon and three Western Grebes were seen on the Strait of Georgia off the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville.

Good birding
 Neil Robins
Parksville

Wednesday 28 January 2015

Parksville/Qualicum beach Tuesday bird walk, January 27, 2015

The Tuesday bird walk went to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville. The morning was cloudy with sunny periods and the winds were calm. Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned Kinglets were seen feeding high up in the trees.  Many large flocks of
Common Mergansers, Red-breasted Mergansers, Pacific Loons, Common Loons and Common Murre's were seen off shore. Several flocks of Surf Scoters were heading up and down the Strait of Georgia. A large flock of Pine Siskins flew over and landed in a tall tree, giving us great views. A flock of Bushtits joined the Siskins in feeding on the tree.
                                      

                        Ruby-crowned Kinglet: Ralph Hocken Photo.                                                   
 
Twenty-two birders including visiting birders from Chicago, Red Deer and Edmonton saw and hear the following fifty-three species:
Brant
Canada Geese
Mallard
American Wigeon
Northern Pintail
Green-wing Teal
Gadwall
Greater Scaup
Surf Scoter
White-wing Scoter
Bufflehead
Long-tailed Duck
Barrow’s Goldeneye
Common Goldeneye
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Ancient Murrelet
Common Murre
Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Bald Eagle
Belted Kingfisher
Great Blue Heron
Mew Gull
Thayer’s Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Eurasian Collared-Dove
 Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Bushtit
 Red-breasted Nuthatch
 Anna's Hummingbird
  Downy Woodpecker
 Northern Flicker
Steller’s Jay
 Northwestern Crow
 Common Raven
 Bewick's Wren
 Pacific Wren
 Ruby-crowned Kinglet
 Golden-crowned Kinglet
 American Robin
 Varied Thrush
 Spotted Towhee
 Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Red-winged Blackbird
House Finch
Purple Finch
American Goldfinch
Pine Siskin
 Golden-crowned Kinglet: Ralph Hocken Photo.
 
The Tuesday bird walk on February 03, 2015 will be going to Rathtrevor Park in Parksville.
 
Good birding
Neil Robins
Parksville.
 

Sunday 25 January 2015

Nanaimo bird report, January 25, 2015


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, January 25, 2015:
The Sunday bird walk went to the Bowen Park in Nanaimo. The morning was partly cloudy with sunny periods, making for a pleasant walk in the woods.  We spotted Ruby-crowned Kinglets and Golden-crowned Kinglets high in the trees. We heard several Pacific Wrens singing throughout the morning.  A Merlin was perched at the top of a tall snag.  An American Dipper was bobbing on the large rocks in the salmon stream.
 

American Dipper; Ralph Hocken Photo. 
                  Seventeen birders saw and heard the following nineteen species:
Mallard
Glaucous-winged Gull
Merlin
American Dipper
 Chestnut-backed Chickadee
 Red-breasted Nuthatch
 Anna's Hummingbird
   Northern Flicker
Steller’s Jay
 Northwestern Crow
 Common Raven
 Rock Pigeon
 Bewick's Wren
 Pacific Wren
 Ruby-crowned Kinglet
 Golden-crowned Kinglet
  Brown Creeper
 American Robin
 Song Sparrow  

Tuesday, January 20:
The Tuesday bird walk went to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. The morning was cloudy with calm winds and calm water on the Strait of Georgia. The highlights of the morning included seeing three Gadwall near the mud flats. American Wigeon, Mallards, Northern Pintails and Green-winged Teal were also feeding on the mud flats. Thousands of Mew Gulls, Thayer's Gulls and Glaucous-winged Gulls were resting behind the mudflats and lifted in a huge cloud as a Bald Eagle flew over. The gulls landed close by giving us all lots of time to study the different gulls at close range.  A large flock of over sixty Brant Geese flew close to shore heading down the strait.

 

Mew Gull: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

Seventeen birders, including visiting birders from Hinton Alberta and Chicago saw and heard the following forty-five species:
Canada Geese
Brant
American Wigeon
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Gadwall
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
                                                           Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Red-breasted Merganser
Common Merganser
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Belted Kingfisher
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Mew Gull
Thayer's Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Common Murre
Black Oystercatcher
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Steller’s Jay
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
                                                  Anna’s Hummingbird
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Bewick's Wren
Pacific Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
American Robin
Varied Thrush
Spotted Towhee
Fox Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
House Finch

 

Northern Pintail: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

An American Pipit was seen in a backyard along Haida Way in the Seacrest  neighborhood of Nanoose Bay. 

Sunday, January 18:
 A Turkey Vulture flew over a large flock of about two hundred very noisy Surfbirds and one Black Turnstone as they were feeding near high tide at Pipers Lagoon Park in Nanaimo.

One hundred Dunlin and one Black-bellied Plover were seen roosting offshore on Shack Islands across from Pipers Lagoon. 
 

Hooded Merganser, Bufflehead, Mallards, Ring-necked Duck, Double-crested Cormorant, Red winged Blackbirds, Dark-eyed Junco, Chestnut -backed Chickadee, Song Sparrow, Golden- crown Sparrow, Bewick’s Wren, Spotted Towhees, American Robins, Northern Flickers, Steller’s Jay and a Bald Eagle were seen at Diver Lake in Nanaimo.
 

Common Mergansers, Harlequin Ducks and Black Turnstones and over one hundred Sea Lions were hanging out off the point by the parking lot at Neck Point Park in Nanaimo.

 

*************************************************************************************

 

Tofino-Shorebird –Festival

 

18th Annual May 1-3, 2015 


 

*********************************************************************************
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 January 27, 2015 will be going to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville. Meet
at the parking lot near the Lions Club Playground in Parksville Community Park at 9:00 a.m. or at the end of Shelly Road off the Oceanside of highway 19a at about 9:10 a.m.
*********************************************************************
The Sunday bird walk on February 01, 2015 will be going to Nanoose Bay. Meet at the Bird Store at 9:00 a.m. or at the beach near the Church Camp off Highway 19 and Arlington Road at about 9:15 a.m.

 

*********************************************************************
British Columbia Rare Bird Alert link---
http://www.bcbirdalert.blogspot.ca/

*******************************************************************************
A must read for those of us who live along the Strait of Georgia.

 

“READ AN INTERESTING NEW BOOK “

THE SEA AMONG US
THE AMAZING STRAIT OF GEORGIA
RICHARD BEAMISH AND GORDON McFARLANE

 

*****************************************************************************
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

Tuesday 20 January 2015

Parksville/Qualicum beach Tuesday bird walk, January 20, 2015

The Tuesday bird walk went to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville. The morning was cloudy with calm winds and calm water on the Strait of Georgia. The highlights of the morning included seeing three Gadwall near the mud flats.
American Wigeon, Mallards, Northern Pintails and Green-winged Teal were also feeding on the mud flats. Thousands of Mew Gulls,
Thayer's Gulls and Glaucous-winged Gulls were resting behind the mudflats and lifted in a huge cloud as a Bald Eagle flew over. The gulls landed close by giving us all lots of time to study the different gulls at close range.  A large flock of over sixty Brant Geese flew close to shore heading down the strait .
 
          
                  Mew Gull: Ralph Hocken Photo.   
 
 
          Brant in flight: Ralph Hocken Photo.
 
Seventeen birders, including visiting birders from Hinton Alberta and Chicago saw and heard the following forty-five species:
Canada Geese
Brant
American Wigeon
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Gadwall
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Red-breasted Merganser
Common Merganser
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Belted Kingfisher
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Mew Gull
Thayer's Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Common Murre
Black Oystercatcher
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Steller’s Jay
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Anna’s Hummingbird
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Bewick's Wren
Pacific Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
American Robin
Varied Thrush
Spotted Towhee
Fox Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
House Finch
                                                                     
Northern Pintail: Ralph Hocken Photo. 
 
The Tuesday bird walk on January 27 will be going to the Shelly Road side of the Englishman River Estuary in Parksville.
 
Good birding
Neil Robins
Parksville

Sunday 18 January 2015

Nanaimo bird report, January 18, 2015


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, January 18, 2015:
The Sunday bird walk went to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River in
Parksville. The morning was cloudy with sunny periods and the wind was calm. The
highlights included seeing a Long-tailed Duck not far from shore.  Several flocks of
Common Murre flew up the Strait of Georgia.  We spotted a Pigeon Guillemot  further
off shore.  Many Pacific Loons and Common Loons were seen throughout
the morning. 
There were three Killer Whales ( Orcas) heading up the strait.
 
                                       
                                                        Common Murre:

Fifteen birders saw and heard the following forty-one Species:
American Wigeon
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Harlequin Duck
Gadwall
Surf Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Red-breasted Merganser
Common Merganser
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Red-necked Grebe
Horned Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Mew Gull
Thayer's Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Common Murre
Pigeon Guillemot
Lesser Yellowlegs
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Steller’s Jay
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Anna’s Hummingbird
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
American Robin
Spotted Towhee
Fox Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
House Finch
Purple Finch 

Friday, January 16:
A Peregrine Falcon was spotted at top of a tall conifer overlooking the marshland at the Little Qualicum River Estuary north of Qualicum Beach. 

A White Hummingbird is visiting backyard feeders in Qualicum Beach 

White Hummingbird: Friend of Dauna’s Photo. 

Tuesday, January 13:
The Tuesday bird walk went to Columbia Beach. The morning was cloudy with calm winds and a smooth Strait of Georgia.

The highlight sighting of the morning was the exciting showing of a pod of four Killer Whales heading up the Strait near the far horizon.

   Killer Whales or Orcas are the largest of the dolphins and one of the world's most powerful predators. They feast on marine mammals such as seals, sea lions and also on fish, squid, and seabirds.

Watching the whales blow as they travelled along the horizon and then dove below the surface, only to rise again in a few moments was awesome!!! 

Harlequin Ducks, Common Goldeneye, Barrows Goldeneye, Common Mergansers, Red-breasted Mergansers, Pacific Loons, Common Loon and Horned Grebes were see just off shore throughout the morning. A Pigeon Guillemot, several Marbled Murrelets and Ancient Murrelets along with hundreds of Common Murre were seen further off shore. A Greater Yellowlegs was roosting on the gravel bar with two Black-bellied Plovers. A Black Oystercatcher was resting on a big rock giving us good views and a flock of six Black Turnstones flew low over the water. Along the road we spotted a large number of singing House Finch, White-crowned Sparrows,
Golden-crowned Sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos  and Pine Siskins.
 
                                   

                                          Common Goldeneye: Ralph Hocken Photo.

Seventeen birders saw and heard the following forty- seven bird species:
Mallard
Harlequin Duck
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Barrows Goldeneye
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Pigeon Guillemot
Marbled Murrelet
Ancient Murrelet
Common Murre
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Pelagic cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant
Belted Kingfisher
Greater Yellowlegs
Black-bellied Plover
Black Oystercatcher
Black Turnstone
Mew Gull
California Gull
Thayer's Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Eurasian-collared Dove
Rock Pigeon
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Anna’s Hummingbird
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
House Finch
Dark-eyed Junco
Pine Siskin
House Sparrow 

Three mammal species:
Killer Whale
Harbour Seals
Sea Lions

 

                                              

                                                          


                                           Greater Yellowlegs: Ralph Hocken Photo.


Saturday, January 10:
Thirty California Quail were seen feeding in a backyard in the 3000 block of Barrington Road in Nanaimo. 

The Snow Goose and two Greater White-fronted Geese are still feeding on the grass at the Parksville Community Park in Parksville. 

**********************************************************************************
Monday, January 26:
Arrowsmith Naturalists meet at Knox United Church in Parksville at 7.30 pm.  Members Night when members share their photos.  All welcome.

Information at 752-7588. 


*************************************************************************************
18th Annual Tofino Shorebird Festival
May 1-3, 2015
For  information please contact----
http://raincoasteducation.org/events/tofino-shorebird-festival


*********************************************************************************
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 January 20, 2015 will be going to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River Estuary. 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 January 25, 2015 will be going to Bowen Park in Nanaimo. Meet at the Bird Store at 9:00 a.m. or at the main parking lot at Bowen Park(near the lawn bowling green) off Bowen Road at about 9:15 a.m.
*********************************************************************
British Columbia Rare Bird Alert link---
http://www.bcbirdalert.blogspot.ca/

****************************************************************************
A must read for those of us who live along the Strait of Georgia.
THE SEA AMONG US
THE AMAZING STRAIT OF GEORGIA
RICHARD BEAMISH AND GORDON McFARLANE
*****************************************************************************
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