Nanaimo bird report, February 15, 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.
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Sunday, February 15, 2015:

The Sunday bird walk went to Neck Point Park in Nanaimo. The morning was cloudy with a strong wind off the Strait but the sun shone for the rest of the morning. The highlights included seeing three Trumpeter Swans fly over the Strait of Georgia. We heard Red Crossbills at the start of the walk. Two Long-tailed Ducks were swimming close to shore giving us great looks. Several flocks of Surf Scoters were flying up the Strait. We heard a Hutton’s Vireo at the end of the walk. Common Murre, a Marbled Murrelet and a Pigeon Guillemot were seen further offshore. 

Hutton’s Vireo: Ralph Hocken Photo.  

Twenty-nine birders saw and heard the following fifty-two species: 

Trumpeter Swan

Canada Geese

 Mallard

Bufflehead

 Harlequin Duck

 Surf Scoter

Black Scoter

Barrow’s Goldeneye

Common Goldeneye

Red-necked Grebe

Horned Grebe

Common Merganser

 Red-breasted Merganser

Long-tailed Duck

 Pacific Loon

 Common Loon

 Double-crested Cormorant

 Pelagic Cormorant

Brandt’s Cormorant

Dunlin

Black Turnstone

Common Murre

Marbled Murrelet

 Pigeon Guillemot

Belted Kingfisher

 Bald Eagle

 Mew Gull

California Gull

 Thayer’s Gull

 Glaucous-winged Gull

 Common Raven

 Northwestern Crow

Eurasian-collared Dove

Northern Flicker

Downy Woodpecker

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Brown Creeper

 Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Bushtits

 Hutton’s Vireo

 Pacific Wren

 Bewick's Wren

 Golden-crowned Kinglet

 Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Anna’s Hummingbird

 European Starling

 American Robin

 Spotted Towhee

Purple Finch

Red Crossbill

 Song Sparrow

Pine Siskin 

Tuesday, February 17:

The Tuesday bird walk went to Columbia Beach. Fog over the Strait of Georgia greeted us at the start of the walk, but soon the sun showed it’s warm rays for good birding. Several small flocks of Brant Geese flew over the water. Long-tailed Ducks were rested on the strait offshore. Black-bellied Plovers, Black Turnstones, Dunlin and Black Oystercatchers were feeding on the gravel bars.

                                             Long-tailed Duck: Ralph Hocken Photo. 

Sixteen birders saw and heard the following forty-five species:

Brant

Mallard

Harlequin Duck

Surf Scoter

White-winged Scoter

Long-tailed Duck

Bufflehead

Barrow’s Goldeneye

Common Goldeneye

Common Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

Horned Grebe

Red-necked Grebe

Double-crested Cormorant

Pelagic Cormorant

Pacific Loon

Common Loon

Bald Eagle

Black-bellied Plover

Black Turnstone

Dunlin

Black Oystercatcher

Mew Gull

California Gull

Thayer's Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Ring-billed Gull

Common Murre

Northern Flicker

Northwestern Crow

Rock Pigeon

Eurasian-collared Dove

Common Raven

American Robin

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

European Starling

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

House Finch

Pine Siskin

 

Ring-billed Gull: Ralph Hocken.    

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Monday, February, 23^rd:

The Arrowsmith Naturalists meet at 7 pm at Knox United Church, Parksville.

Guest Speaker--- Christopher Stephens will speak about Swainson’s Thrush.

 

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Tofino-Shorebird –Festival

 

18th Annual May 1-3, 2015 

For  information please contact---- http://raincoasteducation.org/events/tofino-shorebird-festival

 

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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 February 17, 2015 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 viewing platform in north Qualicum Beach at about 9:20 a.m.
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The Sunday bird walk on February 22, 2015 will be going to Plummer Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville.. Meet at the Bird Store at 9:00 a.m. or at the corner of Plummer Road and Shorewood Drive in Parksville at about 9:25 a.m.

 

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

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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
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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

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