Parksville/Qualicum Beach Tuesday bird walk, January 06, 2015

The Tuesday bird walk went to the Little Qualicum River Estuary in Qualicum Beach. The morning was warm and the Strait of Georgia was calm but foggy. Several Horned Grebes, Long-tailed Ducks along with Pacific Loons and Common Loons were seen off shore.  Black-bellied Plovers, Black Turnstones and several Black Oystercatchers were chatting loudly as they were feeding along the shoreline near the viewing platform. Four Brant Geese flew over heading down the Strait. Hundreds of White-winged Scoters and Black Scoters were singing just off shore.  One lone Trumpeter Swan along with several Great Blue Herons were seen on the estuary.  A mixed flock of hundreds of Mew Gulls, California Gulls, Thayer's Gulls and Glaucous-winged Gulls were resting on the large gravel bar near the mouth of the Little Qualicum River. The Gulls lifted in a huge cloud when the Bald Eagle flew close by.

                              

                 Mew Gull: Ralph Hocken Photo.   

 

 

 

                                 

Pacific Loons: Ralph Hocken Photo.

 

Fifteen birders saw and heard the following forty-six species:

Canada Goose

Brant
Trumpeter Swan
Mallard

Greater Scaup
Harlequin Duck
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Bufflehead

Common Goldeneye
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Pelagic Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle

Red-tailed Hawk

Sharp-shinned Hawk
Black-bellied Plover
Black Turnstone

Black Oystercatcher

Killdeer
Mew Gull
California Gull
Western Gull
Thayer's Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Common Murre
Belted Kingfisher
Northern Flicker
Northwestern Crow

Common Raven
Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Anna’s Hummingbird

European Starling
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Red-winged Blackbird

Brewer’s Blackbird

 

The Tuesday bird walk on January 13, 2015 will be going to Columbia Beach.

                                                                                                   

Black Oystercatchers: Ralph Hocken Photo.

 

Good birding

Neil Robins

Parksville